the lesson begins

1 of The Curse of Hibiscus with the school introduction, the teacher’s class, and fun moments with her best friend Lily and Jake’s entry:

Hibiscus slipped into her seat just as the bell rang, her mind still clouded by the lingering dream that had haunted her last night. She felt a faint chill in her bones that she couldn’t shake. Brushing off the feeling, she looked around the bustling classroom. Students chatted and laughed, energy buzzing through the air. Her best friend, Lily, plopped down beside her, flashing a grin.

“Late night?” Lily teased, poking her arm.

“More like a weird one,” Hibiscus replied, forcing a smile. She wasn’t ready to admit how disturbed she still felt.

Their teacher, Ms. Blair, strode into the room, her heels echoing with an authority that silenced the class. She was a mysterious figure herself, with an old-fashioned look and eyes that seemed to see right through you. Today, her expression held a peculiar excitement, which immediately caught Hibiscus’s attention.

“Today,” Ms. Blair began, her voice a low whisper that made everyone lean in, “we’re going to talk about the Curse of Everwood Villa.” She paused dramatically, letting her words sink in.

Hibiscus’s heart skipped a beat as a thrill of curiosity sparked inside her. Local legends were something she couldn’t resist, and judging by the looks on her classmates’ faces, she wasn’t the only one intrigued.

Ms. Blair continued, “Everwood Villa stands on the edge of the forest, abandoned, but not empty.” She cast a dark glance at Hibiscus, her eyes glinting. “A family lived there many years ago—a mother who practiced strange rituals, a father rarely seen in daylight, and their daughter. Rumor has it the daughter was cursed, bound to her mother’s dark power and her father’s… condition.”

A wave of nervous laughter rippled through the class, but Hibiscus felt something stir within her. There was an eerie familiarity to the story that unsettled her.

Ms. Blair continued with intensity, “The curse follows the girl, born again to bear her family’s sins.”

At that moment, Hibiscus’s phone buzzed with a message from Jake, her boyfriend. Need rescuing? he texted, followed by a winking emoji. She glanced over to see him peeking in from the door, offering a goofy salute. He always seemed to show up at the right moment, bringing a burst of light when things felt heavy.

Lily nudged her, eyes gleaming with mischief. “I swear he’s got a radar for you, Hibby.”

Rolling her eyes, Hibiscus shot him a quick text back. Hang tight, we’re in ghost-story mode.

“Pay attention,” Ms. Blair called out, her gaze never leaving Hibiscus. “This isn’t just any story. It’s a legend—and legends are born of truth.”

Hibiscus exchanged a glance with Lily, both of them feeling the unease the tale had stirred. Yet as they left class and joined Jake in the hallway, laughter soon replaced the tension.

“Sounds like Ms. Blair’s taking Halloween early this year,” Jake joked, throwing an arm around Hibiscus’s shoulders.

“Yeah,” Hibiscus replied, laughing along, though the story lingered in her mind. She pushed the feeling aside, determined to let it go.

But somehow, Hibiscus knew that the curse of Everwood Villa was only the beginning.

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