Paragon High

Chapter Three: Machiavellian

(Please play the music)
Kim Jisoo felt goosebumps all over her when she saw that painting. It felt as if that tragic incident of a woman falling down from a tower really did happen. She shrugged off the creepy thought and walked to find her room number. The hallways were lighted up by nearly melted candles, the walls looked pretty ancient along with the French-based decors and golden-framed paintings of people and heinous scenes.

Too heinous that it made Jisoo give the benefit of the doubt that the painter just had a wide imagination. Given that Paragon High was a home for psyches and mentally unstable teenagers, there could be a possibility that the painter may have picked it up from a book and drew it. But anyways, she found her room. It had the numbers '777'. At least it wasn't 666, the devil's number.

Jisoo peeked in to look at a very dark and cold-looking room. The curtains were closed, the room had little light but the bed was definitely big! Jisoo shrugged and immediately jumped into the soft mattress. "So this is what being rich feels like." She muttered and continued to stretch herself on the bed. Jisoo sighed and looked up at the ceiling which had a huge art designed above.

She sighed. "So, this is my new life now." Jisoo muttered to herself. "I'll never forget my old life." She remembered every single thing she's been through before she was here out of the blue. She let out a heavy exhale. "Everything's gonna get better...now." Or so she thought.

***

As soon as she felt daylight appear, Jisoo quickly opened and her eyes. She fell asleep unconsciously last night. It was probably from that long journey and the insulin Lady Park gave her. She brought up her heavy head and got out of her bed. She slowly went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth with the toothbrush she found.

Jisoo stared at herself in the mirror. Her haggard and tired self. She rolled her eyes and spit the toothpaste form her mouth. She aggressive opened the water faucet. She grimaced and went out of the bathroom. She looked at a uniform placed on the sofa. Her uniform was dark green, knee-high socks, with a white long-sleeve, and a checkered-emerald skirt. There was a note beside it.

The girl took it and quickly and ripped the hot-sealed stamp on it. And there, read the letter carefully.

~~

Welcome to Paragon High!

We are glad to have you as a new part of the family Machiavellian Kim Jisoo. You have
fitted and qualified the qualifications of a Machiavellian psyche. Treacherous, devious, and cunning.
You have a peculiarity that will enable to unleash the great shadow hidden in you.
You'll unleash it. Not now, but sooner.

May you live up to Niccoli Machiavellian's name.
Best of luck dear Machiavellian.

Sincerely yours, Headmistress Sandara Park

~~

The girl raised her eyebrow and threw the letter boringly back into the sofa as if it was garbage. "I guess, there's still competition up to this place." Jisoo smirked. "Curse that Niccoli Machiavelli for finding this- this- type of psyche!" She berated out loud and stomped her foot to get changed in that uniform fitting the one's used for an elite school.

"At least you get to where one of like these before you die~" She muttered and matched the uniform to her body. She got in the dresser and changed her old black clothes into the well-ironed and polished uniform. She chuckled as she looked like a royal princess who's going to school. It was unreal for her to dress-up like that. She wasn't rich enough to wear those kinds of clothes.

Jisoo was about to leave when she noticed that she forgot the pin that should be pinned on her right chest. She took the emerald cloth and pinned it properly at her uniform. She sighed and got out of room 777.

The Machiavellian saw the other students in line. No moving, no talking, no anything. Jisoo gulped as she went to the back part to fall in line with the other kind. They all looked depressed, mad, as if everything from them was taken away and nothing was left. The girl looked at each of the students' face. But she was cut off when the Peace Officer whistled to get everyone's attention.

Jennie looked at everyone. "The Flag Ceremony is about to start." She said with a solemn tone and face. "Stand straight! Feet together! And no talking!" She roared. "No one dare make a mess. Because it'll all come back to you like a bouncy ball." Jennie raised her eyebrow and said it with a really creepy and threatening voice. "Understood?"

The rest nodded.

Jennie then nodded at the two students who opened the gigantic door of the Machiavellian's lair. The students marched like an army. All in sync and all aligned properly. Now, the before dark hallways vanished as they got to exit and enter the school grounds. The part with the most sunlight. Or perhaps, light. The sky was gloomy and blue.

Jisoo peeked throughout the corners of the setting. She saw all the other houses wearing a different uniform. The narcissists who were in the middle of the quadrangle, were wearing a dark blue coat and had the same patterns along with the uniform except that
the colors were blue.

But what Jisoo noticed was the red clan of students at the right side. 'The Psychopaths' she said to herself. Jisoo continued to spy on them from afar. They looked a lot more intimidating and dangerous. The girl continued to sight-see the faces of the psychopaths. They were all faced in front. No one moved a muscle.

"You're new huh?" She heard a male voice from behind. She turned to see a boy who was a centimeter taller than her. "Park Jimin." He introduced himself. "Really uncanny to see someone old getting brought in my the headmistress. Most new students are 11 year-olds. Not...24?" He tried to guess Jisoo's age.

"25." Jisoo said.

"Great. We're of the same age." Jimin said. "I just noticed that, you kept on staring at the psychopaths. Why? Did they mess with you on your first day?"

"It's actually my second day around here. But...no. They just make me curious."

"Well, curiosity can kill the cat. Don't be too attached. Even I don't really have friends on their house. Just some of the sociopathic homies. Sociopaths are way~ better. Trust me."

Jisoo shrugged. "You're a Machiavellian. I can't trust things you say though. But, I'll keep that in mind."

Jimin shrugged back. "Better if you do. There's a 'nazi-night' every Friday." He said. "It's for the psychopaths to release their inner psychopathy and their dark persona. Students are advised to stay inside in case a psychopath has guts to kill."

"Kill? Oh...right." Jisoo rolled her eyes at herself. "Shouldn't the students be required to stay inside their dormitories?"

"Our odds will always be in our favor. Teachers, guards, and every night assassin guarding will just stand by and let thee psychopaths do anything. Though they're still watching in case a psycho goes off limits." Jimin explained. "Things have been going like this every Friday."

Jisoo gulped in fear and apprehension. She suddenly widened her eyes and looked as if the whole world suddenly faded. "But isn't today...F-Friday?" She asked.

"What? You didn't know?"

~~

The Series called 'Riverdale' inspired me to write :))