The room was dead silent.
Merlin looked at Sera.
She sat quietly, resting her chin on her palm. She looked back at Merlin, then casually closed her eyes.
Merlin looked around.
He noticed someone standing behind the door.
Just as he did, the boy closed it, breaking the silence with a loud clicking sound.
Merlin looked behind him.
The tall guy who had been staring at him was now only two steps away.
Merlin smirked and leaned back.
He folded his arms and kept looking forward.
And just on cue...
He felt the hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, new guy!"
The boy said it like he wanted the whole class to hear.
"What?" Merlin said as he brushed the hand off his shoulder, then immediately turned his head to face him.
The boy looked at the hand Merlin had just brushed away.
He was clearly annoyed, but he simply smiled.
The room was no longer silent. Merlin could hear some quiet chatter around him.
He glanced at Sera.
She was still sitting in the same position, her eyes closed.
"Let's try that again."
The boy lifted his hand to place it on Merlin's shoulder again.
This time, Merlin didn't let it land.
He swatted the hand away as soon as it came within reach.
"Hey, wise guy," he yelled. "The hell do you think you're doing?"
"Keeping my shoulder clean," Merlin answered without looking in his direction.
The boy suddenly grabbed Merlin by the collar with one hand before he had time to react.
Merlin looked up at him.
He didn't look annoyed.
But something about the way Merlin stared at him made the boy go silent.
Merlin then looked back down and swatted his hand away.
The boy kept quiet for a while.
"Tony, stop!"
A timid voice came from across the room.
The boy's eyes immediately flared up.
"Keep quiet! This doesn't concern you!" he yelled at the girl.
"That's enough."
The voice echoed through the room.
Everyone went silent.
Merlin turned to look.
To his surprise, the voice had come from Sera.
She was still sitting in the same position.
She hadn't even opened her eyes.
She must be a big deal around here, Merlin thought.
Tony took one last glance at Merlin before grudgingly returning to his seat.
And just as he did, the man opened the door.
He looked around the class, then adjusted his glasses.
"I believe you've all noticed the newcomer," he said in a flat tone. "His name is Merlin."
"Merlin..." He paused, seemingly trying to remember his last name.
"He's Merlin," the man concluded.
Then he turned toward the board.
"I'm Isaac," he said as he wrote his name on the whiteboard.
"Now, some of you may already have our schedule, but for the sake of the new guy, we're having a group physical test."
He turned back toward the class.
"Okay. Any questions?"
No one answered.
"Okay. You guys still have five minutes of leisure before you can go home."
Isaac walked outside.
Some time later, Sera stepped out of the classroom as well.
Merlin remained in his seat, trying to make sense of everything.
Eventually, he heard a bell.
On cue, everyone started leaving.
Tony glanced at Merlin before walking out.
Eventually, Merlin was left alone in the classroom, sitting with his arms folded on his desk.
The class was silent again.
"You're way too dramatic," the voice broke the silence.
Merlin looked up.
Sera was leaning against the doorway, her arms folded.
"What now?" Merlin asked.
"How about I walk you home?" Sera asked.
"It's a long walk."
"And that's more reason why," she replied.
"If you insist."
Merlin exhaled and got up from his chair.
The two of them made their way outside.
The evening was cold and dark, and it was going to get darker.
Merlin and Sera walked side by side, not saying a word to each other.
"Hey, Merlin. I've been meaning to ask..."
Sera paused.
"You left your division to come here, right?"
Merlin glanced at her.
"Well, is there anyone you'd want to see again if you eventually go back?"
Merlin stopped.
The image resurfaced in his head.
The gate closing behind him.
Riya's trembling face.
Yet the answer that came out wasn't the one he wanted.
"No."
His legs trembled for a moment, but he kept walking.
Sera looked at Merlin, but she was at a loss for words.
She quietly walked behind him, and they both remained silent.
The night wind carried cold moisture with it.
Merlin looked at his fingers.
They trembled in the cold, Merlin clenched his fists.
He then regained himself.
"I have a question for you too."
Sera looked at him.
"Are the Len actually humans?"
She remained quiet.
"They're different from us, and not just in the sense that they look white and tall. They're also different in social environments."
Merlin continued walking.
"In fact, most of the ones I see are always serving jobs totally dedicated to helping others. And I don't mean their own race."
Sera looked at him for a while.
"According to history..."
"I asked what you think," Merlin cut her short. "And not what history says."
"Good grief," Sera sighed.
"Well, I think there are two possibilities. Number one: they're a species that already existed on their own. And two: they evolved from humans like history says."
She paused.
"Because they actually have a lot of similarities with us."
"Okay."
Merlin increased his pace.
Sera shook her head and followed.
After walking a few more minutes, they arrived at Merlin's home.
He pulled his key card from his pocket and slid it through the slot.
Access denied.
Merlin stared at the reader.
This was the first time that had ever happened.
"Let me try," Sera said as she took the card from his hand.
She tried it herself.
The same result.
Sera looked at the card for a moment before taking a picture of it.
The image immediately generated the terms and conditions attached to it.
Apparently, Merlin only had possession of the house as long as he wasn't enrolled in a school environment.
Merlin stared at the screen.
So that was it.
The moment he had been registered into school, the agreement had been broken.
You can stay at my place Sera offered before Merlin could say anything.
I guess I have no choice, Merlin exhaled.
After some more minutes of walking they approached a large luxurious yard. The building inside was white and more wide than tall. Sera opened the gate and turned to Merlin, you coming? Sera asked.
"Are you sure we're not trespassing?"
Sera laughed, of course not, I own the place after all. Merlin could only wonder the level of importance she held.
Sera walked in and Merlin followed. When she opened the door she turned around to face him, ""Welcome to my home," she said, giving him a smile.
Merlin looked around.
He should have felt intimidated.
Instead, something warm settled in his chest.
He looked at Sera.
She was still smiling.
For a moment, he simply smiled.
Whatever importance she held in this place didn't matter to him.
To Merlin, she was still just Sera.