The cafeteria was chaos as always. Hundreds of students packed into a space meant for maybe two-thirds that number. The smell of overcooked vegetables and mystery meat hung in the air. Trays clattered. Voices echoed off the tile walls.
Billy grabbed a tray and moved through the line. Today's lunch: something that might have been chicken, rice that was too dry, vegetables that were too soft, and a small carton of milk.
He paid and looked for a table.
Most were packed with groups—jocks, theater kids, the AP students, various cliques. Billy scanned for an empty table in a corner where he could eat alone like always.
*Hey, Mom,* Billy thought as he walked. *What if we used the influence skill on Mrs. Patterson so she'd just give me the test answers? Or maybe give me an A without taking the exam?*
*I don't know why you're even suggesting something like that. You know I won't agree.*
*Yeah, I know. I was just trying my luck.*
*Study like a normal student.*
Billy found a small table near the back, partially hidden by a support column. Perfect. He sat down and started eating.
The chicken was dry. The rice was worse. The vegetables were mush.
He was three bites in when someone sat down across from him.
Derek Chen. Grinning. Holding a tray loaded with food.
"Yo, Smoke."
*Again with calling me by my surname,* Billy thought.
*It's his way of being friendly,* Eva said.
"Derek," Billy acknowledged flatly.
"Dude, I just wanted to thank you again for yesterday. You really saved my ass." Derek took a huge bite of his burger.
"Sure." Billy went back to his food, hoping Derek would take the hint.
He didn't.
"So like, what was that about?" Derek asked. "Why were those guys beating you up?"
Derek's expression darkened slightly. "It happened during lunch yesterday. Before you saw them in the alley. One of those guys—Joe, the big one—was harassing this girl from my History class. Just being a dick, you know? Grabbing her books, making gross comments. I told him to stop."
"And?"
"And he didn't like that." Derek shrugged. "So after school, he and his friends decided to teach me a lesson. Would've been a lot worse if you hadn't shown up."
Billy said nothing. Just kept eating.
"But dude, I gotta warn you," Derek continued, lowering his voice. "Those guys won't stop until they get revenge. Especially Brazy—Joe's older brother. He's bad news. Like, actually dangerous. Runs with a gang, I think. Or wants to."
"Noted," Billy said without interest.
"I'm serious, man. They're gonna come after you."
"Okay."
Derek stared at him. "You're really not worried, are you?"
"No."
"Damn. That's either really brave or really stupid."
*Or really apathetic,* Eva added.
Billy almost smiled. Almost.
Derek finished his burger and stood up. "Anyway, just watch your back. And thanks again. You're actually pretty cool, Smoke."
He left before Billy could say he didn't want to be called cool.
Billy finished his lunch alone—the way he preferred it—and headed to fifth period.
---
**[THE BASKETBALL COURT]**
The sound of a basketball bouncing echoed through the gym. Squeaking shoes on polished wood. The metallic rattle of the hoop when the ball hit the rim.
Two boys played one-on-one.
The first had smooth green hair and hazy blue eyes. Athletic build—the kind that came from actual training, not just genetics. He moved with confidence, dribbling between his legs, setting up for a shot.
"You'll never beat me at this game, Brazy," the second boy said.
This one had iced blue hair that matched his piercing blue eyes. Taller than the first. Faster.
Brazy drove toward the basket, jumped high, released the ball in a perfect arc—
And it was blocked.
The blue-haired boy caught the ball mid-air and landed smoothly. "Told you, Brazy. I win again."
"Yeah, yeah. You win, Span," Brazy said, catching his breath. Sweat dripped down his face. "Best three out of five?"
"You're down 0-3."
"So?"
Span laughed and was about to respond when the gym door opened.
Teez walked in, followed by three other boys. Joe was one of them—the biggest of the group, holding his ribs slightly. The other two looked nervous.
Brazy's expression changed. "Teez! My guy!" He jogged over, grinning. "Yesterday—did you show that bastard not to mess with my little brother?"
Teez's silence said everything.
Brazy's grin faded. "What happened?"
Teez didn't actually know what had happened. Billy's influence skill had clouded his memory—all Teez remembered was some random kid standing in front of him, then his friends groaning on the ground.
"Hey Joe," Teez said, deflecting. "Tell him what happened."
Joe stepped forward reluctantly. His voice stammered—whether from pain or fear of Brazy's reaction, it was hard to say. "W-what actually happened was... we were giving Derek his beating like you said. And then this guy stepped in out of nowhere. He... he beat us up. All of us. I don't know what he did, but he knew some kind of karate or martial arts or something."
Brazy's expression was unreadable. "What's his name?"
"I don't know. But I remember his face. I could find him."
Span had stopped dribbling the ball. He walked over, interested now. "Someone beat up four of you? By himself?"
"Yeah," Joe muttered, embarrassed.
"Was he big? Some senior?"
"No. Our age, maybe. Average build. Nothing special about him. Except..." Joe trailed off.
"Except what?" Brazy asked.
"His eyes. When he looked at me, it was like... like he didn't care if I lived or died. Like I was nothing."
The gym was quiet for a moment.
Brazy's face was still unreadable. As far as he knew, Teez always got the job done. Never came back with excuses. Never came back defeated.
If Teez and three others couldn't handle this guy, that meant something.
Someone who could take on four people at once—someone with that kind of skill—wasn't just some random kid. That was a real threat.
Or...
Without meaning to, a smile tugged at Brazy's lips.
...a real challenge.
"Find him," Brazy said. "I want to know who this guy is. Name, grade, everything."
"You're not mad?" Teez asked, confused.
"Mad?" Brazy's smile widened. "No. I'm interested. Someone finally made this boring school worth something."
_____