"Naah, I've got nothing to say", Malakai said, smiling, turning his head and looking away.

Johan turned his body to face Malakai, "Your face says otherwise. If you got something to say, spit it out".

David started shaking his head and kissed his teeth.

"He fucked up", Benjamin said.

"Yep", Lucas replied.

"This is about to get good", William said excitedly, rubbing his hands.

Ray turned towards his friends, "Should we stop him?"

Lucas shook his head, "Nope, let him do what he does best".

David looked towards them, thinking about stopping him, but it seemed he was on a different wavelength than them.

Maria looked to her left, seeing the boys smiling faces thinking to herself, "What does that mean? What will he do?".

"Aryt (Alright) then", Malakai started walking towards the Johan with his hands in his pocket. "Why do you think I'm not good enough? You don't know me", he said, standing before Johan.

Johan was surprised by how close Malakai got, but he didn't show it, "I can tell from what I've heard and seen. Look at you. You apologised to the whole year group in a grey tracksuit. Do you think anyone will accept an apology from a person dressed like you?" he looked Malakai up and down like he was inferior. "Furthermore, how you're acting right now is childish. You can't take hearing bad about yourself, so you resort to confrontation".

"I'm just asking a question, my friend", Malakai said with a smile that would annoy most people in an argument.

"Let me ask you a question then. Why did you joke about having an AK-47?" Johan asked, tilting his head up to look down on Malakai, even though he was already taller than him and didn't need to do that.

"I was taking the piss, it was just a bit of fun", Malakai answered, raising his shoulder.

"Fun? You think this is a game?" Johan asked, lowering his eyebrows.

Malakai looked towards the crowd and then back at Johan,

"I meaannn, it's kinda like a game, no?"

Johan looked at him as if he was crazy.

"You play in challenges, get points, compete against everyone else, try to become number one", Malakai said, listing them on his fingers. This warranted a few giggles in the crowd.

"I don't know what you've been told, but it's nothing like a game. This academy is prestigious for a reason", Johan said in a slow, harsh tone.

"Are you like this for a reason? Do you have the most points? Are you number one?" Malakai threw a lot of questions at Johan.

"No, I'm not", Johan replied to all three questions with three words.

Malakai slowly looked at Mr White and then at the crowd. A big smile appeared on his face.

"Hehehe", Malakai giggled.

"Oh boy", Lucas said, knowing what was coming next. William already started to snicker.

"So you're student president, and you're not number one", Malakai said, pointing at Johan. "What is your purpose? What do you even do then?" Malakai laughed.

Laughs started to appear. Johan heard them and became aggravated.

"You're new. You wouldn't understand. I heard you in class 1-C. An idiot like you wouldn't be near the top. You can't talk".

Malakai knew he was under his skin by Johan's short sentences. His eloquent speech was no longer present. Malakai lifted his head slightly; he had an idea.

"Oh, really. Then let's play for points right now?".

"What?" Johan said, looking at him like he was crazy.

"Let's play for 100 points", Malakai followed up.

"WHAT?"

"MALLY!" David stood up shouting. "What are you doing?"

Malakai turned his attention to David,

"What?" he asked like he was doing something normal.

"You can't do that!" David replied.

Students in the crowd started to raise eyebrows and whisper amongst themselves. Were they going to see a challenge live on the first day?

"He's right, you can't do that!" Johan said with a screw face.

"We can't?" Malakai turned to Mr White. "Can I challenge him for points?" he asked.

Mr White took a step forward, "It depends on the challenge. If it's doable and acceptable, then I don't see why not".

"See, it's fine", Malakai said to David.

David gave up, sat back down and mumbled to himself, "Fucking idiot".

Malakai turned back towards Johan.

"100 point challenge. If I win, you give me a hundred points, but if you win, I'll give you a hundred points. So everything I earn up to a hundred I will give you. Or I can start on minus hundred".

Johan couldn't believe it; a first-year was talking to him like they were equals. "That's stupid. How old are you, 12?" he defensively said.

"Are you scared? I'm only a first year. I'm new to the academy. I'm an idiot." Malakai mocked him with his own words. "Or is a hundred points a lot. How much have you got?".

"No, a hundred points isn't a lot for me. For you, it is." Johan replied, still trying to act superior.

"If it isn't a lot, let's play", Malakai said with open arms. "Or are you scared that a first year will embarrass you?".

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Johan drew the line; he had enough. He just wanted Malakai to shut up, "Fine. I'll show you the level, arrogant bastard. What's the challenge then, genius?".

Malakai smiled, he baited in Johan. He didn't think it would be possible, but it worked somehow. "How about rock, paper, scissors? First to three. Simple enough, right?"

Johan narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious? I thought you were going to pick a good game. Even an idiot can win rock, paper, scissors".

"That's why I picked it. I'm an idiot, right?" Malakai said with a smug look. He then turned to Mr White and asked, "Is that good?"

Mr White nodded. "Yes. Something easy to manage".

Malakai looked back at Johan. "What you saying?".

Johan couldn't back down now; his reputation would be ruined. Running away from a first-year would make him a laughingstock. Many things played in his mind, but he would rather have had a game where he had more control. Rock, paper, scissors—anyone can win. Sure, there is some psychology to it, but it's different for different people.

"Okay, Fine", Johan agreed.

Malakai smiled with his teeth showing. "Aryt! Rock paper scissors shoot that good for you?"

Johan had a serious look on his face. He despised this kid in front of him "Whatever".

Mr White watched on. Malakai and Johan were now facing each other. The crowd of students was silent but excited. Malakai started announcing,

"Rock".

Both students started moving their hands.

"Paper".

Everyone in the crowd had smiling faces.

"Scissors".

Even Mr White.

"Shoot".

Both students showed rock. Oohs rang around the hall. Malakai didn't stop smiling, while Johan couldn't help but frown. The crowd quieted down, ready for the next round.

"Do you think Mally's got this?" Lucas asked Benjamin.

"I don't know, but I got faith in him for some reason. Look at him, he's doing that smile again".

"Okay, we go again."

Johan didn't respond; he was focused.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot".

Again, oohs rang around the hall because both students showed rock again. Malakai let out a small laugh and looked into Johan's eyes. Johan was visibly annoyed. That cool, calm, collected persona he carried at the start disappeared.

"Alright, we keep going. Rock".

Everyone loved what was happening right now.

"Paper".

The atmosphere was different from the first two rounds.

"Scissors".

Everyone had the feeling it was going to be a draw.

"Shoot".

Malakai held out rock again. Johan held out scissors. Students let out cheers. It was 1-0. Malakai, the most hated person at the start of the assembly, was turning into a hero. It was like he was representing the first-years in a way, causing his year group to cheer for him. People also prefer the underdog, which could be another reason. Johan's eyes opened and then narrowed quickly.

"Are you an idiot. Are you going to keep going rock every time?".

"Yeah", Malakai replied like it was obvious.

The crowd were pumped up now.

"Rock".

"Mally's got this", Benjamin confidently said.

"Paper".

"How'd you know?" Lucas asked.

"Scissors".

"Cuz he's Malakai"

"Shoot".

Malakai held out rock again. Johan held out scissors again. The hall erupted, it was 2-0. One more point and a first-year would beat a third-year in a challenge on the first day. Students were suddenly praising him; who would've thought someone could be hated then loved so quickly?

Malakai's friends were all smiling. Even David couldn't help but smile, seeing everyone cheer for his friend.

"I can't believe it. He's actually one of a kind", Lucas said, looking at Malakai.

William and Ray were whistling and cheering while Maria was staring at Malakai, daydreaming. Another smile. A different type of smile from Malakai that caught her attention.

"If he was this serious all the time, imagine what he could do", Benjamin said to David.

"He's still a fucking idiot". David said, smiling, looking at Malakai.

While all the cheering was going on, Johan was furious; he was looking at his hands. He was one point away from losing a hundred points. Johan had thousands of points, so a hundred points wouldn't be a massive loss, but it would definitely hurt. Hurt in his race to number one and, more importantly, his pride and reputation.

Malakai, still smiling, looked towards the crowd and then back at the despairing Johan.

"Yo, I feel kinda bad. I don't want you to be embarrassed and ruin your reputation, so let's make this look close. I'm gonna go paper next", he whispered to Johan.

Johan looked up; he was speechless. He wanted to rant and let loose against Malakai, but he couldn't. His mouth wouldn't let him. Even if he could, what would he say? He can't say anything. Who is this kid standing in front of him? How is he doing this?

The cheering started to die down. The next round was going to start. Was this about to be the end?

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot".