The Next Morning
The city was still half-asleep when Liam crossed the street in his new black uniform. The fabric felt stiff, the collar too tight, but his chest buzzed with excitement. He boarded the bus, where other black-clad students huddled nervously. Some compared notes on the test, others laughed too loudly, disguising nerves with bravado. Liam sat quietly, staring out the window, wondering what lay ahead.
By the time he reached the Academy gates, the courtyard was alive with chatter. Teachers guided students toward their classrooms. Liam followed the flow until he found the door marked Class 1B.
Class 1B
He pushed the door open and froze for a moment. Rows of desks filled the room, nearly thirty-seven students by his quick count. Some faces he recognized from the exam hall, others were new. And there, in the second row, first column — Ladea. She smiled faintly and waved. He waved back, but quickly moved on, not wanting to overplay it.
He chose a seat near the window on the left. A boy next to him grinned.
"Hey, I'm Collins. Looks like we'll be stuck together for a while."
"Liam," he said, shaking his hand. "Guess so."
Before they could say more, the classroom stirred. A boy entered tall, broad-shouldered, moving with the slow, deliberate grace of someone who knew all eyes were on him. His uniform fit perfectly, his shoes polished to a gleam, his skin a warm chocolate tone. He carried himself like a senior despite being barely older than them. He walked straight to the blackboard, paused, and let silence gather.
Then, without warning, a girl appeared at Liam's desk. She hadn't opened the door, hadn't stepped from the hall. She was simply there.
Her gaze locked onto him with disdain.
Collins leaned in and whispered, "what did you do to her ?"
"I've never seen her in my life," Liam muttered back.
"Her stare says otherwise."
Before Liam could respond, the tall boy at the front barked, "Freya! This isn't the place to flex your ability!"
She rolled her eyes, but said nothing.
At that moment, another boy entered — Hamis, carrying a translucent glass case. Inside were trays of gleaming analog watches, each one polished like jewelry. He set it down with a flourish.
"Tradition and school spirit, ladies and gentlemen! Bon appetit" he declared.
Freya turned, her lips twitching. "You weren't always fun, Edward."
"We should always be serious," Edward, the tall boy, countered. His voice was deep and precise. "You don't know when they'll kick us out."
The class tensed, only for him to add, deadpan, "That was a joke."
"Not a funny one," Freya said. "You nearly stopped their hearts. Joking is not your gift, Edward."
Laughter rippled through the room.
"Anyway," Hamis continued, "these are your watches. Your class teacher will activate them later with a swipe card. For now, wear them with pride. Your year is about to get… very interesting."
He began distributing watches down one column, while Freya handled another. Edward supervised with grim seriousness.
"I'd show you a basic trick," Hamis teased, "but Edward would scold me for life."
"Correct," Edward said. "Solve your own puzzles. Don't rely on handouts."
Someone in the back whispered too loudly, "How can a boy that handsome be so stupid?"
The room erupted in laughter. Edward's face hardened further.
"Enough," he said. "All of you are required to attend orientation in the main hall. Dismissed." He strode out.
"You didn't even give them directions!" Hamis called after him.
"Leave him," Freya said with a smirk.
"Your way to the hall is left, then right. Signs in blue. Don't get lost," Hamis added with a grin, before following. Freya vanished as suddenly as she had appeared.
The students murmured among themselves, slipping on their new watches. Some admired the craftsmanship, others tried to twist the dials, searching for hidden meaning.
Collins nudged Liam. "Shall we?"
They joined the stream of students spilling from classrooms into the corridor. The hallway buzzed with voices as other first-years poured out, black uniforms blending into a tide of nervous energy. Some compared watches, others laughed at Edward's failed joke, while a few walked in silence, already weighed by the seriousness of it all.
The crowd thickened as they reached the main stairwell. The banners of the Academy hung above, bold blue lettering guiding them toward the hall. Step by step, dozens of students merged into one current, each heartbeat quickening in unison.
At the far end, the double doors of the Orientation Hall loomed. Behind them waited speeches, secrets, and the first real taste of what the Academy meant.
Liam swallowed hard. Collins cracked a grin. And together, they stepped inside.