Electra''s POV

    As I approached the girl, she immediately noticed I was walking in her direction, and her eyes widened slightly. For a moment, she looked like she might bolt, but then she stood frozen, her grip on the notebook tightening.

    "Hey," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. I wasn''t sure why I felt the need to tread lightly with her, but it felt like the right approach.

    "Hi," she replied, her voice barely audible. She glanced around nervously, as if checking to see if anyone was watching.

    I took a step closer, giving her enough space so she wouldn''t feel cornered. "You''re the girl from last night, right? In the dining hall?"

    She nodded quickly, her red hair falling into her face. "Y-yeah. I''m really sorry about that."

    I waved off her apology. "It''s fine. I just... I didn''t get your name."

    She hesitated for a moment before answering. "It''s Iris."

    I tilted my head, studying her. "Iris. Nice name. I''m Electra."

    "I know," she blurted out, then immediately looked embarrassed. "I mean, I''ve heard your name before. People... talk about you."

    I raised an eyebrow but decided not to push her on that. "Well, now we''ve officially met."

    She gave me a small, hesitant smile, but it didn''t quite reach her eyes. There was something fragile about her, like a bird ready to take flight at the first sign of danger.

    "Are you okay?" I asked, genuinely curious. "You seem... nervous."

    Her eyes darted to the side, and she shifted uncomfortably. "I''m fine. I just... I don''t do well with crowds."

    I nodded at her response, forcing a small smile. "I get it," I said softly. "Sometimes the crowd can be overwhelming."

    She chuckled lightly, the sound almost drowned out by the noise in the hallway. "That''s one way to put it," she replied, glancing down at her feet.

    "Which class are you in?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation in a more normal direction.

    Her quiet laugh surprised me. "We''re in the same class," she said, her voice light but laced with a nervous energy.

    My brows furrowed, and I tilted my head. "Wait, are you serious?"

    She nodded, her expression growing sheepish.

    I stared at her for a moment, trying to piece together how it was possible that someone like her, with her bright red hair and looks, could have gone unnoticed by me.

    Sure, I hadn''t been attending as regularly as I should since the whole humiliating rooftop incident, but I had gone enough times that I should''ve noticed someone like her.

    "I don''t remember seeing you," I admitted bluntly.

    She shrugged, offering a small, apologetic smile. "It''s okay," she said. "Most people don''t notice me. I sit in the back, near the window, and I try to stay out of everyone''s way. It''s... easier that way."

    I couldn''t help the incredulous look that crossed my face. "Why would you want to be that invisible?" I asked, more to myself than to her.

    She blinked, seemingly caught off guard by my tone. "It''s not that I want to be," she murmured. "It''s just how things turned out."

    I found myself mentally rolling my eyes, not at her, but at the absurdity of it. Why would someone as undeniably pretty as Iris choose to hide herself away?

    She reminded me too much of Seraphina—the way she always tried to disappear into the background, as though being seen was a sin, and just like with Seraphina, it annoyed me in a way I couldn''t explain.

    "You know," I began, trying to keep my tone light, "since we''re in the same class, how about we head there together? I mean, if you''re comfortable with that. No pressure."

    Her wide eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought she was going to bolt again. "You... want to go to class with me?" she asked, as though the idea was completely foreign to her.

    I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Why not? We''re in the same class anyway. Might as well make the trip less boring."

    She hesitated, her grip tightening on her notebook. "I... I don''t know," she said quietly. "I''m not used to walking with someone else. People might notice."

    "Who cares?" I replied with a shrug. "I mean, it''s not like you''re doing anything wrong. We''re just walking together, and trust me, these girls don''t pay that much attention to other people except when it involves an embarrassing situation."

    She hesitated, her gaze flickering to the hall before returning to me. "I guess... you have a point."

    "Great," I said. "Let''s go, then."

    She hesitated for a moment before moving away from the stairway, and as she moved, I couldn''t help but notice the slight tremble in her legs.

    "Relax," I said as we headed toward the class. "I''m not going to bite."

    She gave a nervous laugh, and I couldn''t tell if it was because she found my comment funny or if she was just that anxious. Either way, I decided not to push her.

    As she and I walked down the hallway, I couldn''t help but feel slightly uncomfortable because of how quiet she was. She kept her gaze mostly on the floor, clutching her notebook tightly like it was her lifeline.

    Part of me wanted to break the silence, to ask her something simple like what her favorite subject was or if she had any siblings, but the words didn''t come easily. I wasn''t exactly known for being a conversationalist—at least not the kind that didn''t involve sarcasm or threats.

    So, I stayed quiet, matching her pace as we moved toward the classroom. Just as I convinced myself that silence was probably the best option, my eyes caught a familiar figure heading in our direction from the opposite side of the hallway.

    Seraphina.

    She wasn''t alone. Irina and Roxana were by her side, laughing at something one of them must have said, but Seraphina wasn''t laughing. In fact, her entire demeanor was the opposite of lighthearted.

    Her gaze locked on mine almost immediately, and the frown that formed on her face was so deep it could''ve etched lines into her skin. She looked... pissed.

    I stiffened instinctively, my steps faltering for half a second before I forced myself to keep walking. Beside me, Iris noticed the tension in my posture and glanced up, her brows furrowing slightly.

    "Are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice laced with concern.

    I forced a smile, one that probably looked as fake as it felt. "Yeah, I''m fine," I muttered, my eyes briefly flickering toward Seraphina again.

    She was still staring at me, her expression unreadable now, though the frown hadn''t disappeared entirely. Irina leaned over and whispered something to her, but Seraphina didn''t respond.

    She just kept walking, her eyes fixed on me like she was trying to send me some kind of message, and it was unsettling to say the least.