Aldren Academy
The bell rang across the entire campus, its sharp echo rolling through classrooms, hallways, and open fields. It was finally break time.
Within seconds, the quiet order of the academy dissolved into chaos. Students came out of their rooms some rushing to grab lunch, others chattering loudly with their friends, and a few heading off to their assigned duties with tired sighs. The air buzzed with energy and laughter, the kind that only existed in places full of youth and noise.
Among the crowd, a tall, skinny boy with dark, messy hair pushed his hands into his pockets and strolled lazily across the courtyard. His name was Rajo, the kind of guy everyone knew not because he was popular, but because he was always around, always trying to fit in somewhere.
He spotted Tharos and his two friends near the benches, all of them laughing about something stupid as usual. Rajo hesitated for a moment, then decided to try his luck.
"Yo, man! What's up?" he called out, his tone casual, trying to sound like he belonged.
Tharos turned his head slowly, an amused smirk already forming.
"Huh? Who the hell's this rat talking to?"
His friends burst into laughter. The kind that wasn't cruel on purpose but it still stung. Rajo froze for half a second, forcing a small awkward smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Ah… never mind, Tharos," he said quietly, scratching the back of his neck. "I was just… on my way back. You guys have fun."
He turned before they could say anything else, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets as he walked away. The laughter behind him faded into the background noise of the courtyard, but the sting stayed.
The break bell had only just rung, but for Rajo… it already felt over.
Rajo froze, his face hot with embarrassment. He could still hear Tharos and his friends laughing behind him, their voices cutting sharper than he wanted to admit. He didn't even bother replying, there was nothing left to say. All he could do was turn away and walk, pretending he didn't care.
But before he could take more than a few steps—
"Hey! You there!"
The voice was light, almost melodic, but carried enough confidence to make him stop. He turned around slowly, half-expecting another insult. Instead, what he saw made his words die in his throat.
Two girls stood behind him — identical twins. Both had striking purple eyes that shimmered like polished amethysts, and long, silky blue hair that caught the sunlight with every breeze. They wore the Aldren Academy uniform, though somehow it looked far better on them than anyone else.
"Uh… hello," Rajo managed to say, his voice smaller than he wanted.
He tried to look them in the eyes, but couldn't hold it for more than a second. They were too— well, too much. Beautiful in a way that made him feel like the ground under him wasn't solid anymore.
The taller one tilted her head slightly, a playful smirk touching her lips.
"I'm Ana," she said smoothly.
Her twin stepped forward right after, her voice a bit softer but just as confident.
"And I'm Bella."
Then, almost in perfect sync, they flashed matching smiles, the kind that could make anyone forget how to breathe.
"We're the Anabellas," they said together, their tone cheerful and teasing as they tilted their heads to the side, their identical blue ponytails swaying at once.
Rajo's brain short-circuited for a moment. He could feel his face heating up, the pink spreading fast across his cheeks. His hands twitched at his sides, unsure what to do with themselves.
"Uh—I, uh—yeah… nice to meet you," he stammered, trying not to sound like a total idiot.
Ana chuckled lightly, her laugh carrying a soft melody that made his heart jump. Bella only smiled wider, clearly amused by how flustered he was.
For a moment, it was like the noisy courtyard around them didn't exist anymore just him, two impossibly beautiful girls, and his heart doing gymnastics inside his chest.
The Anabellas walked closer, their steps perfectly in sync, their identical smiles lighting up the path like they owned the moment. Even the way their hair swayed, blue strands glinting softly in the sunlight, looked rehearsed, but natural in a way that drew every eye around.
"Hey, guy," Ana said, her tone playful but smooth, like she already knew how easily her words could catch someone off guard. "What's your name?"
Rajo blinked, realizing they were talking to him. His throat tightened, his heart skipping a beat as both twins stared straight at him with those piercing purple eyes.
"I… I'm Rajo," he managed, his voice barely steady.
His face went pale as he tried to keep calm, but the heat rising in his chest betrayed him. He wasn't used to this kind of attention—especially not from them. He even forgot his own rule: never talk to strangers on campus, especially the ones who look like they stepped out of a dream.
He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to hide how tense he was. "Uh… nice to meet you, I guess."
Ana exchanged a glance with Bella, a spark of amusement flashing between them before Bella tilted her head, her tone soft but teasing.
"You're kind of nervous, huh?"
Rajo froze. "N-no, I'm just… surprised. You two—uh, I mean—you're new here, right?"
"Mm-hmm," Ana nodded, smiling. "We just transferred today."
"Yeah," Bella added, folding her arms lightly, her eyes narrowing with a faint glint of curiosity. "We were supposed to report to Class A, but… it was too boring. So we decided to explore first."
Rajo blinked again. "You… skipped orientation?"
They both grinned, like that was exactly the reaction they wanted.
"Rules are for people who need them," Ana said with a little shrug. "We don't."
Rajo didn't know whether to laugh or panic. Something about their confidence was both intimidating and magnetic. They stood too close, smiled too easily, and talked like they'd been here forever even though their registration wasn't even complete.
He could only think to himself, Great. I've officially broken every one of my own campus rules on day one.
Bella leaned forward slightly, her tone playful. "So, Rajo… you're gonna show us around, right?"
"Huh? Wait—I never said—"
"Perfect," Ana interrupted, clapping her hands once, her smile sharp and bright. "We'll follow you, then."
Rajo sighed under his breath, defeated before he could even argue.
What did I just get myself into?