Zoe's POV
The classroom was loud—until I walked in.
Suddenly, silence.
It felt like I had stepped into a trap. Every echo from my boots filled the room like a countdown, and just like that, every single head turned in my direction. I didn't dare meet their eyes. I couldn't tell if they were staring out of admiration, curiosity… or straight-up judgment.
I locked my focus on my steps. Careful. Don't trip. Don't slip. I spotted an empty seat dead in the middle of the room and made a mental beeline for it.
The second I sat, it was like someone pressed play on a paused movie. The noise returned instantly—whispers, chatter, and laughter. And I couldn't shake the feeling that some of it was about me.
Where was Seth?
I hadn't seen him when I walked in. Should I look around? Just a quick glance maybe? But what if I made eye contact with the wrong person? I couldn't handle that right now. My head was spinning.
Then, I noticed her.
The girl sitting next to me was staring—hard. She wore a pink strawberry-patterned dress, a matching hat, and had long black hair streaked with purple. She wasn't blinking. I tilted my head and asked quietly, "Can I help you?"
A huge grin spread across her face like she'd just discovered gold. Then—she hopped toward me like a bunny on espresso. Her excitement bubbled up so quickly it almost spilled over. I blinked, startled, as her fingers reached into my hair. Okay… that's definitely weird.
Still, I didn't pull away. Something about her felt harmless—childlike even. Her gaze was wide-eyed, and though I wasn't a fan of her touching my hair, I stayed silent, hoping she'd offer some kind of explanation.
She noticed the unease on my face and backed off a little, her voice now softer. "So… sorry. I'm just… I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"Do I know you from somewhere?" I asked, my voice nearly steady.
Someone talking to me already felt surreal, but the fact that she seemed to know me? That had me fully intrigued.
Her eyes lit up. "You're Chloe. Chloe Hawkins!"
I blinked. This girl was not joking.
"You know me?" I asked cautiously.
"Oh my God—it is you!" she giggled, practically bouncing in her seat. I was stunned. How could she possibly know who I was? Before I could ask, her hand was already out for a shake.
"I'm Ashley—but you can call me Ash."
She was high-energy, cheerful—exactly the kind of person I probably needed in this weird moment. Maybe the universe was cutting me some slack. Still, I needed clarity.
"Hi, Ash… how do you know me?" I asked.
She leaned back, gasping dramatically. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Her expression was almost offended. "Everyone knows you!"
"What?" My voice dropped, eyes wide.
"The red-haired Chloe? Girl, the reason the whole class went silent when you walked in is because everyone's talking about you! You're literally high school fashion royalty."
I blinked fast.
"Bob gave you a shoutout on his fashion vlog last week!"
"Who's Bob?" I asked, still trying to catch up.
She froze like I'd said something outrageous. "Wait… seriously? Bob Makavelli? The Fashion God?"
"You are on fire, girl," she added. "You're the next big thing."
She was obviously talking about Chloe—my twin. The one I was pretending to be. Still, hearing her words made something inside me warm up. My face flushed a little, and I tried to sound modest.
"Please… don't exaggerate."
But she waved that off. "Girl, it's an honor having you in our class!"
I smiled at her, genuinely. Somehow, without even trying, she'd made me feel a whole lot better. She kept going.
"About time we had someone real in this place. I'm so done with the wannabes."
I wanted to ask who she meant—but then the classroom door flew open, and in walked a guy.
The chatter dropped again, though whispers still buzzed faintly.
Ashley leaned forward and signaled to a guy in front of her. When her whistles didn't work, she switched to calling him. "HEY!"
The guy finally looked up, turning just enough for one ear to catch her voice. He had curly brown hair, wild and dazzling. He wore a floral-print shirt, and there was something soft, almost ethereal, about him.
Ashley whispered, "It's her."
He turned and gave me a quick glance—a glance that made my heart skip a beat. Then, he and Ashley giggled like they were in on some secret.
"Guz!" a voice called from the front of the room—our teacher. The class broke into laughter.
The guy in the floral shirt, apparently Guz, looked up.
"Wanna take over teaching, since you're so busy talking?" the teacher teased, sarcasm thick.
Guz lowered his head, apologetic, trying to stay cool. Mr. Huffman—our teacher—suddenly boomed, "That's ENOUGH!"
Silence. Again.
Despite his friendly, goofy face, his voice meant business.
"We've got a new student with us today," he said, his eyes locking on me. "Be kind. Are we clear?!"
"Yes, sir!" the class echoed.
The whole class shouted in unison—I knew he was referring to me. I tried to keep a straight face, but my nerves were failing me. Then came the call, calm but clear:
"Chloe Hawkins, come tell us a bit about yourself."
His hand pointed straight at me.
The time has finally come, I told myself. I couldn't back down now—not after everything Ashley had said. This was my moment to step into the name I'd borrowed and finally own it.
I had always been plagued with doubt. How could I ever fulfill Chloe's dreams if I couldn't even carry her name? But if I could silence the voice in my head that constantly reminded me of how lame I was—if I could take this step—then maybe I could do anything.
I stood from my seat—not ready, but determined. I didn't wait for him to call again. I walked slowly toward the front of the class, each step feeling longer than it should, dodging the heavy stares that tracked my every move.
Suddenly, a girl shouted from the back, "Boots!"
Laughter erupted.
My confidence nearly cracked, but I refused to let go of it. I scanned the room and found her—pretty, but with a sharp, mean glint in her eyes. I glared at her, locking eyes, wishing I could burn holes through her with my stare. She sneered and scoffed at me.
That only fueled my fire.
I took a breath, waved with trembling hands, and raised my chin.
"Hi… My name is Chloe Hawkins. I transferred from Vermont High."
A pause. Deep breath.
"I've always cared about fashion—more than anything. It's something I've believed I was born to do. I moved here after losing both my parents… and my twin sister."
Gasps rippled across the room.
I nodded slowly, my hands moving with the grace of a classical music conductor. "Yeah… life is hard. But like my mum always said, 'Stars are born out of chaos.'"
I gave a small smile. "My dream is to become the biggest model in the fashion industry. And I know it may not feel like it sometimes, but… magic often finds us when we least expect it."
Silence. Heavy and electric.
Even I was stunned. Where had that come from? I worried for a second that I'd said too much—or the wrong thing. But then came the sound of clapping. I turned—Seth. He was clapping, hard. Then Ashley joined him, then Guz. Soon, the whole class erupted into applause.
I basked in it. What a way to start, I thought, beaming silently.
It was the first time in my life I felt like I stood out in a crowd. I could've cried. But instead, I laughed.
"Thank you, Miss Hawkins," Mr. Huffman said warmly, gesturing for me to return to my seat.
As I sat down, Ashley grabbed both my hands, shaking them with wild excitement. "You are the deal! The real deal, girl!" she gushed. "We're gonna create magic together."
I smiled wide, happiness spilling over—until I caught a glimpse of her. My new enemy at the back, mimicking my speech and laughing with a few girls.
"She's not all that," she mocked, loud enough to be heard.
Ashley leaned in. "Don't let her get to you."
"Who is she?" I asked.
"That's Casey. She's trouble. Just… avoid her."
And then it clicked—she must've been the one Ashley referred to earlier as the "wannabe." I remembered seeing her outside with Brandon, all cozy and smug. Well, whatever her deal was, I wasn't going to let my guard down.