Zein's Point of View
I scanned the Wide Space. It was twice the size of a football field. The area was draped in darkness, but vibrant light effects brought the surroundings to life, perfectly synchronized with the high-energy party music pulsing through the air.
I looked down at the gown the Administrative Office had sent me yesterday. It was a purple, glittery floor-length dress. A matching purple mask covered the upper half of my face.
"Whoa! That looks amazing!" Matt praised as he looked at us.
The venue was incredibly elegant. Tables were arranged around a massive central area that served as the dance floor. Our group sat at a table for six. Matt, Dave, and Jerome all wore blue masks, while Mia wore pink and Vanessa wore orange to match their outfits. At least the school had a sense of fashion.
"Girls, don't wander away from us, okay?" Dave reminded us.
"Even if it is 'Free Bloody Night,' we can't guarantee our safety. Especially with the President away," Jerome added.
We nodded. We had no intention of leaving the table and certainly no plans to dance. We were only there because attendance was mandatory. There was a buffet, and since my friends were fearless, we grabbed some food even though it seemed like we weren't supposed to yet. I just followed their lead.
The party hadn't officially started. Alcohol was prohibited, yet many people were already drinking. It was impossible to recognize anyone because of the masks; everyone was required to stay covered.
"They are here..." Vanessa whispered.
We followed her gaze, and my grip on my gown tightened. My palms began to sweat. The crowd went silent, and for a moment, only the music filled the void.
"The Black Blood Gang," I whispered.
They were all in formal black attire with matching black masks. The man in the lead stood out—his eyes were piercingly serious and his aura was deathly cold. A woman was clinging to his arm; I knew for certain it was Nicky.
"That red hair," Mia whispered, pointing out a specific member. "That's the one I saw just before I found Rouge's lifeless body."
The pounding in my chest intensified when their leader, Nazzer Lumia, looked toward our table. I felt his eyes lock onto mine. Before I could catch my breath, another group arrived wearing red masks and white formal suits.
"The Devil God Warriors..." Matt whispered.
The atmosphere grew even heavier. The man leading them didn't even glance our way. Like Nazzer, his presence was chilling.
"Raze Silvenia," I whispered.
After a while, the music slowed, and an emcee climbed onto the stage. Despite the pink mask, I recognized her instantly. It was Fritzy.
"Good evening, everyone! I'm Fritzy Saldivar," she announced. "Before we dive into tonight's festivities, it's my honor to introduce the amazing administrators behind Hell University who made this event possible!"
My jaw dropped as luxury cars began to arrive. The air felt thick with tension as three cars parked nearby. I knew they were flaunting their wealth to make us feel insignificant—to show us they were free while they held us by our necks. I mentally rolled my eyes; my sister Allison's car collection was much more impressive than theirs.
"The Vice President of Hell University and the mastermind behind the university's only law, the Bloody Night... Let's give a warm round of applause to Mr. Francisco Augustine!"
We clapped softly as a man without a mask stepped out of the car. We froze when we recognized him.
"This... this can't be," Mia whispered.
The smiling man walking down the red carpet was the very same person who had processed our admission into Hell University. "So, he's the Vice President," I muttered to myself.
He sat in the second of three chairs on the stage.
"And now, the Head of the Supreme Student Government and SSG Adviser, Ms. Katherine Velasquez!"
We were stunned for a second time. Out of the next car stepped our Physics teacher, Teacher Kath. Now I understood what Celine meant about teachers holding high-ranking positions.
"Is that your crush, Dave?" Jerome teased. She took her seat next to Mr. Augustine.
Only one car remained closed. I already knew who it was. The lady in black.
"And finally, the highest authority in this university. Please, bow your heads as I introduce the headmistress, Madame Violet Rivera!"
Everyone bowed. We followed suit, lowering our heads for the woman in black. I stole a quick glance at her. She was in her mid-50s and dressed entirely in black as usual, but I couldn't deny her elegance.
"Good evening, students!" Madame Violet greeted us cheerfully. "Welcome to our acquaintance party. I'm delighted to see all of you here tonight. Let's get started!"
The speakers were turned up so high the table seemed to vibrate. The gang members began pulling women from other tables to dance. My gaze accidentally landed on Raze. He was looking directly at me. I expected him to look away, but he simply grinned, making the hair on my arms stand up. I was the first to look away.
"Ms. Shion?" a man asked, approaching me. Even with his green mask, I recognized the voice of Onel Ty, the SSG Vice President.
"What do you want, Onel Ty?" I asked sternly.
He was smiling now. "I just want to congratulate you. You are the new Supreme Student Government Secretary."
I rolled my eyes. "Should I be happy? Just give the job to someone who actually wants it."
"This is an order from the President," he replied, his smile fading. "You don't have a choice. Because of this position, you've been promoted to ninth place in the school rankings. You should be glad; no one has ever risen that quickly. The President was very picky in choosing his secretary. Congratulations again."
I watched him disappear into the crowd, my jaw hanging open. Ninth place?
"Top 9?" Vanessa asked in disbelief.
"Zein! You're in the Highest 10 now! You can leave on Thursday!" Mia squealed, shaking my arm. "Oh my god, congratulations!"
My mind went blank. I reached for the wine on the table and downed it in one go, feeling the burn in my throat.
"Don't accept the offer," Matt said seriously.
"Why not, Matt?" Jerome asked. "Zein will be free from this hell! She can go get help!"
Dave poured another glass and gulped it down. "Jerome is right. Once she's out, she can save us!"
I grabbed Dave's glass and drank that too. I went for a third, but Matt stopped me. "Having a position in the SSG isn't easy," he insisted. "Everything has a price. This might bring Zein even more harm!"
The others couldn't hear us over the deafening music. "Calm down, okay?" Dave suggested. "Let Zein decide."
They all looked at me, waiting. I didn't know what to tell them. They wouldn't understand. Not yet. Wanting to escape their stares, I stood up and staggered into the middle of the dancing crowd. My vision was already starting to spin.
"What's bothering you?" a man's voice whispered in my ear. I tried to open my eyes, but the lights and the crowd were a blur. "I heard about your promotion," the voice continued. "I think it was a very bad idea."
Who was this?
"Get away from me!" I shouted, feeling like I was about to collapse.
"You should have been dead a long time ago," the voice whispered. "He protected you, but he can't protect you forever. I told you that you would end up holding a knife. I suggest you pick one up now before it's too late."
Vanessa's Point of View
We watched Zein disappear into the dancing crowd to avoid our questions.
"What is wrong with you, Matt?" I hissed. "You're messing with her head!"
He shook his head, staring at the wine bottle. "I'm just telling the truth. That position isn't just luck. She got it too easily. Don't you think that's weird?"
"Maybe they just saw her potential," I argued.
We fell silent until Matt suddenly smashed the wine bottle on the table.
"Damn it!" Dave shouted in shock. But before Dave could even stand up, he collapsed to the ground.
"Dave!" Mia screamed.
"Shit! Shit!" Matt muttered. His hand was bleeding as he held a small plastic packet that had been hidden inside the bottle.
"What is that?" I asked, trembling.
"Some kind of illegal drug," a woman next to us answered. She wore a black mask; I assumed she was with the Black Blood Gang.
"Drugs?" I whispered. I realized then that someone had spiked the alcohol. Dave had drunk it and was now unconscious.
Matt immediately bolted toward the dance floor. "Zein drank the wine too!" Jerome yelled.