🌹 THE ROSEGLID INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Episode 6 — "Truth at 3PM"
At
Roseglid International High School
the day started like any other.
Which was suspicious.
Because for
Damien Alexander Sinclair
nothing felt normal.
Not after last night.
Not after the message.
3PM.
"If you want the truth about her."
And the photo.
That girl.
That laugh.
That necklace.
His grip tightened around his phone as he sat in Section F, pretending to listen.
Pretending everything was fine.
It wasn't.
Ash walked in late again.
Of course she did.
Bag dropped.
Chair dragged.
She sat beside him without asking.
"Morning, statue," she said, stretching lazily.
He didn't reply.
Didn't look.
She glanced at him.
"…you look like you lost a fight with your thoughts."
Silence.
Then—
"Focus on yourself," he said coldly.
Ash raised a brow.
"Ouch. Someone woke up emotionally unavailable."
Blake leaned over. "He's been like that all morning."
Kai added, "Didn't even roast us once. I'm concerned."
Ash smirked slightly.
"Damn. That bad?"
Damien stood up suddenly.
Chair scraping.
"I have things to do."
And he walked out.
No explanation.
No glance back.
Ash watched him go.
Something felt off.
Not his usual cold.
Something else.
"…weird," she muttered.
Noah, beside her, didn't look up from his laptop.
"His behavior deviated from baseline patterns."
She looked at him.
"…translation?"
"He's distracted."
Ash leaned back.
"…by what?"
Noah paused.
Then said quietly—
"Possibly you."
She scoffed.
"Don't start."
But for a second—
she didn't look convinced.
The day dragged.
Classes blurred.
Even Section F felt… slightly quieter.
Like something was building.
Waiting.
2:57 PM.
Damien stood near the back gate of the school.
Away from the main buildings.
Away from noise.
His jaw was tight.
Eyes scanning.
3:00 PM.
A figure stepped out from behind the trees.
Hood up.
Face partially hidden.
"You came," the voice said.
Damien didn't move.
"Talk."
The figure chuckled softly.
"Straight to business. I like that."
Damien's patience snapped.
"You said you had information."
"I do."
A pause.
Then—
"That girl… isn't who you think she is."
His eyes darkened.
"Explain."
The figure stepped closer.
Slowly.
"You think she's just some chaotic new student," they continued. "But her past? It's not clean."
Damien didn't react.
But his grip tightened.
"I don't care about rumors."
"This isn't a rumor."
The figure pulled out a small envelope.
Held it out.
Inside—
photos.
Old.
Faded.
A younger Ash.
A family.
A house that looked too big.
Too powerful.
And one more.
A news headline.
Blurry—but enough to read parts.
"Family Scandal—Violence—Investigation—"
Damien's breath slowed.
"Where did you get this?"
The figure smiled slightly.
"Let's just say… some people don't forget."
Silence stretched.
Then—
"Why are you showing me this?" Damien asked.
The answer came instantly.
"Because you deserve to know the truth."
A beat.
"And because she deserves to be exposed."
That didn't sit right.
Not fully.
Damien's eyes narrowed.
"What do you want?"
The figure stepped back.
"Nothing."
A lie.
Obvious.
But before Damien could press—
the figure turned.
And disappeared.
Just like that.
Damien stood there alone.
Envelope in hand.
Mind racing.
Truth.
Lies.
Ash.
Everything mixing.
Back at the Rose Bridge—
Ash sat on the railing, swinging one leg slightly.
Waiting.
For no reason.
Or maybe for one she didn't want to admit.
"…idiot," she muttered under her breath.
Footsteps approached.
She didn't turn immediately.
But when she did—
it wasn't who she expected.
Noah.
"You're early," he said.
She frowned.
"For what?"
He tilted his head.
"You come here every day around this time."
She blinked.
"…are you tracking me too?"
"Observation," he corrected.
She huffed.
"Creepy."
He sat beside her.
Not too close.
Not far.
"Something is off today," he said.
She stared at the water.
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then—
"Damien," Noah added.
Ash didn't reply.
But her fingers tightened slightly on the railing.
"…he's weird," she said finally.
"Agreed."
Another pause.
Then—
"You care," Noah said.
Not a question.
A statement.
Ash scoffed.
"I don't."
"You do."
She turned to him.
"And you talk too much."
He didn't react.
"Deflection," he said calmly.
She rolled her eyes.
"Shut up."
But there was no heat behind it.
Footsteps again.
This time—
him.
Damien.
He stopped a few steps away.
Both of them.
Ash and Noah.
Together.
Something twisted in his chest.
Unfamiliar.
Unwanted.
He ignored it.
"Valyne," he said.
Ash looked at him.
"…Sinclair."
Noah stood up quietly.
"I'll leave."
Ash frowned.
"You don't have to—"
"It's fine," Noah said.
And walked away.
Leaving them alone.
Silence.
Thick.
Heavy.
Damien stepped closer.
Holding the envelope behind his back.
"Where were you today?" Ash asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead—
he asked—
"Who are you?"
She blinked.
"…what?"
His voice dropped.
"Who are you really?"
Her expression changed.
Slightly.
Not fear.
Not fully.
But something guarded.
"The same person you've been arguing with," she said.
"Don't joke."
"I'm not."
His jaw tightened.
"You're hiding something."
She stood up.
Now facing him directly.
"Aren't we all?"
"That's not an answer."
"Then ask a better question."
Their eyes locked.
Tension rising again.
But different.
Sharper.
More dangerous.
He stepped closer.
Close enough that she didn't step back.
"Your past," he said quietly. "What happened?"
Silence.
For a second—
she almost said something.
Almost.
Then—
she smiled.
That same careless smile.
"Why?" she said. "You writing my biography?"
Frustration flashed in his eyes.
"This isn't a joke."
"It is to me."
"Everything is a joke to you."
"Better than everything being a problem."
That hit.
Hard.
He exhaled sharply.
Ran a hand through his hair.
Then—
without thinking—
he grabbed her wrist.
Not rough.
But firm.
"Stop running."
The words came out before he could stop them.
Ash froze.
Just for a second.
Then—
she pulled her hand back.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"I'm not running," she said quietly.
A beat.
"I just don't stop for people who don't know where they're going."
That landed.
Silence again.
The air between them heavy.
Unspoken things hanging.
Damien looked at her.
Really looked.
And for a second—
he saw it.
The walls.
The guard.
The distance she kept.
Just like him.
His grip on the envelope tightened.
He could show her.
Right now.
Ask directly.
End the mystery.
But something stopped him.
Something he didn't want to name.
Ash tilted her head.
"You're acting weird again."
He almost laughed.
Almost.
"…you don't know the half of it," he muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She studied him.
For longer this time.
"…you're hiding something too," she said.
He didn't deny it.
Didn't confirm it.
Just looked away.
The sun dipped lower.
Shadows stretching.
Time moving.
Ash stepped back slightly.
"Whatever it is," she said, "deal with it."
He looked at her.
"And you?"
She smirked faintly.
"I always do."
She turned.
Started walking away.
Then paused.
Without looking back—
"Don't overthink things, Sinclair," she said.
"Not everything is that deep."
He watched her leave.
Again.
But this time—
it didn't feel the same.
Slowly—
he pulled out the envelope.
Opened it.
Looked at the photos again.
Then—
his gaze shifted.
To the bridge.
To where she stood moments ago.
"…who are you?" he whispered again.
But this time—
it wasn't just suspicion.
It was something else.
Back in the shadows—
far behind the trees—
the same hooded figure stood watching.
Phone in hand.
Recording.
A message was sent.
"Phase one complete."
🌹 END OF EPISODE 6