The next day, Marcus arrived at school like usual. But something felt off the moment he walked through the doors. He could sense it—people staring, whispering, heads turning as he passed.
He immediately realized it was because of the rumors. 'Are they seriously thinking I'm hooking up with Ms. Katherine?' He found it ridiculous.
He ignored it and kept walking, hoping that would be the end of it.
But before he could make it far, three guys blocked his path. They were dressed casually but trying too hard to look cool. The one in the middle was a blonde kid wearing a hoodie.
Marcus knew instantly this was trouble. "What's up?"
The three guys exchanged quick glances, then the blonde stepped forward with a grin. "Hey, Marcus. I heard you actually pulled it off with our hot math teacher." He slung an arm around Marcus's shoulder. "Dude, I'm impressed. How'd you do it?"
The other two were snickering like this was the funniest thing they'd ever heard.
Marcus's expression didn't change. "I don't know what you're talking about."
That wasn't the answer they wanted.
"Come on, man, don't play dumb," one of the other guys said, clearly annoyed. "Everyone knows you've been getting close to Ms. Katherine. People saw you two leaving school together!"
"So?" Marcus said flatly. "Just because of that, you believe some stupid rumor that we're in a relationship? You got any actual proof?"
The three guys looked at each other, clearly stumped.
"I've got stuff to do." Marcus shrugged off the blonde's arm and walked past them.
They didn't like it, but they let him go.
"Damn, that guy's so arrogant," the blonde muttered once Marcus was out of earshot.
"Yeah. He probably thinks he's hot shit because he's banging the hottest teacher in school."
Marcus didn't hear them talking behind his back, but he wouldn't have cared if he did. If they actually tried to start something, he'd deal with it. He knew some basic self-defense from his previous life—not expert-level, but enough to handle himself if he stayed calm.
---
Later, class started with Ms. Katherine as usual. But the whole room had a weird energy. Students kept glancing between her and Marcus with knowing looks.
Marcus noticed Katherine seemed aware of it too, but she acted completely professional. She had a reputation for being all business in the classroom.
'She must've heard the rumors,' Marcus thought.
It was uncomfortable for him, sure. But he couldn't imagine how she felt. After all, if anyone was going to get hurt by this, it was the teacher, not the student.
After Ms. Katherine's class ended, Marcus decided to clear things up. While the whole class was talking amongst themselves, he walked to the front of the room.
Conversations died down as everyone noticed Marcus standing there like he was about to teach.
'What is he doing?' Arya's eyes widened.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Ryan asked out loud.
Everyone looked curious. Especially the guys who'd confronted Marcus earlier. The blonde—Frank—leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "Is he about to propose to our hot teacher or something?"
The whole class burst out laughing.
Marcus wasn't fazed. He pointed directly at Frank. "Propose? Sounds like you're jealous, man. What, mad you can't even get a girl your own age to look at you?"
"Ohhhhh!" The class erupted.
Frank's jaw clenched. "You—"
Marcus didn't let him finish. "I don't have time for you, Frank." He cleared his throat and got serious. "Look, I know there are rumors going around about me and Ms. Katherine. I'm here to clear them up."
The room went quiet. Everyone was listening now.
"So do you actually have a thing with her or not?" someone asked.
Marcus shook his head. "That's why I'm standing up here. We do not have any kind of relationship." He paused. "I know you guys probably won't just take my word for it, so let me explain."
He took a breath. "Why have Ms. Katherine and I been spending time together lately? That's what everyone's wondering, right?"
Almost everyone nodded.
Marcus smiled. "I've been filming a horror movie. Ms. Katherine is an actress. She's playing the lead."
The entire class exploded.
"Wait, what!?"
"A movie?"
Everyone started talking over each other.
Marcus explained that he was the director, that Katherine had acted alongside other professional actors, that they'd just wrapped filming yesterday.
But not everyone was buying it. Frank definitely wasn't.
"Seriously? You?" Frank snorted. "A filmmaker? Give me a break. How are we supposed to believe a sixteen-year-old made an actual movie? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
Marcus looked at him calmly. "My dad's a filmmaker. I'm following in his footsteps. What's wrong with that?" He paused. "Or are you just jealous again that I'm actually doing something with my life while you're sitting around failing math and hitting on teachers who won't even look at you?"
The class roared with laughter. Frank's face turned red, but he couldn't come up with a response.
"It's true, you guys," Arya spoke up, backing Marcus. "I've been helping with the film."
"Yeah, we literally just finished shooting yesterday," Ryan added.
That convinced most of the class.
"And look, I know some of you are still skeptical," Marcus said. "So if you want, you can come to a private screening at my dad's studio."
Arya and Ryan's eyes went wide. Private screenings were supposed to be for investors and distributors only.
"Of course, you'd have to sign an NDA first," Marcus added quickly.
Arya and Ryan visibly relaxed.
"Tsk. An NDA for some little student film? No thanks," one of Frank's friends said dismissively.
"I don't care about signing an NDA. It's a free movie, I'm in," another voice called from the back. A chill goth girl raised her hand. "I like horror films anyway. Count me in, Marcus."
That seemed to resonate with more people in the class.
Thanks to that explanation, the class got the full story. The rumors cleared up fast as word spread through the school.
"They're not actually dating. Marcus is making a movie, and Ms. Katherine's an actress on the side."
"Marcus is inviting people to a private screening."
News like that flew around campus. Fortunately, it reached the principal too—Mrs. Green had been suspicious of Katherine, but now those concerns were cleared up.
In the principal's office, the middle-aged woman looked at Katherine thoughtfully. "Is it true you're an actress? And that you've been in a student film?"
Katherine had expected to be called in to explain the rumors. She was surprised the principal already knew the truth. "Yes, Mrs. Green. Where did you hear that?"
Mrs. Green smiled faintly. "Your student, Marcus Crown, cleared up the rumors himself. Told everyone he's been filming a movie with you as the lead." She paused. "Is that accurate?"
Katherine nodded, feeling a bit nervous. "Yes, that's true." She hesitated. "Am I in trouble?"
Mrs. Green leaned back in her chair. "Well, normally I'd be concerned about a teacher spending time with a student outside of school. But from what I understand, this was a professional arrangement—you were hired as an actress, his father was involved, and there were other adults present during filming." She paused. "As long as it didn't interfere with your teaching duties or create any inappropriate situations, I don't see a problem."
Katherine let out a breath of relief.
"But you do need to bring me to that private screening," Mrs. Green added with a slight smile. "I'm curious about this movie you and your student made. Who knows—if it's any good, it might even put our school on the map. 'NoHo High Teacher Stars in Student's Horror Film.' That's decent publicity."
Katherine didn't dare refuse. "Of course. I'll talk to Marcus about it—"
"That kid's already inviting students left and right, as long as they sign NDAs," Mrs. Green chuckled. "But since I'm the principal, it's probably best you give him a heads up first."
"Yes, absolutely." Katherine nodded. After some light conversation, she left the office.
Walking down the hallway, she couldn't help but feel grateful to Marcus. The rumors had been weighing on her, affecting how students looked at her in class. But thanks to his explanation, that weight had lifted.
She pulled out her flip phone and texted him.
Thank you for clearing up the rumors. :)
She slipped the phone back in her pocket and glanced out the window at the clear sky.
---
A few days passed. Marcus and Ryan spent that time editing Paranormal Activity, refining the footage until they finally had the finished product.
Completing the edit triggered a Minor Quest completion, rewarding Marcus with more points. He immediately spent 15 points on "Advanced Programming Skills" from the system shop.
The knowledge flooded in—not overwhelming, but substantial. He suddenly felt confident in his programming abilities in a way he hadn't before.
He also bought "Acting Basics" for 20 points. It was a big chunk of his savings, but worth it—the Monthly Items would refresh soon and the available skills would change.
Plus, he was curious. He'd already experienced what it felt like to be a filmmaker. Why not understand acting too? The two crafts were connected anyway. Understanding how actors thought would make him a better director.
He tested his newfound ability in front of the mirror. It didn't make him Daniel Day-Lewis or Lucas Knight, but he felt competent—like someone who knew the basics well enough to deliver a solid performance.
Treating the mirror as a camera, he made sure his angles and positioning were right. Just like professional actors did on set.
Beyond that practice, the private screening was coming up fast at Crown Entertainment Films.
Nathan was already aware Marcus had invited students, so NDAs were prepared and ready to go.
Time flew by, and soon it was Sunday. Dozens of students gathered in front of the studio.
Even Marcus was surprised by the turnout.
"Okay, you're really giving me a headache here, kid." Nathan massaged his forehead as he looked at the crowd. "I've got actual industry people coming today. If these kids get too loud or start acting like it's a damn field trip, it's gonna make us look unprofessional. I can't afford to embarrass myself in front of the few connections I've still got."
Marcus just smiled. "Don't worry. I already asked Ms. Katherine to keep them in line." He added, "Plus the principal, Mrs. Green, is coming too. They'll behave."
Nathan sighed. "Alright, then I'm a little less worried. I really can't afford to screw this up."
Marcus understood his concern. Nathan had once been a rising filmmaker with plenty of connections. But when he fell, most of those connections disappeared.
Only by grinding out small projects had he managed to reconnect with a few of them. Those connections weren't as strong as before, but they were still useful in the industry.
And Nathan had to stay humble just to keep them.
While waiting for the industry people Nathan had contacted, the students were told to hang back. They ended up having a good time at the café across the street from the studio.
Soon, cars began pulling up. The important guests they'd been waiting for started arriving one after another.
Nathan was quick to greet them warmly, inviting them to the café first while they waited for the others.
Eventually, everyone had arrived. Seven people total.
Some were independent investors. Others were indie distributors who specialized in low-budget genre films. And two were junior acquisition scouts from the major studios, Worldwide Pictures and Summit Pictures, specifically tasked with finding cheap horror content.
Even Marcus knew how important these people were. Ultimately, it would be up to them to decide what became of his film.