Chapter 7

The girls wore identical expressions of astonishment upon hearing Ashley's words.

"What did you say?" Emily, Ashley's best friend, was taken aback, her tone shaky despite her efforts to remain composed.

"I said I'm transferring to Elite," Ashley declared confidently, eliciting gasps from the school hallway.

A sudden rush of students surrounded Ashley and the girls.

"Who's going to Elite?"

"Is it really you, Ashley?"

"Did you join the high-ranked wolves secretly?"

"Can you take me with you?"

The questions came pouring in as everyone's attention shifted to Ashley, who couldn't help but smile smugly.

"Quiet!" Ashley finally commanded, and the hall fell silent.

She began pacing, with everyone waiting eagerly for her next words, including Emily.

"Well, you see, I'm transferring to Elite High School," Ashley proudly announced, a beaming smile on her face.

"Wow!"

"Ashley!"

A group of students erupted in cheers and chants of Ashley's name, leaving Emily feeling envious as she quietly exited the hallway, leaving Ashley basking in the adoration.

"Emily," Ashley called out, intending to follow her, but someone else grabbed her hand.

"Hey, Ashley, I'm having a birthday party this weekend. Want to come?" The girl holding Ashley's hand grinned.

"Really, Bella?" Ashley rolled her eyes, pulling her hand away.

"Actually, you're right. We were never friends, but I've realized that what I heard about you—"

"You mean what you said about me," Ashley interrupted.

"Fine, what I said about you. It was a misunderstanding, and I'm sorry," Bella hurriedly explained, trying to clear the air.

"Hmm, are you sure it has nothing to do with me going to Elite?" Ashley questioned, her doubts evident.

"Oh, no, not at all!" Bella replied nervously, laughing it off.

"Well, why not? I don't mind attending your birthday party," Ashley agreed.

"Awesome!" Bella squealed before dashing off to her group.

Ashley scanned the hallway, searching for Emily, but she couldn't spot any sign of her.

Ashley's eyes darted around the hallway, but Emily remained elusive. Concern gnawed at her, overshadowing the celebration that still echoed in the background.

As Ashley debated whether to chase after her best friend or let her be for now, a familiar face appeared in the crowd. It was Sarah, another close friend.

"Ashley, have you seen Emily?" Sarah asked, her brows furrowed with worry.

Ashley shook her head, her earlier enthusiasm dampened by Emily's absence. "No, I haven't. She left after all the cheering."

Sarah's expression mirrored Ashley's concern. "I hope she's okay. Maybe something's bothering her."

Nodding in agreement, Ashley decided to go find Emily, leaving the enthusiastic well-wishers behind. As she walked through the school's corridors, she replayed the recent events in her mind, trying to understand why Emily had reacted the way she did.

Finally, she spotted Emily sitting alone in the courtyard, her head buried in her hands.

"Emily?" Ashley approached cautiously, her voice filled with genuine worry.

Emily looked up, her eyes red from crying. "Ashley, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have walked out like that. It's just... I didn't expect any of this."

Ashley sat down beside her, offering comfort. "It's okay, Em. I understand that this news might have been a shock. But we're still best friends, no matter where I go to school."

Emily nodded, wiping away her tears. "I know, and I'm happy for you. It's just that... I'm scared of losing you."

Ashley wrapped her arm around Emily, reassuringly. "You'll never lose me, Em. We'll always be best friends, no matter the distance. And who knows, maybe Elite will have its advantages."

A faint smile appeared on Emily's face as she leaned into Ashley's comforting embrace. "You always know how to make me feel better."

"I kinda felt a little jealous," Emily admitted, causing Ashley to chuckle.

"Not funny. I can't believe you're going to my dream school," Emily groaned.

"What's so special about that school anyway? If it were up to me, I wouldn't have transferred," Ashley scoffed, glancing at her nails.

"Ashley, look at me!" Emily suddenly grabbed her, turning Ashley to face her. Emily's eyes had a yellowish glow, making Ashley a bit nervous about her wolf trying to emerge.

"What's wrong, Emily?" Ashley's voice was filled with concern for her friend, not fear.

"Listen to me, Ashley. You can't afford to lose this opportunity because it's too precious," Emily's face was dead serious, causing Ashley to gulp.

"Sure, I..."

"I'm serious, Ashley. You can't afford to lose this opportunity," Emily interrupted Ashley, prompting an eye roll.

"I seriously don't see the big deal about attending there. I don't understand why everyone is acting like my life has suddenly become great. Hello, I'm still the same Ashley as before," Ashley stated.

"No, you're a different Ashley now. You're a star," Emily emphasized the word 'star,' making Ashley smile.

"As much as I like the idea of being a star, I'm not one, okay?" Ashley gave her a faint smile before pushing past Emily and walking away.

"Where are you going? I haven't told you everything you need to know about Elite yet!" Emily yelled while running after her.

"I'm going to the cafeteria to get some lunch, and I'm not interested in hearing anything more about that school," Ashley admitted, not stopping in her tracks. Emily caught up with her and held her hand while walking together.

"Fine, we can discuss it during lunch," Emily said excitedly, earning a groan from Ashley.

In the school cafeteria during lunchtime, a few girls occupied a table, engrossed in a discussion about Elite High School. Ashley and Emily walked past them, drawing the attention of one of the girls, Bella, who promptly stood up.

"Hey, Ashley, why don't you come sit with us?" Bella offered, leaving the others at the table in a state of shock.

"Since when did we start inviting Ashley, the odd one, to join us?" one of the girls remarked, causing Ashley to roll her eyes dismissively.

"I have no desire to sit with you all. Let's go, Emily," Ashley said as she and Emily moved away, leaving Bella perplexed. She turned to her friends, her frustration evident.

"What was that, Sophie?" Bella questioned, visibly upset.

"Did I say something wrong?" Sophie asked, clearly clueless about the situation.

"We need to get on her good side," Bella insisted.

"Why?" the other two girls, including Sophie, inquired simultaneously.

"Did you all not pay attention when I mentioned that Ashley would be attending Elite High School?" Bella frowned.

"We heard you, but we thought you were joking. There's no way someone like Ashley, with no class and a lowlife reputation, could attend such a prestigious school," Sophie remarked, prompting laughter from the girls, except Bella, who still couldn't fathom Ashley attending her dream school.

Emily continued to show Ashley images of Elite High School, describing its beauty in detail. Ashley was growing impatient, wanting to focus on her meal.

"That's enough, Emily. I just want to eat in peace, please," Ashley pleaded.

"Just one more thing," Emily grinned, undeterred by Ashley's frustration.

"How about I show you the Elite High School heartthrob magazine?" Emily suggested.

"As tempting as that sounds, I just want to eat, okay?" Ashley protested, displaying her annoyance by tapping the table. Emily remained unfazed, having grown accustomed to Ashley's typical temper.

"You can protest all you want, but I don't care. You need all the information to decide which of the boys you want as your boyfriend," Emily teased.

"I don't want a boyfriend," Ashley growled while spearing a piece of steak with her fork.

"You're too lonely not to need one," Emily said, placing a hand on Ashley's shoulder, causing her to shudder.

"Who told you I was lonely?" Ashley scoffed.

"You don't need to tell me. As your best friend, I see how lonely you can be sometimes," Emily said, her expression reflecting her concern.

"It's cool; I'm not lonely," Ashley reassured her.

"That's because I'm still with you, silly," Emily playfully rolled her eyes.

"Are you planning to leave me?" Ashley chuckled.

"Never. Come look at the hottest guy at Elite High School, Thorian Blackwood," Emily said, taking out her phone to show Ashley pictures of Thorian.