❤️HEARTSTRINGS❤️
(Love melody…………..)
Chapter 39&40
By Triplewealth.
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The hallway buzzed with chatter as Kingsley strolled into class with Davis and jeremy.
Sylvia was already inside, arranging stacks of flashcards, colorful diagrams, and a laser pointer on the teacher’s desk. She didn’t look up when he walked in.
“You’re back,” she said flatly, eyes on the seating chart.
“Good to see you too,” Kingsley replied, smirking faintly.
She finally glanced at him, pen still in hand. “We’re starting biology drills first period. Physics after. You can handle that, right?”
Kingsley raised a brow. “Last I checked, I’m still co-chair.”
“Last I checked,” Sylvia said, flipping through her flashcards, “co-chairs actually show up.”
A few nearby students froze, sensing the bite in her tone. Kingsley didn’t take the bait—just dropped his bag at his seat and leaned back.
First period was biology drills challenge Sylvia stood at the front like she owned the subject, laser pointer in hand, her tone crisp and commanding.
Teams were split, points awarded for correct answers, wrong answers punished with embarrassing “weird biology facts.”
“Octopuses have three hearts!” Lily shouted triumphantly after nailing a tough question.
Laughter erupted. Even Kingsley smirked from where he stood at the side, arms crossed.
Sylvia moved smoothly from one question to the next, barely missing a beat. She was clearly in her element—until Kingsley’s voice cut in near the end.
“Your mitosis diagram’s missing telophase.”
Her head turned slowly toward him. “Trying to outdo me?”
He shrugged. “Just trying to pass.”
The students chuckled at the tension in the air, but Sylvia only gave a curt nod and moved away
By second period, Kingsley was at the front with a stopwatch, looking as if he couldn’t care less—and yet his eyes were sharp.
“You answer wrong, you sit down. Fastest group wins,” he announced.
It was ruthless, chaotic… and weirdly fun. Jeremy tried to bluff an answer about velocity, and Kingsley cut him down instantly.
“You just described acceleration. Sit.”
Sylvia stepped in once to clarify projectile motion for the class. Kingsley let her finish without interruption, but when she walked past him, he muttered just loud enough for her to hear, “Not bad.”
It was the first compliment she’d ever heard from him that wasn’t dipped in sarcasm. She didn’t know what to do with it—so she said nothing.
Lunch Break
“Oh my gosh, I’m literally starving!” Lily groaned as the bell rang.
“You’re not the only one,” Sylvia muttered, gathering her things.
“You guys actually did well,” Jeremy admitted as he packed up. He whispered something to Lily before heading out.
“I’ll meet you in the cafeteria,” Lily told Sylvia, already hurrying toward the garden.
Soon, the classroom emptied, leaving only Sylvia and Kingsley.
“I’m so tired,” Sylvia muttered, brushing past him toward the door without waiting for a response.
Kingsley watched her go, then moved to his desk. He pulled a juice box from his bag, scribbled a short note, and dropped it into her locker. After that, he pulled out his phone, checked his WeChat—still no message from Nightshade—then slipped on his headset and leaned forward on his desk, music drowning out the world.
School Garden
Lily’s heart thumped as she walked toward the garden, sunlight catching the flowers in shades of gold. Jeremy was already there, leaning against the low brick wall near the roses, hands in his pockets.
“You… wanted to see me?” she asked.
“That story you told in class…” His voice was calm, but there was steel under it. “It was about me, wasn’t it?”
Lily froze. “I—uh—what makes you think—”
“You described the science class accident,” he said, stepping closer.
Her cheeks burned. “Maybe I exaggerated for the presentation.”
Jeremy’s smirk was slow and deliberate. “You can lie to the whole class if you want. But not to me.”
Her pulse stuttered. “So what if it was you? Are you… mad?”
“No,” he said, eyes steady. “I’m curious.”
“Curious?” she echoed.
“About whether you’ve always looked at me like that—or if today was the first time you noticed.”
Lily opened her mouth but no words came.
“Relax,” he said, brushing past her. “Next time you tell a story like that, check if the guy you’re talking about is sitting two rows behind you.”
He paused, looked over his shoulder, and added, “By the way… you looked cute when you tripped.” Then he walked away, leaving her heart racing.
Cafeteria
The cafeteria was its usual noisy mess—except Lisa sat alone, poking at her food.
Lily and Sylvia approached her table.
“Mind if we sit?” Lily asked.
Lisa blinked, startled. “You… want to sit here?”
“You’re not radioactive,” Lily said with a half-smile.
“Just human. Like us,” Sylvia added.
The conversation that followed was halting, awkward, but real—Lisa admitting it wasn’t easy unlearning who she used to be, Sylvia offering not kindness but a fresh start. By the time the bell rang, the table wasn’t cold anymore.
But as they stood, Sylvia spotted Samara across the room with Tiffany, watching them. Not talking. Not eating.
Just smiling—that sharp, empty kind of smile.
And Sylvia knew instantly… this wasn’t over.
Later in the day Sylvia slipped into the classroom, the hallway noise fading behind her.
She went to her seat and checked under her locker and she felt something cold
Then she brought a juice box out of her locker with a small note tucked underneath it. Her fingers brushed over the messy, slanted handwriting.
Sorry for ghosting you. — K
She looked up instinctively—and there he was. Kingsley, leaning against the doorframe at the far end of the hallway, hands in his pockets like he had all the time in the world.
Their eyes met.
For a second, it felt like the usual noise of the hallway faded. He didn’t move closer, didn’t speak—just held her gaze, a quiet question in his eyes.
Sylvia bit her lip, sliding the note into her pocket. She didn’t smile, but she didn’t look away either.
Kingsley’s mouth twitched, like he wanted to say something but decided not to. Instead, he pushed off the doorframe and walked down the hall, brushing past a group of students without a glance back.
Sylvia exhaled, realizing she’d been holding her breath.
Days went by and the last day before exam came
The morning sun spilled softly through the classroom windows as Sylvia stood at the front, a bright smile lighting up her face. Beside her, Kingsley adjusted his notes, the usual calm authority about him putting the restless students at ease.
“Alright everyone,” Sylvia began, “today is our last day before the big exam, so we’re going to make it count — but also have some fun while we’re at it.”
Kingsley stepped forward, his voice steady and confident. “First up, a quick quiz relay. You’ll work in teams to answer questions fast — but no pressure, just think of it as a way to warm up your brains.”
Laughter and excited murmurs rippled through the room as students quickly formed groups. The quiz began, Kingsley reading questions with a spark in his eyes, Sylvia encouraging teams and keeping the pace lively.
When the buzzer ended the game, Sylvia clapped her hands. “Great job, everyone! Now, let’s break into smaller circles for group study. Each group will focus on one topic — and here’s the twist: you get to teach each other.”
She pointed to Kingsley. “We’ll be rotating between groups to help out, and I’ll share some memory tricks I use when studying.”
Kingsley smiled slightly. “And I’ll talk about how I manage my time during exams. Trust me, it helps.”
The next couple of hours passed quickly in a flurry of discussion, note-sharing, and laughter. Sylvia caught Kingsley’s eye, both satisfied at how well the students were engaging.
As the lunch break approached, Sylvia set out bowls of fresh fruit and snacks, while Davis played some soft, soothing music. The atmosphere was calm but energized.
After lunch, Sylvia gathered the students for a quiet mindfulness session. “Before an exam, your mind needs to be clear and calm. Let me teach you some breathing exercises.”
Her voice was gentle, guiding them through slow breaths and visualization techniques.
Lily followed with a heartfelt talk about believing in yourself and pushing through challenges no matter what.
The students seemed more centered, their nervous energy tempered by the focus and encouragement.
Next came the mock exam — a real test simulation timed and supervised by Sylvia and Kingsley. The classroom grew quiet, pencils scratching papers as the students worked diligently.
When time was up, Sylvia collected the papers and immediately gave feedback. “Remember, mistakes are part of learning. Let’s use this to sharpen your answers.”
Kingsley nodded. “You’ve got this. Keep calm and stay confident.”
As the sun dipped lower, the day ended with a final gathering. Sylvia handed out small notes she had written for each student, words of encouragement and belief.
Lisa led the group in a short cheer, their voices ringing out strong and united.
“Tomorrow,” Sylvia said, her eyes shining, “you’ll walk into that exam room ready. We believe in each of you.”
Kingsley gave a rare, warm smile. “Now go get some rest. Tomorrow’s your day.”
The students left with smiles and a new sense of readiness — thanks to the day Sylvia and Kingsley had carefully crafted for them.
●Kelly mansion●
The Kelly mansion stood quiet under the late afternoon sun, its marble pillars casting long shadows across the driveway. Inside, the air was cool and still — too still.
A knock came at the front door not the sharp, rhythmic knock of a visitor but just one soft deliberate knock
The butler answered to find no one there. Only a single cream-colored envelope lying on the marble step.
No postage,no return address.
Just one word scrawled in black ink across the front:
For : Lorraine Kelly
He hesitated, glancing around.
The driveway was empty and the iron gates stood closed.
Whoever had left it was already gone.
Inside, Mrs. Kelly accepted the envelope with a frown. The paper was heavy, expensive, smelling faintly of something metallic. She broke the seal — and froze.
Inside was a single sheet of black stationery. The writing, in sharp silver ink, curled like a whisper:
You’ve been looking in the wrong direction.
Your enemies aren’t outside.
They’re near but they can’t be found
And except a present from me very soon bloody killer
No signature.
But the tiny insignia stamped at the bottom — a faint mask outlined in silver — said it all.
Nightshade had struck again.
Mrs. Kelly’s fingers tightened around the paper. In the reflection of the polished mirror across the hall, her own face looked back at her — tense, pale, suspicious.
For the first time in years, the Kelly mansion didn’t feel safe anymore
T.B.C
