The Ridgewood High gymnasium wasn't a gym. It was a THEATRE OF POWER. Golden banners declared Excellence. Honor. Victory. ; drones buzzed overhead for the school's livestream. Parents filled the VIP bleachers_CEO, influencers, athletes, and find stars. Students whispered and filmed, hungry for content.
It was the first assembly of the year__and the moment everyone had been waiting for
.
EMMA, JASMINE, ZARA, AND MARCUS SIT TOGETHER.
Jasmine
(low voice) it's louder than a concert in here.
Zara
(adjusting her tennis jacket) That's Ridgewood. Where even assemblies are red carpets.
Marcus
(scrolling his tablet) Social feed's already blowing up. Hashtags:
#TylerBrooksAtRidgewood, #GameChanger,
#FerrariVsBrooks.
Emma Ferrari
(arms crossed) He hasn't even said a word yet
[Side doors open. Tyler Brooks enters. black hoodie, designer backpack, his mother-- a famous Asian Film star__ waving from the parent section. Phones shoot up instantly. ]
STUDENT 1: that's him!
STUDENT 2:he's taller than I thought.
STUDENT 3:ESPN literally called him the next big thing.
[Tyler smirks, sliding off his sunglasses as he walks. ]
Tyler
(under his breath) New school, same spotlight.
[Principal Hawthorne, tall and sharp steps up to the podium]
principal Hawthorne
Welcome, Ridgewood students and families, to another year of excellence. Here, we do more than study or compete. We build leaders. Champions. Icons. (pauses, scanning crowd) This year, we welcome a transfer who's already a rising star......... Tyler Brooks.
Tyler
(grinning) Thanks, Principal. I'm here to win. Simple as that.
Emma Ferrari
(mutters) Confidence is easy. Respect is harder.
Jasmine
(smirking at Emma) Careful__sounds like you've already got him under your skin.
Zara
(teasing) Rivalry alert.
{Principal Hawthorne raises his voice}
principal Hawthorne
Remember:Ridgewood is not defined by where you came from, but by what you prove here. Let the year begin.
Applause. Tyler glances across the crowd, locking eyes with Emma for a brief, charged second. She doesn't look away
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