The halls of Hawthorn High roared with a chaotic symphony of voices and footsteps, an overwhelming tide of noise that threatened to sweep Victor Campbell away. He clutched the strap of his bag like a lifeline, weaving his way through the sea of students. The schedule in his hand crinkled under his grip as his eyes darted to the room numbers above each door.
Room 3B, he reminded himself.
He had lost count of how many first days he had endured over the years. The familiar knot of anxiety in his stomach told him it was too many. New school, new faces, new chances for someone to knock him off balance before he could find his footing.
As he turned a corner, he spotted the number he was looking for, but his relief was short-lived. A group of boys loitered near the door, their laughter and animated gestures making it impossible to slip past unnoticed.
One of them caught sight of Victor immediately. Stocky and broad-shouldered, the boy stepped into his path with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “Hey, new kid. You look lost.”
Victor stopped, his grip tightening on his bag. “I’m just looking for Room 3B.”
“Room 3B?” the boy echoed, glancing at his friends. “Sure, I can help. Hand over your wallet first.”
The boys laughed, their tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather.
Victor’s jaw tightened. “I’m not giving you anything. Move.”
The stocky boy’s smirk widened, and he took a step closer. “You’ve got some guts, huh? I like that. Let’s see if—”
“Brandon, really?” A voice, light and amused, cut through the tension.
The group turned to see a tall, lanky boy with tousled black hair approaching, his tie undone and his uniform slightly rumpled. His grin was easy, but his sharp green eyes carried a warning.
“Nate Harris,” Brandon said, his smirk faltering. “This isn’t your business.”
“Everything’s my business,” Nate said breezily. “Especially when you’re trying to shake down the new guy. Haven’t you got anything better to do?”
Brandon hesitated, his friends shifting uncomfortably behind him. Finally, with a muttered curse, he stepped back. “Whatever. Not worth it.”
As the group dispersed, Nate turned to Victor. “You okay?”
Victor nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it,” Nate said, clapping him on the shoulder. “I’m Nate, by the way. Welcome to Hawthorn High. Room 3B, right?”
“Yeah. How did you—”
Nate grinned. “Lucky guess. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”
When they entered Room 3B, the atmosphere was alive with chatter and motion. Students clustered around desks, talking and laughing, while the occasional flicker of Etherion glinted in the air. Victor followed Nate to an empty seat near the middle of the room.
“Here,” Nate said, gesturing. “Prime real estate—close enough to the action, but far enough from the teacher’s wrath.”
Victor slid into the seat just as a girl dropped into the desk beside him. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a loose braid, her green eyes bright with curiosity. She carried a bag slung casually over one shoulder, and the metallic contraption she placed on the desk looked like something out of a science fair experiment gone rogue.
“New guy?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Victor nodded. “Yeah. Victor Campbell.”
“Rhea Calloway,” she said, shaking his hand. “What brings you to this corner of the world?”
Victor hesitated. “Family stuff. We move around a lot.”
Rhea raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp but not unkind. “Sounds... complicated. Don’t worry, though. This place isn’t so bad once you get used to it.”
“She’s lying,” Nate interjected, turning in his seat to face them. “This place is a circus. But you’ll survive. Probably.”
Rhea rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. He’s the class clown. And apparently, the self-appointed welcome committee.”
“Guilty as charged,” Nate said, grinning.
Before Victor could respond, Rhea gestured to the device on her desk. “You like tech?”
Victor glanced at the tangle of wires and gears. “I guess. What is it?”
“Etherion condenser,” she said, picking up a small tool and prodding one of the components. “It’s supposed to stabilize energy output in small devices, but it keeps shorting out.”
“She’s underselling it,” Nate said. “Rhea’s a genius inventor. One day, she’ll blow up the school, and we’ll all pretend we didn’t see it coming.”
“If anyone blows up the school, it’ll be you,” Rhea shot back, smirking.
The room quieted as the door swung open, revealing a tall man with sharp features and a tailored suit. Mr. Darnell’s presence commanded immediate attention, his gaze sweeping over the class like a general surveying his troops.
“Settle down,” he said, his voice firm but not harsh.
Victor’s hope of blending into the background was dashed when Mr. Darnell’s eyes landed on him. “Victor Campbell. Front and center.”
The class turned to stare as Victor rose, the scrape of his chair against the floor loud in the silence. He walked to the front, his heart pounding.
“New student,” Mr. Darnell said, nodding toward him. “Introduce yourself.”
Victor hesitated, then cleared his throat. “I’m Victor Campbell. I just moved here.”
“Where from?” someone called out, earning a few snickers.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Victor glanced at Mr. Darnell, who gave him a small nod of encouragement. “All over. We move a lot.”
The class murmured, but Mr. Darnell raised a hand, silencing them. “Welcome, Victor. Take your seat. Let’s get started.”
Victor returned to his desk, acutely aware of the curious glances still directed his way.
“Not bad,” Nate whispered as Mr. Darnell turned to the board. “You’ll fit right in.”
Victor wasn’t so sure.
----------------------------------------
The bell for lunch rang out, its tone sharp and decisive, cutting through the hum of voices and the scrape of chairs against the tiled floor. Victor lingered at his desk, gathering his books with a deliberate slowness. He was keenly aware of the weight of the stares directed at him, and sure enough, as soon as the classroom emptied into the hallway, a crowd of students began to form around him.
“So, Victor,” a boy with a wiry frame and messy blond hair leaned against the desk, his grin wide and intrusive. “What’s your deal? Moving here out of nowhere. What’s Hawthorn got that you couldn’t find anywhere else?”
Victor hesitated, his pulse quickening as half a dozen expectant faces turned to him. “My dad got reassigned,” he said, keeping his tone even. “We move a lot.”
“Oh yeah?” The blond boy pushed, his grin widening. “What does he do?”
Victor squared his shoulders, the practiced lie sliding into place like a well-worn coat. “He’s a colonel in the Etherion Enforcer Forces.”
That brought an audible murmur of approval. A girl with curly brown hair tilted her head, eyes lighting up with curiosity. “Whoa. That’s serious. What about your mom?”
Victor’s jaw tightened, the practiced answer hesitating at the edges of his mind. “She’s a scientist,” he said, forcing a casual shrug. “She... works on Etherion tech. Big stuff. Keeps her busy.”
Another wave of murmurs rippled through the group, this one tinged with admiration.
“Wow,” the girl said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Your parents must be geniuses. No wonder you’re so good at math.”
Victor managed a faint smile but said nothing. The crowd shifted, their focus narrowing.
“What about your Affinity?” someone asked, the words cutting through the noise like a knife.
Victor’s heart leapt into his throat. For a moment, he froze, his mind racing. “Water,” he said finally, with as much confidence as he could muster.
“Oh, cool!” the blond boy said, leaning in with renewed interest. “Show us something!”
Victor’s stomach twisted. Before he could think of an excuse, a sharp voice cut through the clamor.
“Victor! Hey!”
He turned to see Nate strolling over, his stride loose and casual, his grin as easygoing as ever. Rhea followed a step behind, her arms crossed and her expression mildly exasperated.
“You coming to the cafeteria or what?” Nate asked, tossing a lazy glance at the crowd. “Or are you too busy holding court?”
Victor seized the lifeline, his relief almost palpable. “Yeah, I’m coming.” He slung his bag over his shoulder and maneuvered past the group, catching Rhea’s subtle smirk as he fell into step with them.
As they walked toward the cafeteria, Nate clapped Victor on the back. “Man, you’re already the center of attention. First day and you’ve got a fan club.”
“Yeah,” Victor muttered, his voice low. “Lucky me.”
Rhea glanced at him, her brow furrowing slightly. “You okay?”
“Fine,” he said quickly, keeping his eyes on the hallway ahead.
Neither of them pushed further, but as they entered the bustling cafeteria, Victor couldn’t shake the unease curling in his chest. Lies had a way of growing, and he was already drowning in them.
The cafeteria was alive with noise, a cacophony of voices, clattering trays, and the occasional crackle of Etherion energy sparking in the air. Victor followed Nate and Rhea to a table near the window, where sunlight spilled across the surface like liquid gold.
“Alright,” Nate said, dropping into a seat and immediately scanning the room. “First rule of lunch: never sit alone. People start asking questions, and before you know it, you’re the weird kid. Trust me.”
“Duly noted,” Victor said, his tone dry.
Rhea rolled her eyes as she unwrapped a sandwich, her fingers deft and precise. “Second rule: don’t let Nate pick your food. He has the palate of a five-year-old.”
“I resent that,” Nate said, snagging a chip from her plate with a grin. “Five-year-olds don’t appreciate gourmet cafeteria pizza.”
“It’s not gourmet if it tastes like cardboard,” Rhea shot back, swatting his hand away from her drink.
Victor couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at his lips as he sat down. For the first time that day, the knot in his chest loosened slightly. Maybe, just maybe, this place wouldn’t be so bad.
But as he glanced out the window, watching the other students mingle and laugh, his reflection stared back at him. The weight of his lies lingered, a silent reminder of everything he was trying to hide.
----------------------------------------
The return to the classroom after lunch was marked by the familiar buzz of chatter and the shuffle of chairs as students settled into their seats. Victor followed Rhea and Nate inside, feeling more at ease than he had that morning, though the lingering curiosity in some of the students’ glances kept him on edge.
At the front of the room, Ms. Bennet stood with her arms crossed, waiting for the noise to die down. She was a striking figure—sharp, no-nonsense, and radiating the kind of authority that demanded respect without needing to raise her voice.
“Alright, everyone,” she began, her tone brisk and efficient as always. “Settle down. I have an announcement.”
The room quieted, save for the occasional whisper or scrape of a chair. Ms. Bennet surveyed the class with a critical eye before continuing.
“For the next two weeks, you’ll be working on a group project,” she said. “The topic is Etherion in practical applications. Each group will choose a specific aspect to explore—its use in industry, medicine, defense, or any field you find relevant.”
The class immediately erupted into a mix of groans and murmurs.
“Quiet,” Ms. Bennet said sharply, silencing the noise with a single word. “This project is worth 40% of your term grade, so I expect effort and collaboration. For some of you,” her gaze lingered pointedly on a cluster of boys in the back, “this might be a wake-up call.”
She paused to let the weight of her words sink in before continuing. “You’ll work in pairs. I’ll assign most of the groups to ensure balance, but you may choose your partner if I haven’t already assigned one.”
Almost immediately, a flurry of movement swept through the room as students began looking for partners.
Victor glanced at Nate, who was already surrounded by no fewer than four girls.
“Nate,” one of them said, leaning on his desk and batting her eyelashes, “we’d make such a great team. You know, with your skills and my... creativity.”
“Oh, totally,” another chimed in, flipping her hair. “I mean, you’d be doing most of the work anyway, right?”
Nate leaned back in his chair, a lazy grin spreading across his face as he basked in the attention. “Ladies, ladies, there’s enough of me to go around. But... sorry, gotta be fair. First come, first served.” He pointed at a girl near the front—a quiet, bookish type who had stayed out of the chaos. “How about you, Sarah? Wanna team up?”
Sarah blinked in surprise, but a small smile crept onto her face. “Uh... sure, Nate.”
The other girls huffed in disappointment but quickly turned their attention elsewhere.
Victor, meanwhile, sat frozen, hoping Ms. Bennet wouldn’t call his name just yet.
“Rhea,” Ms. Bennet said, scanning the room. “You’re with Victor.”
Rhea looked up sharply. “What? I always work solo.”
“Not this time,” Ms. Bennet said firmly. “You have a tendency to overburden yourself. Victor can balance things out.”
Victor’s heart sank. He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or intimidated.
Rhea shot him a glance, her expression unreadable. “Fine,” she said at last, her tone clipped.
Victor nodded mutely, unsure of what to say.
“Good,” Ms. Bennet said, making a note on her clipboard. “Now, everyone, spend the rest of the period brainstorming ideas with your partners. I’ll be circulating to answer questions.”
The room buzzed with conversation as students began shifting seats. Rhea slid into the desk next to Victor, dropping her notebook onto the surface with a decisive thud.
“Okay,” she said, her tone brisk and businesslike. “Let’s just get this over with. Any ideas?”
Victor hesitated, glancing around the room at the other pairs already deep in discussion. “Um... maybe something about Etherion’s role in renewable energy? Like... how it could improve efficiency?”
Rhea tilted her head, considering. “Not bad. But it’s overdone. Everyone’s going to do something safe like that.”
“What would you suggest?” Victor asked, genuinely curious.
Rhea’s eyes lit up slightly, the faintest spark of excitement breaking through her usual guarded demeanor. “I was thinking something unconventional. Like Etherion-based prosthetics. How to make them more accessible and adaptable.”
Victor nodded, impressed despite himself. “That’s a great idea.”
“Of course it is,” Rhea said, though her tone was more matter-of-fact than boastful. “But it’s going to take work. Don’t slow me down.”
“I won’t,” Victor said, meeting her gaze. For the first time, he saw a flicker of respect in her eyes.
“Good,” she said, jotting down a few notes. “Let’s see if you can keep up.”
Victor smirked faintly, the challenge igniting a spark of determination within him. “Try me.”