"Have you completely lost your mind?!"

Michael's voice thundered, his face a mix of disbelief and outrage. The sudden outburst made Kai wince, the loudness piercing his eardrums. It was the loudest he'd ever heard Michael yell, and for good reason—Kai's shocking and impulsive bet with Damian had left everyone stunned.

Kai and Damian's altercation had left the entire class frozen, shocked expression across their faces, as if collectively wondering if Kai had indeed gone mad. Even Damian couldn't believe what he had just heard. However he didn’t waste any time, his eyes gleaming with intensity as he agreed to the bet without hesitation. The two of them signed a written contract, supervised by a school teacher, making the absurd deal official.

The stakes were clear: if Kai’s team, Rebellion, won, Damian must grant any wish Kai desired. If they lost, Kai would leave the school for good.

"Why the fuck would you even think of such a thing?" Michael asked. “Of all the reckless, brain-dead ideas you could’ve come up with, this takes the cake. Are you out of your mind?”

Michael hadn’t planned on attending school that day, but as soon as the news reached him, all his plans had been derailed. Now, here he was, trying to understand what was going on inside Kai’s head.

Slurping the last drops of his strawberry smoothie, Kai answered calmly, "Relax, will you? Nothing bad is going to happen."

Seeing Kai's nonchalant attitude toward his possible expulsion raised many questions in Michael's mind. He wanted answers but realized that yelling wouldn't get him any. Taking a deep breath, he finally calmed down.

After a few seconds, he spoke again, his previous tone nowhere to be seen. "You realize you're gambling everything here, right?"

"I know," Kai replied. "But he wouldn’t have taken the deal if I hadn't."

"And what's so important about the goddamn deal?" Michael asked.

Before Kai could answer, their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Both boys turned to see Rebecca standing in front of their table, holding a tray with her lunch. The room, which had been steadily emptying, seemed to freeze momentarily as everyone’s eyes shifted to the unexpected visitor.

"Mind if I join you?" Rebecca asked, her voice steady and composed as always.

Her striking silver hair cascaded down to her shoulders, and her piercing blue eyes fixed on the duo with keen interest. Rebecca had an effortless ability to draw attention, her mere presence commanding respect and curiosity

Michael's eyes widened in surprise,he exchanged a quick glance with Kai, who merely shrugged, masking any discomfort. “take a seat.”

Stolen novel; please report.

As Rebecca slid into the chair across from them, her presence seemed to shift the air in the room. The few remaining students who hadn’t left the cafeteria looked on with thinly veiled interest.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked

Kai braced himself. “Go ahead."

“When exactly did you lose your mind?” she asked, delicately spearing a piece of salad with her fork. Her voice was as sweet as honey, but her words were anything but.

The question hit Kai hard, the suddenness of it catching him off guard.

"I don't know what you mean, Rebecca," Kai responded, trying to maintain his composure.

Rebecca didn’t let up. "Ever since you arrived, it’s been one stunt after another," she continued. "You challenged Damian on your first day, then almost got suspended for attacking his goons in the hallway. And now, you’ve put your expulsion on the line by challenging him again."

She paused, letting her words sink in, her blue eyes never leaving Kai's face. "At first, I thought it was confidence. Then, I thought it was arrogance. But now, I’m starting to think your actually insane."

Michael couldn’t hide his amusement, a smirk appeared on his face as he stole glances at Kai, whose eyes began to twitch with irritation.

Rebecca’s words had hit their mark, as they often did. She didn’t mince words, and the sharpness of her tongue always found a way to get under Kai’s skin

Kai took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Maybe it does seem like insanity to you," he said, his voice low and controlled. "But there's a method to my madness."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "And what might that be?"

Kai narrowed his eyes. "And why should I tell you?"

"That's not a very nice thing to say to your girlfriend, now is it?" she replied, her gaze steady on Kai before forcing a smile.

Kai scoffed. "Girlfriend? Now who's sounding insane?" He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Like I said before, I’m not interested in your games. Leave me out of it."

"You say that," Rebecca countered, her voice soft but pointed, "but you haven’t exactly denied the rumors, have you? You’ve let them swirl around while staying conveniently silent.... just like I have."

Kai met her gaze, his poker face still firmly in place. "Why should I waste my breath on gossip? People will believe what they want."

"Or maybe," Rebecca continued, leaning in slightly, her voice dropping to a near whisper, "the reason you're not interested is because my last offer wasn't good enough. You want something more in return, something that makes the risks worth taking."

The atmosphere at the table grew heavier, the tension thickening as the two locked eyes. Whatever game they were playing, it was layered with motives neither was willing to fully reveal. Michael, caught in the crossfire, could only watch as the verbal duel played out.

Kai broke eye contact first, his expression unreadable. “Think what you want,” he said flatly.

Without waiting for a response, he pushed his chair back and rose from the table. Just as he was about to walk away, Rebecca’s voice could be heard, she had one final taunt.

“If I’m right, meet me in my dorm after school. We can finalize everything there… Darling"

Up until that point, their voices had been kept low, almost conspiratorial, ensuring no one in the bustling cafeteria could overhear their exchange. But with those last words, she spoke loud enough for anyone nearby to hear.

Kai paused, turning slowly to meet Rebecca’s gaze. For a moment, the two locked eyes, and then, without a word, Kai turned and walked away.

As he stepped out of the cafeteria, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Clever girl,” he thought to himself, amused.

Rebecca was left alone to face the curious glances and murmurs her statement had stirred. Her words had effectively confirmed the rumors about her and Kai, and she knew she wouldn’t hear the end of it anytime soon.

As she processed the inevitable gossip, she momentarily forgot that Michael was still sitting across from her. He’d watched the entire exchange unfold and finally understood the dynamic between them. And what he particularly found funny was the fact that Rebecca had a knack for breaking through Kai’s stoic exterior.

But something about the whole ordeal bothered him and he had to speak up

“Mind if I ask you something?” Michael’s voice broke through her thoughts, snapping her back to the present. She realized that of all people, Michael was likely the only one who could be trusted to witness their conversation without making it worse.

“I don’t see why not,” she replied.

“Why him?” he asked. “You could have anyone in this school. There are hundreds of guys who would jump at the chance to be with you. So, why Kai?”

Rebecca didn’t answer right away. This time she was the one leaving the table, she stood up slowly, gathering her things. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, but her words carried a weight that left Michael silent.

“It’s simple, really,” she said, turning to leave. “Because he’s everything my father despises.”

Without another glance, she walked away, leaving Michael with more questions than answers.