His Erasthai

“This is it, Sam! You got this!” she mentally told herself, taking a deep breath as she continued walking toward the gigantic gate entrance. “Yellow for scholars, green for regulars, and red for elites.” She couldn’t help but recite the words written on the shiny rectangular card she was holding. “Welcome to Forgotten Knight University! Please follow the rules according to your assigned card for the Do’s and Don’ts,” came a welcoming message from a speaker in the upper right corner, next to a CCTV camera. Samantha secretly snickered at the name. She found it odd. But, as the old saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The name might sound strange, but the school’s ratings and benefits were outstanding. Most importantly, the chance to work at prestigious companies after graduation was higher than eighty percent. On top of that, Forgotten Knight University was where many children of wealthy and influential families studied. Knowing all that, Samantha had accepted the scholarship—and here she was, just minutes away from starting a new life, far from the drama her family had caused. Her jaw nearly dropped as she admired the campus architecture and artwork around her. The people added to her amazement. They looked different, and although she felt slightly out of place, part of her was excited to see new faces again. But that excitement faded quickly when she remembered her sister, Madison. The thought of attending the same school as her sister was enough to dampen her mood. “Oops! My bad,” a voice said from behind. Ugh. Speak of the devil... Samantha rolled her eyes before turning around to face her sister. She knew Madison had deliberately bumped into her, causing some of her favorite novels to fall from her grip. “What do you want?” she asked flatly. “Nothing. Just didn’t see you. Oh, and by the way—don’t tell anyone we’re related.” Samantha didn’t respond. Instead, she crouched to pick up her books. Madison was about to leave, but then she paused, remembering something. “Oh! One more thing. Stay out of my sight. Don’t you dare come near me or my friends. You’re not worthy to be around us. So stay the hell away. Got it?” Samantha ignored the insult but couldn’t help replying. “Friends? Didn’t you say you had no friends here?” “Duh! Samantha, you know me. I can make friends with anybody—tons of friends. Unlike you—” She left the rest of the sentence hanging and scanned Samantha from head to toe with a disgusted look. Samantha, used to her sister’s attitude, chose to walk away and headed toward the admission office. “Hey! You—!” Madison called out, clearly irritated. Samantha sighed with relief once she reached the office. She had arrived early, which gave her time to get everything in order. Her classes wouldn’t start for another three hours, so she wasn’t in a rush. Even though she hadn’t fully escaped her family—thanks to Madison—she was still grateful she no longer lived with her parents. And none of this would’ve been possible without the scholarship. It wasn’t just financial aid—it granted her full access to every amenity the school offered. This type of scholarship was extremely rare, and she considered herself lucky to be chosen. Unlike her, Madison had to pay full tuition, yet her access to the school’s facilities was limited. The tuition was high, but their parents didn’t mind. They were more than willing to spend a fortune on their "precious" daughter. Samantha had long accepted that her parents would never give her the same attention they gave Madison. “Watch out!” a male voice echoed down the hallway. But it was too late. Something hit her head. “Ouch!” For the second time, her books scattered across the floor. “I’m sorry! Are you okay?” “Yeah—” “I’m really sorry.” “It’s okay. It didn’t really hurt. Anyway, I gotta go.” “Sure. Oh— I’m Dylan, by the way.” He offered his hand. “Sam.” She shook it. “Nice to meet you, Sam.” “You too. But I really have to go now.” “Yeah?” “Uhm—just a quick tip. Since you’re new, I’d avoid this hallway. There’s another way to the admission office.” “What? Why? Wait—how do you know I’m new? And how did you know I was headed to the office? I never told you that.” “Well... students here never use this hallway. It’s restricted unless you’re part of the upper class. I figured you’re headed to admissions because of this—” He held up a paper. “You dropped this.” It was the entrance slip given to all new students. “Oh! Thank you! This is important.” “Yeah, I thought so. And seriously—take my advice. You seem nice, so I’d avoid this hallway again.” “Why? There’s no sign that says ‘Off Limits’ or ‘Prohibited.’” “Let’s just say... this area is kind of reserved for elite students. If they see you here, they’ll likely pick on you.” “And you’re one of them?” “Haha! Sort of—but not really.” “You’re confusing.” “Haha, don’t think too much. Just hurry, or you’ll be late for your appointment.” “Oh, right! Thanks again!” Samantha hurried off. Dylan watched her leave with a smile. “What are you looking at?” came a voice beside him. “Holy cow!” Dylan jumped. He hated how Jagger always showed up silently. “You spaced out. What’s over there?” Jagger nodded toward the hallway. “Nothing. Where are the others?” Dylan asked as they walked toward the bleachers. “They’ll be here soon.” “And Killan?” “Yes. He’s coming too,” Jagger replied, sitting down beside him. Admission Office “Thank you,” said Samantha as she received her room key card and a welcome kit. “You’re welcome. Miss Porter, there are a few things I need to reiterate.” “Sure. Go ahead.” “As a scholar, we expect you to follow all school rules. Please read the handbook carefully.” “I will.” “Also, we’re strict about curfew. You’re not allowed to leave your dorm late at night without prior approval. You must return by 10 p.m. The dorm gates automatically lock at 11 p.m. sharp. If you’re not inside by then, you’ll face disciplinary action—and trust me, you won’t like it. We do not tolerate violations, especially from scholars.” “I understand.” “Good! Your belongings are ready for pickup. Please proceed to the Ground Floor Security Office to claim them.” “Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Hawthorne.” “You’re welcome.” Remembering Dylan’s advice, Samantha chose to use the elevator.