First Day of School, His Fall — Novel

About

On the first day of middle school, Olivia Scott expects a routine drop-off for her daughter, Lily. Instead, she walks into a nightmare as the elite social hierarchy of Crestwood Academy reveals its ugly underbelly. When a petty accusation spirals into a public humiliation, Olivia finds herself fighting not just for her daughter’s dignity but her very right to belong in this exclusive world where wealth dictates worth.

As tensions escalate, Olivia learns that the school's principal's wife has a vendetta against her family, fueled by the whispers of privilege and power that echo through the halls. With Lily's health declining under the pressure of bullying, Olivia must navigate the treacherous waters of high society, where a single misstep could cost her everything. How far will she go to protect her daughter from the venomous claws of envy and disdain?

In a place where appearances are everything, Olivia is forced to confront the truth about her past and the strength that lies within her. Will she stand tall against the elite or be crushed beneath the weight of their expectations? The battle for acceptance and justice is just beginning, and the stakes have never been higher.

First Day of School, His FallChapter 1

On my daughter Lily Lane’s first day of middle school enrollment, I waited for her at the school gate.

My phone buzzed nonstop with notifications.

“Lily’s parent, do you live up in the mountains with no signal? Why aren’t you saying anything? The whole class is waiting on you.”

“Yeah, it’s just a jump rope. Do you really need half a day to think about it?”

It turned out the parent committee was organizing a group purchase of professional jump ropes for the fitness test, and I was the only one who hadn’t responded yet.

I quickly replied in the group chat:

“Thank you for the reminder, but we won’t be buying the jump rope for now. Lily’s sister Sophie just finished her high school entrance exam, and the one we bought her is still in perfect condition. Lily can use that.”

Unexpectedly, right after I sent that message, I was removed from the group.

Still puzzled, I received a message from the homeroom teacher, Mr. Brown.

“Come tomorrow to process your daughter’s withdrawal. The principal’s wife said if you can’t even afford a $200 jump rope, your child doesn’t deserve to be in the same class as her son.”