The sunlight crept through the beige curtains of the May household, casting golden beams across the cluttered bedroom floor. Posters of music artists and vintage cat memes decorated the walls. At the foot of the bed, curled up like a cinnamon roll, was Pineapple-Joseph's sassy, yellow-eyed cat who ruled the house like royalty.
Joseph May groaned under his blanket, one eye peeking out at the blaring alarm clock that flashed 6:30 AM. Today wasn't just any day. It was his first day at Haverland High. A boarding school. Away from home. Away from the smell of his mum's blueberry muffins and the sound of Jason yelling at his video games from the next room.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. His hair was a mess of soft brown curls, sticking out in every possible direction like he had just been struck by lightning.
"Pineapple, you're supposed to wake me up. You traitor," he muttered, nudging the cat gently with his foot.
Pineapple yawned, stretched, and then jumped off the bed like he had more important places to be.
Downstairs, the house buzzed with last-minute packing. His mom, Gabi, was frantically checking Joseph's suitcase for the fifth time while his dad, Sam, attempted to stuff his guitar into the trunk of their family car.
"Mom, I don't need ten toothbrushes," Joseph whined as he came down the stairs in his cat-patterned pajama pants.
"You'll thank me when your roommate steals one," she said, hands on her hips, staring him down like a general prepping her soldier for war.
Jason, his older brother, leaned against the wall with his phone in hand, snickering. "You're gonna cry in a week. Bet you five bucks."
"I'll cry when you finally move out," Joseph shot back, grabbing a piece of toast from the kitchen counter and shoving it in his mouth.
They arrived at Haverland High by noon. The autumn leaves crunched beneath their shoes as they stepped onto the tree-lined path leading to the main building. The red brick campus looked like something out of a movie-huge windows, towers with creepy gargoyles, and ivy climbing up the walls like it had secrets to tell.
Joseph stared up, wide-eyed, his heart thudding. This was it.
He was shown to his dorm room by a too-cheerful teacher named Mr. Fenwick. The room was shared-two beds, two desks, and not nearly enough space for all of Joseph's stuff. His roommate hadn't arrived yet, so Joseph took the bed by the window.
As his parents hugged him goodbye, his mom clung to him like she was never letting go.
"You're gonna be amazing, Jojo. Just be yourself, okay?" she whispered in his ear.
Sam gave him a firm, quiet nod. Jason just ruffled his hair and muttered, "Don't do anything weird."
And just like that, they were gone.
Alone in his new room, Joseph stood in the silence for a moment before Pineapple leapt out of his open duffle bag and onto the bed.
"Oh my god, you stowed away?!" Joseph half-laughed, half-panicked, staring at the feline who was now smugly licking his paw.
He should've told someone. He should probably turn Pineapple in. But Pineapple purred and blinked up at him, and that was it.
Secret cat on campus. What could possibly go wrong?
Later that evening, after unpacking and trying to make his room feel like home, Joseph wandered outside. The courtyard was alive with new students and chattering parents. A group of kids were sitting on the stone wall, laughing. Joseph recognized one of them from the welcome packet-a girl with bubblegum-pink braids and sparkly blue shoes.
"Hey," he said, nervously approaching. "I'm new. Joseph."
The girl beamed. "Emily. This is Adrian, Jessica, and Larray. You're a freshman year, right?"
He nodded, a little relieved.
"Then you're one of us," Larray said, flipping his hoodie hood up like he was in a movie.
They all laughed, and just like that, Joseph felt a little lighter.
But not far away, by the main fountain, stood Natasha. A girl with glossy black hair and a stare that could freeze fire. She was surrounded by girls who looked like they walked straight out of a fashion ad.
Joseph didn't know why, but he felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Emily leaned in and whispered, "That's Natasha and her minions. Word of advice? Avoid."
"Noted," Joseph replied. But his eyes lingered on her just a second longer than they should've.
Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was something else.
All he knew was that his life at Haverland was officially beginning.
And things were already getting interesting.