Chapter one
FOUR HORSEMEN OF ATTENTION
It was just going to be another boring day at Trident…
Lisa sighed as she alighted her father's vehicle and slammed the door behind her.
"Take care, dad…" Lisa greeted quietly.
"Oh! You take care and make your papa proud…" The elderly but fit man at the wheels replied to her. He looked just as he sounded – disciplined but friendly and full of charisma. "Don't forget, Lisa. I might work through the night. Everything you need when you get back…"
"…would be found in the fridge. I know, Dad." Lisa chuckled weakly. It was already becoming a mantra for her father when he knew he wouldn't be returning early from the station.
"I love you, hun."
"You too." With that, Lisa turned and blended into the crowd of students flocking around Trident High School. Being the first and major institution in Trident Hills, England for several years, it was normal to have so many young and aspiring students in the school. Trident High, itself was fantastic – it was of exquisite quality in terms of its educational prowess, it had a history, dating as far back as a hundred years, and it had some of the best scholars you'll find – students that made it to Oxford and Yale.
"Lisa!"
She spun, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. She was the typical American damsel with grey eyes, slender lips, and an irresistible beauty. Lisa Mendel wore her nature – quiet, sweet, and goddamn smart.
"Hey, Beck!" Lisa greeted her best friend with a broad smile. Becky Sans threw her a hug before they proceeded through the students. Becky was a brunette, slender, about the same height as Lisa, and could pass for a sister in terms of looks. However, unlike Lisa, she was more outspoken and chit-chatty. The two realized just how compatible they were when they met more than ten years ago.
"So I continued my campaign for Irene 'cause there's no way I'm staying in the cheerleading team with Alice as a leader. Unacceptable… From news around the school, Irene is going to win the election…" Becky continued the chat on the politics going on between the girls and was unaware when she ran into the lady ahead.
Alice Barbour eyed Becky and Lisa with disgust.
"What in the world?!" She screamed. Her blue eyes are wide with apprehension. One could swear she almost wished both girls could sink into the ground.
"Oh!" Becky was still shocked by the sudden appearance of the miss she was just rubbing in the mud with Lisa. "Sorry about..."
"Shhhhh…." Alice silenced her.
"You should watch where you're going, piece of shit! This isn't just anyone – this is the new team leader of the cheerleaders." The two girls that flanked Alice just became noticeable as one of them – Helena – spoke.
Becky chuckled. "Do you really want to do this, Alice?"
"How about you tell me what we're "really" doing?" Alice drew closer, craving trouble.
"There's no way you're heading the cheerleaders." Becky was as blunt as a board. Alice bit her lower lip in spite.
"We'll see…"
"Alice…" It was the other girl who spoke – Jane. As Alice turned, she saw what she needed to see even before Jane spoke. Her mouth dropped open as the Sedan parked and the four doors came open. Like people from an action movie, four figures in pure black emerged from the vehicle.
"Damn!" Alice exclaimed.
No one could say they were students – three men and a lady. They were smoking hot; at least to Alice, Becky, and ninety-nine percent of the others who watched as the four made their way into the school, looking head-on like they were the only humans present.
Lisa watched, not in admiration but in curiosity and she could swear that for a second, one of the guys' eyes went to her. They locked with hers but she looked away immediately, grabbed the reluctant Becky by the elbow, and pulled her into the school building, ignoring the charade drawing attention outside the school.
***
"Settle down, class." Mrs. Beatrice's voice echoed through the class as she walked in like a bell. The students immediately followed the instructions and made their way to their seats. Lisa was already seated and so was Becky. They only had to end their conversation. Alice sat far behind, her two cohorts on either side of her seat. She was still fiddling with her hair with her chin raised in anticipation of her next move that'll land someone in problems.
"Class, allow me to welcome – with great surprise – the Anders."
Four people strode into the class just then. The black of the four seemed to darken the light that streaked from the window. Lisa's breath hung. All four in a class? What were they – twins?
"Denim Ander…" Beatrice introduced. Denim was the shortest with the meanest look ever. He simply gave a stiff nod and moved to a seat as Beatrice ushered.
"Cara Ander…" Cara had neither a smile nor a frown. She just had the look that made everyone else look stupid.
"Another typical Alice…" Becky whispered in Lisa's ear and she chuckled in response.
"Herod Ander…" Herod looked like a drug addict, with a wide smile and eyes that seemed to be falling out of his sockets. He looked nothing friendly, more like a psychopath. With a weird chuckle, he moved to his seat.
"Then there is Jason Ander…"
The one who had looked at her… He was tall, with pale white skin, a clean shave, and deep blue eyes that seemed to glow. His dark hair scattered around his slender, masculine face. From simply looking, one could make out his biceps. He was a huge figure; the average man.
He seemed the most normal, with the nervous smile a new student carried. He proceeded to his seat, stealing another glance at Lisa but she wasn't looking.
"Class welcome the Anders!"
"The four horsemen of attention…" Alice's voice came from behind. Helen and Jane laughed.
"Thank you for the awkward compliment, Alice…" Beatrice replied and turned just then to proceed with the class. Suddenly, two others trooped in.
"Mrs. Beatrice…" they acknowledged.
The woman rolled her eyes. "Connor… Mettle… What is this?"
"We had to find a bus…"
"We got stuck in a pit…"
Two different lies. They both paused now when they realized it and turned to each other stupidly.
"Ouch!" Mettle ran his fingers through his hair. "That didn't work well, did it?"
"Take your seats, but you'll be grounded soon enough."
Connor and Mettle proceeded to the two seats left for them. Connor was a big guy, not fat; just built with rough brown hair and brilliant eyes. Mettle's shown with even more brilliance. He was a smaller figure with dark sleek hair and geeky looks – thanks to his glasses.
As Connor settled on his seat, he turned to see Lisa smiling at him. He grinned and waved. With her boyfriend and his best friend now in class, she seemed more calm. Everyone was present now – or not everyone…
Lisa stared at the empty seat. There was one more – a student they knew as Dame, termed the most academically inclined student of the class.
Dame was absent.
That was unusual… Lisa thought, but it was just a thing that could happen, and there was no cause to worry.
Right?