Alia thought that when she came to this school, everything would be normal. But it wasn't what she expected. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead as she noticed groups of students lingering menacingly at the ends of corridors, their stares following her movements. There were a lot of gang groups in the school—each controlling different territories and constantly clashing with one another.

And then there was her. The senior who seemed to bend the rules of the school to her will. Since Alia arrived, she had noticed the girl immediately—how she moved through the hallways like she owned them, how teachers looked the other way when she passed. She never wore a skirt like Alia or any of the other schoolgirls, her tie was always loose around her unbuttoned collar, and she always grinned widely, like she knew something no one else did.

Alia tried to stay away from these things. She kept her head down, studied hard, and spent her breaks with the few other students who wanted nothing to do with the gangs. All she wanted was a quiet high school life, but the gang leader seemed obsessed with her. She never said anything kind, but she was always there—appearing around corners, sitting behind her in class, watching her from across the cafeteria.

Alia was walking down the school corridor with her girl friends one day, their laughter echoing slightly in the emptying hallway between classes. Sunlight streamed through the windows, catching dust motes in the air. Suddenly, she was startled by the sound coming from behind her: "Booo!" She turned around in fear, her heart racing, to find the gang leader and her crew blocking the corridor, smirks on their faces.