Xavier walked into the academy, and the moment he stepped in, the air shifted.
Eyes turned. Whispers spread like static. Some tried to act subtle, others didn't even bother hiding the way they stared. A few had their phones half-raised, probably hoping to catch a candid shot before he noticed. As if his glasses hadn't already scanned them all in under a second.
He didn't react. Didn't need to.
He moved through the hallway like a storm that refused to make noise. Calm, silent… but heavy. Some stepped aside on instinct. The smart ones anyway.
Inside the class, he didn't even glance at the teacher. First thing—his eyes scanned the room. Not with his own sight. His glasses handled it, flicking through each student's face like swiping files.
No Maximillian.
Xavier walked out.
Next class—empty.
Next—still no sign.
By the fourth try, he finally spotted him.
