NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Chapter Three
Chapter Title: A Test Of Resolve
I am Ann Armstrong. Not a name to be forgotten. Not a face to be ignored. I am the storm they'll never see coming, the shift t
hey'll never be ready for.
So get ready, Phoenix Academy. Change isn't knocking — it's kicking down the door.
The surge of confidence lingered in my chest like a steady flame, but then, without warning, the atmosphere shifted. It was subtle at first — a faint, unshakable tension that crawled beneath my skin. The kind of feeling you can't name, only sense.
I glanced around the room, expecting something — anything — to explain it, but everything was exactly as it should be. Still, I couldn't shake the unease that sat heavy in the air.
Dinner with Mom was quieter than usual but far from uncomfortable. It was peaceful in a way that felt final, like the calm before a storm. She didn't say much, and neither did I. We didn't need to. Every glance, every shared smile, carried the words we couldn't bring ourselves to say.
When it was time to leave, I hugged her tighter than usual, memorizing the warmth of her arms around me. It wasn't goodbye — not really — but it felt like one.
"Be unshakable," she whispered in my ear, her voice cracking just a little.
"I will," I promised, pulling back to meet her eyes. "I'll make you proud."
With one last look, I turned away, heart thudding in my chest, and stepped outside where the air bit colder than I expected. I waved down a cab, tossing my bag inside before sliding in.
"Phoenix Academy," I told the driver, and as the car pulled off, I leaned back, eyes on the road ahead.
No turning back now.
Change isn't coming. It's already here.
...
The ride to the academy felt longer than I'd expected, each mile stretching endlessly. I leaned against the window, my eyes tracing every scene that blurred past. Every street, every building, every fleeting moment of life beyond the glass felt like a memory I wanted to hold onto. Each one a quiet reminder of the world I was leaving behind.
But when the cab finally slowed, my heart kicked in my chest. There it was. The towering gates of Phoenix Academy. My breath hitched as I leaned forward, eyes locked on the grand archway that loomed before me like a passage to another world.
This is it.
The gateway to my destiny. The path to my own success. The first step toward glory.
I paid the driver, barely feeling the weight of the bills in my hand, and stepped out. The air smelled different here — crisp, sharp, and full of something electric.
I tilted my head back, eyes following the height of the gates, as a slow grin tugged at my lips.
Watch closely, Phoenix Academy. I'm not just here to learn — I'm here to conquer.After a moment of stillness, I drew in a deep breath and stepped through the towering gates of Phoenix Academy. Each footfall echoed in my chest, steady and sure — until it wasn't.
The air shifted.
A sudden, invisible weight pressed down on me, sharp and cold, like a storm had crept in unnoticed. My heart jolted as anxiety surged through me, fast and unforgiving, unraveling every thread of confidence I'd sewn together just moments ago.
My gaze swept over the students ahead, and that's when I felt it — the difference.
They moved with an ease I didn't have, their uniforms sharp and unblemished, their shoes shining like they'd never known dust. Designer bags hung effortlessly from their shoulders, their every step a reminder that they belonged. No second-guessing. No hesitation. No doubt.
I glanced down at myself, my fingers brushing over my simple clothes. Neat but not perfect. Practical but not prestigious. I felt every stare, every unseen glance, as though they could see the cracks in my armor.
I don't belong here, the thought slithered in, uninvited but impossible to ignore.
My breath grew shallow, my chest tight. For a moment, I almost stopped walking. Almost. But then I heard my mother's voice in my head. "Be the unshakable force."
I lifted my head, my jaw tightening as I forced my feet forward. One step. Then another. And another. The gates had already closed behind me, locking away the past.
There's only one way to go now — forward.
With a fire reignited in my chest, I strode forward, my eyes locked on the administration block — the final step in securing my place at Phoenix Academy. No more hesitation. No more doubts.
The campus stretched endlessly before me, its sprawling buildings towering like obstacles in my path. I wandered, weaving through unfamiliar paths, my sense of direction slipping away with each turn. The weight of uncertainty pressed against me like a thick fog.
I had been wandering the campus for what felt like hours, each turn only leading me deeper into confusion. The administration block was nowhere in sight, and my patience was starting to wear thin. The doubt was creeping in now, sinking its claws into my resolve.
And then, I saw her.
A student, tall and impeccably dressed, walking with an air of confidence that screamed privilege. She looked like someone who would know exactly where the administration block was — surely, she'd help. She had to.
"Excuse me," I called, trying to keep my voice calm and polite, despite my growing frustration. "Can you point me toward the administration block?"
She didn't even spare me a glance at first, her eyes scanning me from head to toe with a barely-hidden sneer. There was something about the way she did it that made my stomach twist, like I wasn't even worth acknowledging.
"Uh, sorry, I'm kind of in a rush," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "Figure it out yourself."
Before I could respond, she turned and walked away, her posture proud and her head held high, as if I had never even spoken to her. I stood there, stunned, a burning mixture of embarrassment and frustration coursing through me.
Is this what this place is like? I thought bitterly, watching her disappear into the crowd. I wanted to shout after her, to make her see how rude and inconsiderate she was, but I held back. What would it change? She'd just think I was pathetic.
I swallowed down my irritation and forced myself to keep moving. I wasn't here for people like her. I was here for me. I wasn't going to let one arrogant student derail everything I came here for.
Just as I was about to let the frustration take over, I heard a voice from behind me.
"Are you lost?"
I turned to find a kind-faced girl standing there, a warm smile on her lips. "I can show you where the administration block is."
Relief washed over me instantly. "Yes, please," I said, a little more hopeful now.
As she guided me through the campus, I couldn't help but think about the snobbish student — the one who had looked at me like I was beneath her. The sting still lingered, but I pushed it aside. I wasn't here to prove anything to someone like her. I was here to prove something to myself.
And no matter how many arrogant people I encountered, that wouldn't change.