ACT 1 - The Encounter

The bell rang, its sharp chime echoing through the emptying classroom. Most students rushed out, their laughter fading down the hallway, but he stayed behind, scribbling something into his notebook—routine, quiet, predictable. Just the way Nellie liked it.

She stood by the door for a moment, perfectly composed in her pristine uniform, her long curls framing her face like dark silk. Her crimson eyes glimmered under the flickering lights—too vivid, too unnatural for a regular girl. But no one ever noticed. They never saw the faint red hue lingering in her shadow, the outline of horns flickering like smoke against the chalkboard. Only Br Br Patapim would, eventually.

She stepped inside, her shoes clicking softly against the floor. "You stay back every day," she said lightly, her voice smooth but laced with intent. "Is it because you don't like crowds—or because you're hiding something?"

He looked up, surprised by her presence. She smiled—sweet, inviting, yet too practiced. Her fingers curled around the strap of her bag, knuckles pale. Every movement calculated. Every word another thread in her snare.

"I'm Nellie, by the way. We're seatmates, but you didn't even notice me," she continued, walking closer, almost too close with a pout. "I'd like to change that."

The journey begins...