Chapter 1 :- The First Bell
The bell rang and the building of Grendale High felt heavier than usual
Kai slipped inside with his hoodie pulled over his head he kept to himself and moved slowly down the hall His eyes scanned the room quietly and the few who noticed him kept their distance
Teachers walked past without a word Mr Raddick in the corner looked sharp and impatient his stare enough to make anyone careful
Lunch came and the cafeteria filled quickly every table had its group and no one dared sit in the wrong place
Kai went to his usual corner stood by the window and tried to eat quietly but today it felt different
Jace appeared from across the room the largest and loudest kid in the hall He stopped in front of Kai and leaned slightly
Move this spot is mine his voice carried just enough to make others look up
The room went still everyone waited to see what Kai would do He looked at Jace for a moment then stepped aside slowly keeping his head low but his heart raced
A few of Jace's friends formed a loose circle around them everyone watching the first moment of the day carefully
Chill are you just going to stand there or join in Jace said with a small smirk
Kai stayed quiet but the tension in the air made it clear nothing was simple today
The bell rang again signaling the end of lunch and the moment faded leaving Kai standing quietly in his corner waiting for the next move
Next.ch2 in 6 September 2025