THE DARKNESS THAT BINDS

Mia glanced back at the guy at the front row seated with his group, she couldn't help but feel shivers run down her spine. Mia felt a lump in her throat as she turned back to Rachel, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

"Who's that guy?" Mia whispered to Rachel, nodding discreetly in his direction.

Rachel followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that's Karl Valois," she said quietly. "He's kind of a big deal here. His family is super wealthy and influential, and he's always been a bit of a loner. He is the face of Santiago high-school."

Mia's eyes widened as she took in this information, her eyes drifted back to Karl, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of uncertainty wash over her. There was something about him that seemed to radiate an aura of superiority, a sense of entitlement that made her feel uneasy. His piercing blue eyes earlier had seemed to bore into her soul, as if sizing her up and finding her wanting.

Mia felt a lump form in her throat as she turned back to Rachel, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

"And the girl?" Mia asked.

"That's Ember Rose, Karl's girlfriend. She is very rude and full of herself, I literally hate her so much, she thinks she's better than everyone else just because her family is rich and influential," Lyra said, her eyes rolling in annoyance, she was the one who answered these time. "She's always looking down on people and treating them like dirt."

Mia's eyes drifted back to Ember, who was now smiling sweetly at Karl as he whispered something in her ear. She looked like the quintessential mean girl, with her perfect blonde hair and her designer clothes.

"The one seating at the other side of Karl is Ophelia Valois, Karl's junior sister, they are so close. She is the only one that can make Karl smile, sometimes I wish she was not his sister and she was the one dating Karl because she is a bit more friendly." Sofia interjected.

"The guy with brown hair is Zarek Bloodstone, he is Karl's bestfriend and unlike Karl, he is jovial though not to everyone. He is a comedian and he smiles unlike Karl who only smiles once in a while. The cheesy girl who is laughing is Kaliya Bleeks, she is Zarek's girlfriend." Alex informed Mia who just stared from one person to another as the instructions went on.

"Kaliya is the weird one." Lyra said.

"Most times in class, she gets panic attacks, though it doesn't seem like usual panic attacks. She can stay frozen in one place for an hour. I find that extremely weird because sometimes she spaces out and doesn't even....blink." Rachel said, her voice low at the end of her sentence.

Mia's eyes widened as she took in the information about Karl's group. She felt like she was getting a crash course in the complex social dynamics of Santiago High School. As she glanced back at the group, she couldn't help but notice the way they seemed to exude an aura of confidence and superiority.

"I know right. Sometimes Karl and Zarek pulls her out of class when these happens." Alex said.

The principal of Santiago High School, Mr. Hernandez, stepped up to the microphone, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Welcome, students and families, to the orientation of Santiago High School!" he exclaimed, his voice booming across the amphitheater.

The crowd erupted into applause, and Mia joined in, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach. She glanced back at Karl, who was seated at the front row, his eyes fixed intently on the principal. He seemed completely absorbed in the moment, his expression serious and attentive.

As the applause died down, Mr. Hernandez began to speak, his voice warm and welcoming. "We are thrilled to have you all here today, and we are excited to welcome our new students to the Santiago High School community," he said. "Over the next few hours, we will be sharing information about our school's policies, procedures, and expectations. We will also be introducing you to our faculty and staff, and providing you with a tour of our campus."

Mia listened intently, trying to absorb as much information as possible. As the principal continued to speak, Mia's eyes drifted back to Karl, who was still seated at the front row, his eyes fixed intently on the principal. She couldn't help but to be curious about him.

The principal finished speaking and the crowd erupted into applause once again. Mia joined in, feeling a sense of relief that the orientation was finally coming to an end.

As the applause died down, Mr. Hernandez smiled warmly at the crowd. "Thank you all for your attention," he said. "We're now going to take a short break before the campus tour. I encourage you all to grab a snack or drink from the cafeteria and mingle with your fellow students."

Mia stood up, stretching her legs and smoothing out her clothes. She felt a sense of relief that the orientation was over, but she was also excited to explore the campus and meet new people.

As she turned to Rachel, Alex spoke up. "Hey, guys, I'm starving," she said, rubbing her stomach. "Why don't we grab some lunch from the cafeteria before the tour?"

Rachel and Lyra burst out laughing. "Alex, we just grabbed a snack like 30 minutes ago," Rachel said, teasingly. "You're such a foodie!"

Alex grinned sheepishly. "Hey, I'm just trying to keep my energy up," she said. "Besides, I'm buying if you guys want to join me."

Mia smiled, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her new friends. "Sure, why not?" she said. "I could use a bite to eat."

As they walked towards the cafeteria, Mia couldn't help but glance back at Karl, who was still seated at the front row, his girlfriend was trying to get him hooked in a conversation, but he seemed completely uninterested. Mia felt a shiver run down her spine as she turned back to her friends. She had a feeling that this was going to be a very interesting year.

As they entered the cafeteria, Mia was immediately struck by the variety of food options available. There were rows of tables laden with sandwiches, salads, and snacks, as well as a hot food counter serving up everything from pizza to pasta.

Alex, true to his word, insisted on buying lunch for everyone, and they spent the next 20 minutes chatting and laughing as they ate. Mia felt like she was finally starting to relax and enjoy herself, and she was grateful to her new friends for making her feel so welcome.

As they finished up their lunch, Rachel glanced at her watch and stood up. "We should probably get going," she said. "The campus tour is supposed to start soon."

Mia nodded, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. She was looking forward to exploring the campus and learning more about Santiago High School.

As they left the cafeteria, Mia fell into step beside Rachel, Alex, and Lyra. They walked together, chatting and laughing, as they made their way to the designated meeting spot for the campus tour.

The warm sunshine and gentle breeze made for a pleasant walk, and Mia felt her nerves start to dissipate. She was excited to explore the campus and get a better sense of her new school.

As they approached the meeting spot, Mia could see a large crowd of students gathered together. The group was buzzing with chatter and excitement, and Mia felt a thrill of anticipation.

Rachel led the way, expertly navigating through the crowd to find a spot near the front. Mia followed close behind, her eyes scanning the crowd for familiar faces.

As they settled into their spot, Mia's eyes scanned the crowd, almost involuntarily searching for a familiar face - Karl's. She didn't know why she was looking for him, but she couldn't help herself. She found herself wondering where he was.

But as she searched the crowd, she didn't see him anywhere. She shrugged, scolding herself for even thinking about him. What was wrong with her? She had just met the guy, and already she was obsessing over him, she didn't even know him. She needed to focus on making new friends and navigating her new school, not getting caught up in thoughts of some guy she barely knew.

Mia turned her attention back to Rachel, Alex, and Lyra, who were chatting and laughing together. She joined in and pushed Karl out of her mind.

The tour guide, a cheerful-looking woman with a bright smile, stepped forward to greet the crowd. "Welcome, everyone!" she exclaimed. "My name is Ms. Johnson, and I'll be leading you on a tour of our beautiful campus today. Let's get started!"

As Ms. Johnson began to speak, Mia felt a surge of excitement and curiosity. She had always loved exploring new places, and she couldn't wait to see what Santiago High School had to offer. She listened intently as Ms. Johnson started to lead the group on the campus tour, pointing out various landmarks and buildings.

They walked, Mia chatted with Rachel, Alex, and Lyra, asking them questions about the school and their experiences so far. She was starting to feel more and more at ease, and she was grateful they made her feel welcome.

As they approached the school's library, Ms. Johnson stopped and turned to face the group. "This is one of our favorite buildings on campus," she said, smiling. "The library is a great place to study, relax, and get some work done. And, as you'll see, it's also home to an amazing collection of books and resources."

Mia's eyes widened as she followed Ms. Johnson into the library. The room was huge, with towering shelves that stretched all the way to the ceiling. The air was quiet and still, and Mia felt a sense of peace wash over her as she gazed around at the rows and rows of books.

As they made their way through the library, Mia noticed that the group had fallen silent, everyone seemingly captivated by the sheer scale and beauty of the room. She felt a sense of awe wash over her.

"It wouldn't be one of her favourite place if she knew what happened." Mia heard Rachel whisper.

Mia turned to Rachel, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?" she whispered back, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for secrets.

Rachel glanced around nervously, making sure no one was listening. "I don't know if I should say," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's just...there's a rumor that something happened in this library last year. Something bad."

Mia's eyes widened as she leaned in closer to Rachel. "What kind of rumor?" she pressed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rachel hesitated, looking around nervously again before leaning in close. "I don't know if it's true, but people say that someone...died in this library."

"And some said Karl was the last person to leave the library the day of the incident." Alex narrated in a whisper.

Mia's eyes widened in shock as she turned to Alex. "What? That's terrible," she whispered, her mind racing with questions. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Rachel and Alex exchanged a nervous glance, and Rachel leaned in closer. "Like I said, it's just a rumor," she whispered. "But it's been going around for a while now, and some people seem pretty convinced that it's true."

Mia felt a shiver run down her spine as she glanced around the library, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for clues. She couldn't believe that something so tragic could have happened in such a peaceful and serene place. And the fact that Karl was supposedly involved made it all the more intriguing - and unsettling.

Mia's eyes lingered on the library's tranquil atmosphere, the rows of books and the studious silence. It was hard to imagine something terrible happening in such a peaceful place. She turned back to Rachel, Alex, and Lyra, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Do you guys think it's true?" she whispered, her eyes scanning the group's faces.

Rachel, Alex, Sofia and Lyra exchanged nervous glances, their expressions uncertain. "I don't know," Rachel whispered back. "But I do know that Karl is really strange and so are his excorts but no one can really hold him responsible for the incident because no one was there when it happened."

Mia's eyes widened as she processed this information. She couldn't help but wonder what had really happened in the library, and what Karl's role had been. As she stood there, lost in thought, Ms. Johnson's voice cut through the silence, reminding them that the tour was moving on to the next location. Mia followed her new friends out of the library, her mind still reeling with questions and rumors.

Mia walked alongside Rachel, Alex, and Lyra as they followed the tour group to the next location. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach after hearing the rumor about the library. She glanced back at the library, her eyes lingering on its tranquil atmosphere. It was hard to imagine something terrible happening in such a peaceful place.

As they walked, Mia turned to Rachel and asked in a whisper, "Do you think we'll ever find out what really happened in the library?"

Rachel shrugged, her expression uncertain. "I don't know, but I do know that people around here don't like to talk about it. It's like they're all trying to keep some kind of secret."

Mia's eyes widened as she processed this information. She couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden beneath the surface of Santiago High School.

As they approached the school's gymnasium, Ms. Johnson began to speak, her voice loud and cheerful. "And now, we have the gymnasium! This is where our school's sports teams practice and compete. We have a state-of-the-art facility, with top-notch equipment and trainers."

Mia's eyes widened as she gazed around the gymnasium. It was huge, with rows of bleachers and a large basketball court. She could imagine the excitement of cheering on the school's sports teams. As they made their way around the gymnasium, Mia found herself glancing around, searching for Karl. She didn't know why she was looking for him, but she couldn't help herself.

"Mia!" Rachel called.

"Yes." Mia answered immediately jolting back to reality.

"You've been spacing out. Is something wrong?" Rachel asked.

"No." Mia answered suddenly.

"I didn't mean to make you scared." Rachel apologised.

Mia smiled reassuringly at Rachel, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach. "I'm fine, really," she said. "I was just lost in thought for a second."

Rachel nodded understandingly, and the group continued on the tour.

As they walked, Mia found herself glancing around, taking in the sights and sounds of the school. She was determined to put the rumors and whispers about Karl and the library out of her mind and focus on making new friends and navigating her new school.