Chapter 3 – First Bells

Sunlight spilled through the high windows in broken shafts, warming the mahogany floors and casting golden lace patterns on the walls. The breeze stirred the curtains gently, like a hand brushing hair away from a sleeping face. Somewhere beyond the rose garden, birds chirped—carefree, unaware of the girl still tangled in sleep.

A shrill sound cut through the stillness.

The clock on Elle’s nightstand read: 8:42 AM.

Her eyes snapped open.

“Oh no… no, no—!”

She bolted upright, her breath catching as if the room itself had punched her. Hair a tousled halo, blanket half on the floor, she scrambled to her feet, knocking a pillow off the bed as she lunged toward the wardrobe. The orientation lecture at Valemount University — her first day — began at nine sharp.

And Valemount was not five minutes away.

She brushed her teeth with one hand while yanking open drawers with the other. Toothpaste foam dribbled onto her shirt sleeve, but she barely noticed.

“Formal dress? No. Too much. This skirt has a tear… And where are my jeans?!”

She threw an armful of clothes onto the bed in frustration, running a hand through her hair — then wincing when it caught in a knot.

In the middle of her chaos, the door creaked open.

Greta stepped in like a quiet breeze, holding a neatly pressed uniform. Her soft grey eyes twinkled with restrained amusement. “Your uniform is already laid out, Elle,” she said gently, holding up a white blouse and a navy pleated skirt. “You mentioned you’d need it today.”

Elle froze. Toothbrush still in her mouth.

“Oh.” She blinked. “Right. I—I did.”

“You’re not quite a morning dove, are you?”

Elle gave a sheepish half-smile, toothpaste and all. “You’re a life-saver.”

“I’m your Greta, dove. Now go get dressed before that poor driver of yours faints from worry.”

Exactly fifteen minutes later, at 8:57 AM, Elle flew down the grand staircase, shoes barely tied, blazer half on, and her bag swinging wildly from her shoulder. The cool air outside kissed her cheeks as she rushed across the gravel path. The vintage black car stood waiting at the end of the drive, its engine a quiet purr.

Mr. Hollins, ever composed, tipped his cap as she jumped in.

“Morning, Miss Elle. We’ve just enough time, if luck’s on our side.”

She looked at her phone. 8:57.

Her heart clenched. “We’ve got, like… three minutes. That’s not luck — that’s a miracle.”

“We’ve made tighter turns,” he said with a soft chuckle.

As the car rumbled through the twisting, mist-laced lanes of Greystone, Elle tried to calm her racing thoughts. But her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her blazer, and her knee bounced in place.

You’re fine. It’s just college.

But her stomach didn’t agree.

Valemount University rose through the fog like something out of a Gothic novel. Ivy crawled along the age-worn stone walls, and tall spires pierced the morning sky. Wrought-iron gates creaked open, and stained-glass windows glimmered faintly with shifting light.

Elle stepped out of the car with barely a thank-you and sprinted across the cobbled courtyard. Her shoes echoed too loudly in the empty archways. She pulled her bag tighter to her chest, eyes scanning for the main entrance.

Then—

She turned a corner and crashed right into someone.

They both stumbled, and Elle nearly lost her balance. Her bag slipped halfway down her arm.

“S—Sorry!” she said, eyes wide.

The boy she’d run into blinked, then stepped back. “No, it’s—it’s okay. I wasn’t… I wasn’t looking either.”

He ran a hand through his dark, slightly messy hair, avoiding her gaze for a moment. His uniform was slightly wrinkled, and his tie was askew, like he’d dressed in a hurry too. His voice was lower than she expected — quiet, maybe even a little unsure.

Elle nodded, her cheeks hot. “I, um… I was running late. Still am.”

He gave a soft, awkward laugh. “Same. I’m pretty sure we missed the ‘arrive fifteen minutes early’ part of the invitation.”

She managed a small smile. “Yeah. Definitely missed that.”

For a moment, they both stood there, not quite sure what to say next.

“I’m—uh—Kai,” he said finally, glancing at her.

“Oh. I’m Elle.”

A pause.

“Nice name,” he offered, then winced slightly like he wasn’t sure if that sounded weird.

“Thanks. Yours too,” she replied, then immediately regretted how formal that sounded.

The silence stretched just a bit too long.

“I guess we’re, um… both heading to orientation?” Elle said, starting to walk again.

“Yeah. Hopefully we’re not too late.”

They fell into step side by side, not speaking much more. Elle noticed the way he kept fidgeting with his blazer sleeve, and Kai noticed how she kept pulling her bag strap higher on her shoulder.

It was awkward. Clumsy. And weirdly… kind of comforting.

They reached the massive double doors of the main hall just as they were being pulled shut. A faculty member gave them a sharp look but let them in without a word.

Inside, the hall was cavernous — rows of dark wood benches, high-vaulted ceilings, and windows that painted the air with colored light. The dean’s voice echoed as he began his welcome speech.

Kai slipped into a seat near the back. Elle, too nervous to sit beside anyone, slid into a bench closer to the window.

As she settled, her heart still thudding, she caught movement from the corner of her eye.

Kai was looking at her.

She quickly looked away.

But a moment later, curiosity won out — she glanced back.

He was still looking. Not smiling, just… watching. Calm. Observing. As if trying to figure her out without asking a single question.

Elle turned her eyes to the dean, pretending to listen. But her mind drifted.

And for a girl haunted by silence — his quiet stare didn’t feel suffocating.

It felt like something else.

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