Chapter 5: First Day, Old Rivalries 

[Monday Morning, Haven University]

Haven University stood behind tall iron gates, its old stone buildings mixed with newer glass wings. Ivy covered parts of the walls, and stone paths connected the different sections of campus.

The university was one of the most selective in the country. Money alone could not secure admission. Students needed exceptional grades, high test scores, and a strong academic record.

Only a small number of students were accepted each year, and one full scholarship was awarded to a student who met the university's highest standards.

On the first morning of the semester, the quiet campus became crowded.

Cars filled the driveway as students arrived in groups. Some came in expensive vehicles while others walked through the gates with their bags over their shoulders.

Then a deep red Maybach rolled through the gates, followed by two black SUVs.

Phones immediately came out.

"That's him."

"Franklin's back!"

The SUVs stopped first.

Ten security guards stepped out and formed a perimeter around the Maybach before the rear door opened.

Franklin stepped out.

The crowd erupted.

Students called his name while several others raised their phones to record him.

He wore black leather shorts, a sleeveless shirt, and a biker jacket over his shoulders. A dark hairband held back his messy curls.

Franklin looked around with an amused smile before giving a quick wink to a group of students near the entrance.

"Welcome back, Frank!" someone shouted.

He chuckled and headed toward the main building with his security team behind him.

As the son of the country's vice president, Franklin was used to attention. His father had given his security team strict instructions to keep an eye on him, especially because of his temper.

Not long after Franklin disappeared through the entrance, a navy-blue Porsche pulled up.

Two women stepped out.

Ginny and Gigi.

The twins wore matching crimson dresses with black boots and silver chokers. Their jade-colored eyes were almost identical, making it difficult to tell them apart at first glance.

Ginny wore her black hair loose, while Gigi had hers tied back.

"The twins!"

"Ginny! Gigi!"

Ginny smiled and waved at the students.

Gigi didn't bother responding. She simply walked beside her sister with her usual calm expression.

They were the daughters of one of South Africa's well-known industrial families, and their arrival attracted almost as much attention as Franklin's.

A few minutes later, a white limousine stopped near the entrance.

Indigo stepped out first, followed by Remi and Piper.

Indigo wore a pastel blouse with a pleated skirt and white flats. She smiled politely at the students around them.

Remi kept things simple in dark jeans, a charcoal hoodie, and sneakers.

Piper wore a denim jacket over a floral dress, her blonde curls falling around her shoulders.

The three girls linked arms and headed toward the main building.

A little farther away, Orion walked through the crowd.

Both hands were buried in the pockets of his faded black hoodie, his hood pulled low.

He was a senior architecture major and one of the most talented students in his department.

Despite spending four years at Haven, most students barely knew he existed.

Orion preferred it that way.

In a university where status mattered almost as much as grades, being ignored had its advantages.

He carried no bag.

He never did.

He walked through the crowd without acknowledging anyone, his green eyes moving briefly across the courtyard before he entered the main hall.

Outside, several students were still waiting near the gates.

"Where are the rest of them?"

"Did the Glitter Girls skip the first day?"

Some students looked disappointed.

Others seemed relieved.

Eventually, the crowd around the driveway began to disappear as students headed toward their lecture halls.

[Beckett's Mansion]

Beckett was still asleep when his bedroom door slammed open.

"Beckett!"

His mother, Ruth, marched into the room and pulled the duvet off him.

He shot upright, blinking against the morning light.

"Mom!"

"You're still sleeping?" Ruth demanded. "Today is the first day of the semester!"

Beckett rubbed his face.

"I know. I'm going."

Ruth planted her hands on her hips.

"Then get up."

Beckett sighed and dropped back against the headboard.

Ruth narrowed her eyes.

"And don't think I've forgotten about Zinnia."

His eyes opened immediately.

"Mom."

"If you keep missing classes, how do you expect to get closer to her?"

Beckett stared at her.

"We've had this conversation a thousand times. Nothing is going to happen between me and that girl."

"That's exactly why you should try harder."

He groaned.

"Why do you keep doing this?"

"Because I think you two would make a perfect pair."

Beckett shook his head and got out of bed.

Ruth followed him toward the bathroom.

"I've always imagined you with a girl like Zinnia."

"Well, you can stop imagining it."

He walked into the bathroom and reached for a pack of gum.

Ruth crossed her arms.

"And I heard you're looking at apartments."

Beckett paused.

"Who told you that?"

"I have my sources."

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm an adult, Mom. I can live on my own."

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

Beckett stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"Unbelievable."

He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

Ruth stood outside for a moment.

"God, give me strength with that boy," she muttered before walking away.

[Haven University]

The lecture hall was quiet except for the professor's voice and the scratching of pens across notebooks.

Gigi sat near the center, typing every word of the lecture onto her tablet.

Beside her, Ginny was busy scrolling through her phone.

"Stop it," Gigi said without looking at her.

"You don't understand. This guy is ridiculously gorgeous."

"And he doesn't know you exist."

Ginny slowly looked up.

Gigi finally turned toward her.

"The truth is rarely comfortable."

"Screw you, killjoy."

Ginny showed her the middle finger under the desk.

Gigi scoffed and returned to her notes.

Both girls were linguistics majors and among the top students in their year.

Before the professor could move to the next slide, the lecture hall doors suddenly opened.

A breathless student appeared.

"The Glitter Girls are here!"

Students immediately started getting up.

Some grabbed their phones. Others rushed toward the exit.

Even students who complained about the Glitter Girls joined the crowd.

Gigi and Ginny exchanged an annoyed look.

"Idiots," they muttered at the same time.

Neither of them understood why the entire campus was so obsessed with Zinnia and her friends.

Outside, hundreds of students had already gathered around the central courtyard.

Phones were raised everywhere.

Then the sound of helicopter blades filled the air.

A black helicopter descended toward the courtyard, sending a strong gust across the lawn.

The crowd erupted.

The side door opened.

Sage stepped out first.

He landed on the pavement and stood beside the helicopter while students watched him.

Willa followed.

She wore loose distressed jeans with a white button-down shirt. Her AirPods were in her ears, and her dark hair was tied back.

She barely glanced at the crowd.

Harper came next in denim shorts and a white top. Her large gold earrings stood out against her dark skin, and her hair was pulled into a high bun.

Charlotte followed with a bag of chips in one hand. She wore an oversized white shirt with denim shorts and a beret tilted over her hair.

Then Zinnia appeared.

She wore denim shorts, a fitted white top, and layered gold necklaces. Her dark hair was pulled into a high bun.

Her outfit left little to the imagination; she wasn't wearing a bra, and the outline of her chest was visible through her top.

Her familiar smirk appeared the moment she looked at the crowd.

Sage offered his hand as she stepped down.

The courtyard erupted.

"Look at Zinnia!"

"Her jewelry probably costs more than my tuition!"

"Willa looks amazing!"

"Charlotte is eating chips like she owns the place!"

“I love your black skin, Harper!”

The four girls walked toward the building as cameras followed them.

They had arrived late on purpose.

Their coordinated outfits made the group look even more noticeable, and the matching white-and-denim theme only added to the spectacle.

On the upper terrace, Franklin watched the scene with Pierre beside him.

His eyes followed Zinnia.

Pierre smiled.

"This semester is going to be fuckin' interesting."

Franklin said nothing, and pushed away from the pillar.

He walked away, already thinking about what he could do to make things more entertaining.

Inside the lecture hall, Indigo, Remi, and Piper had stayed behind.

Indigo continued reading her textbook as if nothing had happened.

Remi and Piper stood near the windows, watching the courtyard.

"Unbelievable," Piper said. "They're completely insufferable."

"A helicopter?" Remi shook her head. "Who does that?"

She glanced at Indigo.

"I still don't understand why Zinnia acts like she owns the place when you're sitting right here. Your granny is literally the richest in the country."

Indigo didn't answer.

She simply turned another page.

[Haven University, Law Lecture Hall]

The professor was halfway through the lecture when the heavy door opened.

Everyone looked toward the entrance.

Zinnia walked in.

She didn't apologize for being late.

She didn't even look toward the professor.

As the other Glitter Girls were in their final year in different departments, Zinnia was the only one in the group studying Law.

She attended the upper-level lectures alone.

Her eyes moved across the room.

Then she stopped.

Someone was sitting in her usual seat by the window.

Franklin.

He was leaning back comfortably, his long legs stretched toward the aisle.

Zinnia's expression hardened.

Of all the people in the university, it had to be him.

Franklin was also a Law major, which meant she had no choice but to see him in several of her classes.

She walked down the aisle.

Her heels clicked against the floor.

"Get up."

The room went quiet.

The professor cleared his throat.

"Miss Steele, perhaps you could choose another…"

"I wasn't talking to you."

The professor immediately stopped.

Zinnia looked at Franklin.

Franklin's mouth curved into a smile. "You don't have a say in where I sit."

He didn't move.

"I said get up."

"It's just a chair, Zinnia."

"One."

Franklin remained seated.

"Two."

His smile widened.

"Three," he said for her.

A few students exchanged nervous looks.

Franklin leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk.

“So, tell me. Has the sky fallen yet?” he whispered, his voice laced with mocking amusement.

Zinnia stared at him.

"You're going to regret this, Frank."

“At least I threw the first stone this semester,” Franklin replied softly, his smile wicked.

“You didn't throw a stone, Frank. You just threw a fuckin' piece of paper,” Zinnia said, her voice dropping into a controlled, lethal calm. “I’ll be the one throwing the real stone. And trust me, it’s going to draw blood.”

The room became even quieter. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Zinnia straightened.

"Mark today on your calendar."

She turned and walked back toward the door.

"You'll wish you stayed in your own fuckin' row."

Franklin watched her leave.

"Bring it on."

The door slammed behind her, and silence filled the lecture hall.

Franklin leaned back into the seat.

For the first time that morning, he looked genuinely entertained.

This semester was already getting interesting.