Dre had grown used to silence. It gave him control, clarity and Peace He didn't just walk into rooms—he calculates them. Every glance, every whisper, every blink was a message. In his world, the loudest people were usually the easiest to ignore. It was the quiet ones who amazed him—the ones who calculated their silence.
Today, silence was broken by a knock.
Mr. Halden stepped into the classroom, a tall figure shadowing him. "Class, we have a new student. Please welcome Elric Vaughn."
The new boy walked in like he didn't need to prove anything or need anyone approval. Sharp navy-blue blazer. A calculated half-smile. Eyes that scanned the room with precision. He didn't wave. Didn't fidget. Just looked around like he was memorizing a puzzle.
Then his eyes met Dre's.
Dre didn't blink. Neither did Elric.
Something passed between them. Not quite recognition, but… a spark.
The teacher assigned Elric a seat directly behind Dre.
The universe had just moved a new piece onto the board.
---
Library – Later That Day
Dre retreated to the library as he always did after class—his sacred zone , where he can relax without the questions. He liked patterns, quiet, and people who didn't ask questions. Today, he found someone had already broken his rule.
Elric sat alone at his table, reading a heavy book on Human behavior .
"Interesting read," Dre said, sliding into the seat across from him.
Elric closed the book, slowly. "Understanding people is… important. Don't you think?"
Dre offered a smirk. "People are easier to read than they think. They repeat themselves. Habits, lies, fears… always leaking through their actions."
Elric tilted his head. "Some people hide it better. But the more perfect the mask, the more desperate the person."
Dre raised an eyebrow. "So why are you here, really?"
"Transfer," Elric replied smoothly. "My dad works with national security. We move a lot."
Dre wasn't buying it. "That's a vague answer."
Elric leaned closer. "It's a vague world."
Their words clashed like swords. Friendly. But calculated.
---
Meanwhile…
Zara stood on her rooftop, recording another voice memo on her device.
"Note 17. Dre is hiding something. He doesn't act like a normal student. And now Elric shows up? Same energy. I feel like I'm being watched."
She clicked save, unaware that her phone had been tapped. Two devices—one in Dre's drawer, and another unknown user—received the recording in real-time.
---
Library – Minutes Later
"You play chess?" Elric asked, pulling a magnetic set from his backpack.
Dre raised a brow. "I don't play games."
Elric set up the board. "Everyone plays. Some just pretend they don't."
They played. The moves were slow, deliberate.
Dre took his time between moves, studying Elric more than the board.
"Knight to F3," Elric said. "Tell me something real, Dre. What do you want from this school?"
Dre made his move. "Control."
Elric laughed quietly. "And what do you fear?"
Dre looked directly into his eyes. "Losing it."
The board was forgotten. The real game was already in motion.
---
Midnight
Dre sat alone in his room, eyes locked on the footage from the hallway cams he'd planted.
His screen flickered.
One feed showed Elric walking through the science block.
Then, Elric paused.
He looked directly into the camera—one Dre had hidden behind a fake ceiling tile. There was no label. No LED light. Nothing to give it away.
Yet Elric looked right at it.
Dre's heart skipped.
There was no longer a question in his mind.
Elric was here for him.
Not as a student.
But as a hunter.
And Dre wasn't prey. He was just… waiting for the right opening.
Dre realized he has to be more sharper and careful than before.
He turned the device off and turned off the lights and went to bed he had a long day ahead.