Xavier woke up with a gasp, beads of sweat rolling down his face.
His past had been haunting him in the form of nightmares for years.
He checked his phone to see the time.
"Oh gosh, 6:00 a.m. It seems I slept for too long."
He hurried into the bathroom to shower. A few minutes later, he came out with a white towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping from his skin. He applied cream to his body, opened his wardrobe, and searched for clothes. He picked out a black pair of trousers and a white shirt. After dressing, he wore a hoodie over the shirt and headed to the dining area for breakfast.
When he got there, he saw the table filled with different kinds of food.
"Sam," he called.
A middle-aged bald man, who happened to be the butler, rushed in.
"Yes, Master Xavier."
"Come and eat with me," Xavier said, pointing to the chair beside him.
"I don't eat very early in the morning, Master."
"But I saw you eating very early yesterday," Xavier replied, stressing the words.
Sam hesitated. "I feel it's not right for a master and a servant to dine together."
"Who said that?" Xavier asked. "It's not as if I can finish all this food alone. No more words, Sam. That's an order."
Sam obeyed and sat beside him. They ate quietly.
After breakfast, Xavier walked into the garage. There was a fleet of vehicles and sports bikes — from old models to the latest flashy ones. His eyes scanned them thoughtfully before he finally chose a sports bike.
Xavier lived in a modern apartment located in a desolate area. He had stayed alone for a long time before hiring Sam as his butler and only household staff.
He rode into the school compound. As usual, only the gatekeeper had arrived. He parked his bike and went into his classroom. To his surprise, one of his classmates, Peter, was already inside. For a long time, Xavier had always been the first to arrive.
When Peter saw him, he shouted, "Yo, ghost! What's up?"
Xavier ignored him and went to his seat.
Peter pulled a chair close to him.
"Hey, I'm talking to you."
Xavier said nothing and plugged in his headphones.
Peter scoffed and returned to his seat.
Soon, other students arrived, and before long, the classroom was full.
Miss Helena entered the class.
She smiled softly as she addressed the students.
"Alright, everyone. Your lectures for this semester are officially over, and you've all done well so far."
A few students exchanged excited looks.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll be beginning your exploration project, which will run for thirty days, right up until your examinations begin."
She rested her hands on the desk.
"You will be paired in groups of three. Each group will carry out research and exploration on nature and the environment."
"This includes places such as mountains, waterfalls, forests, caves, and other natural or historical locations. You'll be going out daily and returning home afterward. There will be no overnight stays."
"Please go along with your camera, sketchbook, and notepads. Document what you see — take photographs, make sketches, and write clear observations."
Her tone grew more serious.
"Please don't go into dangerous or restricted areas. Your safety is important. In case of any emergency, contact the school security team immediately."
She relaxed again.
"Reports will be submitted every Friday, and that will be the only day you'll be required to come to school during this project."
"I'll come back later with the grouping list. Prepare yourselves — I hope you enjoy this experience and learn from it."
When Miss Helena left the class, Lilith rushed to Lara's seat.
"Yay, Lara! This exploration project is going to be so much fun. I really hope we're placed in the same group. I'm tired of boring classes and endless assignments. This one is worth the stress."
Lara sighed. "It's not going to be fun. What makes you think this won't just be another stressful project — walking around and exploring things for thirty days?"
"You're so boring," Lilith laughed. "Who doesn't like adventure? You'd rather stay locked in one place for a whole month?"
"I don't mean it that way," Lara replied. "It's just a lot. This is our final project before moving to the next class. And what if Miss Helena doesn't pair us together? You know I don't talk to anyone else in this class."
Lilith smiled reassuringly.
"That's exactly why this project is good for you. You might actually make some friends. Our classmates aren't bad people, Lara."