Steve's POV
We finally set foot inside Alcantara University Foundation.
The first thing that hit me was the size. Tall glass windows reflected the morning sun, polished floors stretched out in every direction, and students crowded the walkways like a river of uniforms and chatter. It was nine in the morning. Yeah, we were late. But who cared? This wasn't just any school—it was Gelo's school. His family practically owned the place. If anyone could get away with being late, it was us.
Monique had been nagging all morning about how "important" this day was. "Don't screw it up. First day of college, blah blah blah." Technically, yeah, it was our first day. For everyone else? It was already the second week of classes. Figures.
"Second week, first day," I muttered under my breath. "Classic Sudden Music timing."
The Ride Over
The van ride earlier had been a mess.
Mark yawned loud enough to rattle the windows. "I swear I saw two Adras yesterday. Tell me I wasn't hallucinating."
Gelo frowned. "You weren't the only one. I thought I saw it too. Steve, what the hell was that?"
I leaned back in my seat, smug. "You two fainted, that's what happened. And when you woke up, you thought you saw double. Easy explanation."
"Shut up, Steve," Adra muttered from his corner. His voice was quiet but sharp, cutting through the noise like a blade.
I gasped, clutching my chest dramatically. "Three words! Did everyone hear that? Adra actually speaks."
Mark grinned. "Yeah, man. I was starting to think you were secretly mute."
Adra's glare could've burned holes through both of us.
Gelo rubbed his temple. "You guys are hopeless."
The van slowed, the gates of Alcantara University looming ahead.
The Office
We didn't go straight to class. Rules or not, schedules came first.
The admin office was on the second floor, all polished wood and glass panels. When we stepped in, Mr. Yung—yeah, Gelo's dad—was behind the desk, flipping through paperwork. His expression was all business. No fatherly smiles. No warm welcomes.
"Schedules," he said shortly, handing Gelo a folder. His eyes flicked over the rest of us. "You're late. I'll let it slide today. Tomorrow, no excuses. And your parents have already agreed—if you're late again, there will be consequences."
He didn't raise his voice, but the weight of his words landed heavy.
"Yeah, yeah," Gelo muttered under his breath.
We didn't need another lecture, so we grabbed the folder and left fast.
The Walk to Class
"BM-101," Gelo read from the schedule.
The hallways were buzzing with energy. Students hurried past with notebooks in hand, some glancing at us and whispering.
"Is that them?"
"No way—Sudden Music?"
"Which one's Steve? The one with the smile?"
I grinned wider, pretending not to notice but absolutely noticing. Fame had its perks.
Mark stretched, looking around like he owned the place. "Feels weird, huh? Being students again."
"Yeah," Gelo said. "We should try to act normal."
I barked a laugh. "Us? Normal? Good luck with that."
Adra, as usual, said nothing. He just walked with his hands in his pockets, eyes fixed straight ahead, like the chatter around him didn't exist.
First Class
We pushed open the door to BM-101, and instantly, the volume in the room spiked.
Gasps. Whispers. A few not-so-subtle squeals.
Great. Exactly what we expected.
"Quiet!" the teacher barked, slamming a book onto her desk. A stern-looking woman with sharp glasses glared at the class, then at us.
We froze in the doorway.
"Sorry for being late, ma'am," Gelo said smoothly. "It won't happen again."
Her expression softened almost immediately. "Alright, Mr. Yung. Sit down."
Of course it did. Gelo had that effect on people.
We made our way to the back of the room, every eye tracking us like we were zoo animals.
"Introduce yourselves first," the teacher ordered.
I leaned on the desk, flashing a grin. "Sedric Angelo Alcantara Yung. You probably know my family owns this place, but... nice to meet you all anyway."
I stepped back, and it was my turn. "Steve Alex Min Dendi. Just call me Steve. Nice to meet you."
Mark gave a lazy wave. "Mark Alfin Xian Dominguez. Let's all try to survive the semester together."
The whispers grew louder. A mix of oh my god and he's cuter in person.
Finally, all eyes landed on Adra.
"Mr. Torres?" the teacher prompted.
Adra didn't even look up. "Cleofe Adrastea Torres. That's all."
The silence that followed was deafening. Then the whispering exploded again.
I nudged him with my elbow. "Wow. More than three words. Careful, you'll overheat."
He ignored me completely, staring out the window instead.
Classic Adra.
The Girls
The rest of the period was a blur of introductions, syllabus talk, and our classmates sneaking glances at us every five seconds.
A girl in the front row whispered to her friend, not as quietly as she thought. "He smiled. Did you see? He smiled."
"Which one?" her friend hissed back.
"All of them! But especially Steve."
I smirked, leaning back in my chair. Fame had its advantages.
Mark leaned over to me. "Bet you half the class follows us online by tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" I whispered back. "Try lunch break."
Gelo shot us both a look that said shut up before the teacher notices.
The Teacher's Warning
By the end of class, the teacher sighed heavily. "I expect all of you to be serious. Especially you four. Just because you're musicians doesn't mean you're exempt from the rules."
"Yes, ma'am," Gelo said politely.
I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. He sounded so formal it was almost painful.
The bell rang, and the room erupted into chatter. Students swarmed us immediately, bombarding us with questions.
"Are you really Sudden Music?"
"What's it like being famous?"
"Can we take a selfie?"
Mark chuckled, already pulling out his phone. "One at a time, guys."
Gelo tried to keep it organized, while I leaned into the attention. Adra slipped out the back door without anyone noticing.
Typical.
Break Time
We regrouped in the cafeteria later. The place was packed—tables crowded with students, the smell of fried food in the air. Heads turned as soon as we walked in.
We grabbed a corner table, trays in hand.
Mark dug into his food immediately. "Okay, confession: I actually missed cafeteria food. Greasy fries, overcooked chicken—brings back memories."
"Of high school?" I asked.
"Of being broke," he replied with a grin.
Gelo sipped his drink, scanning the room like he was on guard duty. "We stand out too much. This is going to be a problem."
"It's only a problem if you make it one," I said. "Relax. We're blending in just fine."
Right on cue, a group of girls at the next table squealed when I waved.
"See?" I smirked. "Blending."
Gelo groaned. "You're impossible."
Adra sat silently, poking at his food but not eating much. He looked tired, more than usual.
"You okay?" I asked.
He gave me a look that shut down the question before I could press further.
Fine. Not pushing it. Not here.
Between Classes
The rest of the day dragged on. Professors gave their lectures, classmates whispered, and we tried our best to act like normal students.
Which was hard when you were constantly being stared at.
Mark leaned over during one lecture, whispering, "Think anyone actually cares about Business Management, or are they just here to look at us?"
"Half and half," I whispered back.
Gelo sighed. "Both of you, shut up. Take notes."
"Yes, dad," Mark and I muttered in unison.
Adra didn't say a word. He just kept staring out the window, lost in thought.
After Classes
When the final bell rang, we stepped out into the courtyard, the sun dipping lower in the sky. Students spilled out of the buildings, the air buzzing with laughter and chatter.
I stretched, feeling the weight of the day. "First day down. Easy."
"Easy for you," Gelo muttered. "You didn't stop talking the entire time."
"Better than brooding like Mr. Silent over here," I teased, nodding toward Adra.
He ignored me, of course.
Mark laughed. "College is gonna be fun. I can already tell."
I grinned. "Fun's one word for it."
But deep down, I couldn't shake the unease. The whispers. The stares. The way Adra kept drifting further into himself.
We were supposed to be starting fresh. But something told me this was only the beginning of a whole new mess.