November 20th. Monday, 2:01 PM.

Every class had homeroom. This is because tomorrow, challenge three is happening.

Class 1-C.

"Okay, everyone. I know you probably already know this, but the next challenge is happening tomorrow", Ms Green said. Most of the students figured out the next challenge was happening due to the scheduled homeroom. The students never had homeroom at the end of the day, so the rumour started that the next challenge was happening this week. That rumour spread, and eventually, everyone knew. No one knew what the challenge was, but they knew a challenge was happening.

"The reason why I'm here is because the challenge tomorrow requires you to be in teams of five", Ms Green continued. Excitement was rising among the students. "So I need to supervise and watch you pick your teams".

"We get to pick our teams?" David speculatively asked.

"Yes, you can be with whoever you like, but it has to be a group of five. No more or no less", Ms Green answered, making the number five clear. With that, students started talking to each other, already building their teams until,

"Uuuh, miss. I don't think I can do that", someone had their hand up.

"Malakai, I said five. So someone in your friend group of six will have to join another team", Ms Green replied, predicting Malakai's problem.

"It's not that Miss. Ermm, I have to be alone for this challenge", Malakai said. The whole class turned to look at him. What has this kid done now? Some thought he was taking the piss as usual.

"What?" Ms Green was confused. She thought he was joking.

"I have to be on a team by myself for this challenge. It's my punishment for what I did in the last challenge", Malakai replied.

"You never told us that", William said, completely turning his body around.

"You're trolling", Benjamin didn't believe him.

"Nah, I'm being serious", Malakai replied.

"But you said you already got your punishment. It was a lecture from Mr White, and that's it", Delilah said.

"I lied. I had to keep it confidential. I went to the higher-ups' office and talked to them", Malakai nonchalantly replied.

"You talked to the higher-ups?!" Ms Green was shocked. "Why haven't I heard this?" She was more shocked that she had never heard this had happened than Malakai talking to the higher-ups. For context, when Malakai returned to his classroom after returning from the higher-ups' office, he lied and told everyone he got a lecture from Mr White. He had to keep his punishment a secret until it had to be revealed.

"Did your teammates get the same punishment?" Benjamin asked.

"Nah, only me", Malakai replied.

"Why?" William question.

"We were all gonna get the punishment, but then I said let me handle it cuz it's me that was driving the car, and they had nothing to do with it", Malakai replied.

"You really took one for the team?" Delilah asked, sceptical that what he said actually happened.

"Why are you questioning that? I'm a good person", Malakai replied, feeling hurt that Delilah thought that.

"You met the higher-ups? What were they like?" Lucas asked from the front of the class.

"I don't know. They're a bunch of old people innit", Malakai shrugged. His response got a few laughs. Some laughs were at his comment, others were at his use of 'innit'. Hearing that word still made a few people smile, as they were American.

"Okay, Malakai, wait", Ms Green put her hand to her forehead to sort the situation in her head. "So you have to be on a team by yourself?".

"Yep".

"Okay. But there are thirty students here. There would've been six equal teams. Now one team will have four people instead of five," Ms Green said, narrating what was going through her head.

"Yup. Sorry classmates", Malakai jokily apologised, raising his hand and looking at everyone.

"Malakai, why do you have to cause problems everywhere you go?" Ms Green said, placing her hand on her forehead.

"It's not my fault Miss. I've got haters", Malakai replied. The whole class looked at Malakai like he had ruined everything. "Don't worry Miss. I've got a solution".

"Go on", Ms Green tiredly replied.

"My friends can be the group of four. Ben, Lu, Ray and Willy can be on one team, and David can join another team", Malakai said.

"WHAT?!" All his friends stood from their desks and shouted at Malakai.

"Why do we have to be at a disadvantage because of you?" Lucas complained.

"Cuz you're my boys", Malakai replied.

"We had a perfect five because you were gone. Why do we have to be a team of four?" Benjamin complained.

"Cuz you're my boys", Malakai replied.

"Why are you making this our problem?" William complained.

"Cuz you're my boys", Malakai replied.

"Malakai, isn't there another solution?" Ray complained.

"Nah. Cuz you're my boys", Malakai replied.

"Why do I have to join another team?" David complained.

"Cuz you're my—oh, that's just cuz you're the smartest out of all us, so you would help another team out a lot," Malakai replied.

"That doesn't make any sense. I would help more in the team of four because they're down a person", David said.

"That does make sense. Just do that then", Malakai shrugged. "Make Willy join another team", he said, pointing at William.

"Why me?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't want you on my team", Malakai giggled.

"Shut up!" William replied, trying to slap him (He missed).

Ms Green watched this all play out. She was entertained but was getting a headache from the situation.

"Who's on our team then?" Benjamin asked Malakai.

"I don't know. Sounds like a you problem. I've already got a team", Malakai replied, smiling, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. All the other students started murmuring.

"I'm going to smack this guy", Lucas said, nearly leaving his seat.

Bang!

"That's enough!" Ms Green smacked her desk to quiet the class. "It looks like this is the perfect time to pick your teams. The problem has been solved. William, Lucas, Ray, Benjamin and David, I'm sorry your friend is an idiot". People smiled at how she called Malakai an idiot. "It looks like you will have to make a team of four, and one of you will have to join another team". David was slowly shaking his head. Lucas was staring daggers at Malakai. Ray was looking at his friends. William had his head on his desk. Benjamin was hysterically smiling at how ridiculous the scenario was.

"Go ahead and choose your teams. Once you have, come to me so I can write your names down", Ms Green concluded.

Every student stood up from their seat to form their teams while Malakai stayed relaxed in his seat. All of his friends surrounded his desk immediately.

"Malakai, Why?" David seriously asked him.

"What did I do?" Malakai asked back innocently.

"You made this so much harder for us", Ray said.

"Bro, what about me?! I'm by myself! I have it the hardest", Malakai replied.

"Yeah, but that's your fault. We didn't do anything, and we are losing a person", William said.

"But like, you lot are sick (great) innit. You can pull it off", Malakai replied, smirking. William's point made sense, and Malakai had no counterargument for it. Delilah watched from her desk.

"Delilah".

Delilah looked at where the voice was coming from.

"Do you want to join our team?" It was Tanisha, with Maria standing next to her.

"Yeah, sure", Delilah agreed.

Malakai looked to his right and saw the three girls. "I've got an idea. Why don't one of you join their team", he said, pointing at his friends and then the girls.

"What is going on?" Tanisha asked, seeing Malakai point at her.

"You don't mind one of them joining your team? One of them doesn't have one," Malakai asked Tanisha.

"Why our team?" Tanisha replied.

"Why not? I mean, Originally, before I got nerfed, I probably would've joined your team", Malakai said.

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After hearing that, Maria was disappointed that he couldn't join their team anymore. She hadn't thought it could've been a possibility before, but now it's definitely not. Her shoulders slightly slumped.

"No, you wouldn't have. I wouldn't have let you", Tanisha snapped back.

"What do you mean? You else is gonna join Delilah? She has no friends", Malakai said.

"Huh?! I've got friends", Delilah defended herself.

"Like who?" Malakai questioned.

"Umm", Delilah hesitated. "Rosy".

"Who the fuck is that?" Malakai said, looking around the class.

"Her", Delilah timidly pointed at a girl with fluffy blonde-brown hair.

Malakai could only see her side profile. "Oh, her. She's nice", Malakai said.

"Nice? You know her?" Benjamin asked.

"Not really. I forgot to zip up my bag before putting it on my back, and she told me it was open", Malakai replied.

"And that's enough to call her nice", Lucas said, not understanding his logic.

"Bro, none of you lot would've done that. Only Ray and Maria would've", Malakai replied. His friends smiled, knowing what he said was true.

"Forget that. Who is joining their team?" David said, wanting to make a team already.

"One of you is actually joining our team?" Tanisha asked, thinking that it was a joke.

"It's up to you. If you don't want any of us to join you, just tell us", Benjamin replied, not trying to force one of them to their team.

Tanisha was unsure what to say; she didn't want to refuse them.

"Tan, I think it will be good if one of them joins. They're all smart", Maria said, trying to persuade her.

"Yeah, I agree. They've all got their own qualities", Delilah added.

"You're just saying that because you don't know anyone else in this class", Malakai teased.

"Shut up!" Delilah replied, trying to smack his head, but Malakai dodged it while giggling.

"Who wants to go?" William asked the group. No one gave an answer. It wasn't like they didn't want to go, but they wanted to stay with their best friends.

"I think Ben should join", David suggested. Everyone looked towards Benjamin.

"Okay, I don't mind", Benjamin accepted.

"You're not gonna argue against it?" Malakai asked.

"I knew I was gonna join them. It was either me or David, but David's joining the team of four", Benjamin replied.

"You're calling them idiots?" Malakai instigated.

"I mean, it's simple, really. Surely they'd want someone in the top ten", Benjamin said, playing along with Malakai to piss off his friends.

"What are you tryna say?" Lucas replied. Another playful argument started.

"I'm happy with Benjamin on our team", Tanisha said while those six argued with each other. "But who is going to be our last teammate?" She rhetorically asked, looking at the class.

"I know someone", Maria replied. Maria walked away from the commotion that was going on around Malakai's desk, and Tanisha followed. She walked to the front of the class, towards a desk in the second row. The desk she walked to had two girls surrounding it and a girl sitting in that seat. The girl had circular glasses and black hair with white highlights. The girl had a wolf cut, so she was easy to pick out. Maria went to the desk and asked,

"Sarena, do you want to join our team?"

Class 1-A.

Two people were standing next to a certain someones desk.

"We've got three people, but we need two more", Frank said. "Who do you think should join us, Isabella?".

"Uhm, I think anyone would be okay. Anyone who joins will help us", Isabella replied.

"Not everyone. Some people won't help at all", Alexander coldly said. Isabella awkwardly looked at Frank.

"He's not wrong", Frank said, rubbing his chin. "I know this is class 1-A, but there is still the upper tier and lower tier of the class".

"He's right", Isabella thought. "To be honest, I don't know who's good enough for Alexander. He's already rejected three people. I'm surprised he let me in his group. Wait, does he consider me a friend? Naah, who am I kidding. I'm more of an acquaintance", she thought. Isabella looked around the class. It was quite calm; a lot of people were sitting in their seats. Not many were crowding around and forming teams. Were they waiting to be chosen?

"Oh, I've got someone in mind", Frank said. Alexander and Isabella looked at him. "I could ask Luna if she wants to join", he suggested.

"Luna?" Alexander asked, not recognising the name.

"She was my partner for the first challenge. She's really smart", Frank replied.

"She's in the top ten too", Isabella added to put in a good word for her.

"Sure, if both of you say she's good enough", Alexander agreed.

"Okay, I'll go ask her", Frank said, getting up from his seat and walking away. Frank went to Luna, leaving Alexander and Isabella together.

"Just one more person", Isabella mumbled to herself, looking at the rest of the class.

"Let me join".

"Huh?" Isabella turned to where the voice came from. It was Destiny.

"Who are you?" Alexander asked, looking at her uninterested.

"Destiny. I sit over there", she replied, pointing behind her towards the back row. "So, am I joining?".

"Why do you think you can join us?" Alexander insensitively asked.

"Because I can", Destiny bluntly replied, looking down at him as he sat. She had a smirk while she looked down at him.

Alexander could feel the disrespect. "Who do you think you are?" he said to her, furrowing his eyebrows and getting up from his seat so he wasn't looked down upon.

"That's ironic. I could ask you the same thing", Isabella thought, seeing Alexander get riled up.

"I'm Destiny. I know my worth. I know how good I am", she confidently answered.

"Where are you in the leaderboard?" Alexander asked.

"I'm sixth", Destiny proudly replied. "But, I want first".

"I don't think that's possible for you", Alexander rudely said. Isabella stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

"I don't think you can say that. You're not first after all", Destiny mockingly said. "The only person who can say that to me is the person who's first, and the last time I checked, it wasn't you", she fired back.

Alexander was getting irritated; he didn't like how he was being spoken to. This was the first time in a long time this had happened. He couldn't fire back because he didn't know anything about her.

"How about this? Let me join your team so you can take the top spot for now", Destiny said.

"What?" Alexander wasn't following.

"If I join you, we will definitely beat Malakai and his team. When we beat him, we'll get more points than he does, so he'll fall down the leaderboard. Once he is out of the picture, we can compete", Destiny explained.

Alexander scoffed. He thought about the idea for a moment before answering. "Fine, you can join", he replied. "I'll show you firsthand you have no chance of getting first place".

"I can't wait to see", Destiny replied, teasingly smiling.

"I'm back. Luna said she will join us", Frank said, slowly finishing his sentence after seeing what was happening. "Is she joining our team?" he asked, looking at Destiny.

"Yes, I am", Destiny answered for them. "Nice to meet ya".

Frank was speechless, first because of Destiny's approach and second because of how easily she was allowed to join their team. He saw people get rejected in front of him and the second his back is turnt she joined. Why did Alexander accept her so easily? Frank was missing some vital information.

Luna went next to Isabella and whispered, "Is this really our team?" she asked, feeling the tension.

"Yep", she sighed. "I guess it looks like we're guaranteed to win, whatever the challenge is".

Class B.

"Who are we taking for the last person?" Lorenzo asked.

"I think we should take Chris", Reece suggested.

"He's already joined a team, look over there", Luke replied.

"Don't worry, I've already got someone in mind", Ryan said, looking at who he was going to ask. He walked to the back of the class and stood in front of a desk,

"Eric, join our team".