Nightfall
Gonzalez residence
The street was calm.
Dim lights. Distant chatter. A simple neighborhood that didn't try to impress anyone.
Andre stood in front of the door.
Still.
He exhaled.
Then knocked.
The door swung open.
Marco.
"…You again."
Andre blinked. "…Good evening."
Marco leaned on the door frame dramatically. "You didn't even call. What if we were eating something expensive?"
Andre glanced inside. "…You don't want to share."
Marco paused.
"…I don't share my food."
Then shouted
"MARIAAAA YOUR FAVORITE HUMAN IS HERE"
A plate nearly dropped inside.
Maria rushed in.
"Marco, shut"
She stopped.
Saw Andre.
And just like that…
Her voice softened.
"…Why are you here?"
Andre smiled.
"You were not in school, we are neighbors."
" So I just thought of saying hi."
A small pause.
Then.
Mrs Bially walked in, wiping her hands.
"Oh… you must be Andre."
"Mrs Jenkins boy."
Warm smile.
Andre nodded respectfully. "Good evening, ma."
Rick followed behind.
Quiet. Observing.
"…Ahh, I have heard a lot about you," Rick said.
Marco jumped in. "THE ONE WHO FOUGHT HALF THE SCHOOL"
"Marco."
"What?! I'm building his reputation"
Rick stepped closer.
Studied Andre.
"…You're looking pale boy, is everything ok?"
Andre didn't hesitate.
"…Yes sir."
"It's my skin colour."
A pause.
Rick nodded once.
"…You know what? Come in and have dinner with us."
That was approval.
Inside
They sat together.
Food passed around. Laughter building.
Marco pointed his spoon at Andre. "So…if I missed school will you be here or it's because it's Maria?"
Maria kicked him under the table.
Andre calmly replied "…i don't really know."
Marco blinked.
"…Thats not an answer."
Rick smirked. "Heard you are a real good fighter"
Andre smiled
"Survival instinct sir."
Rick gave a hard laugh.
"I was also a great fighter once upon a time."
"I was badass."
Misheal rolled her eyes.
"We only believed that crap when we were kids not anymore dad."
Bially smiled softly watching Andre.
He was quiet.
But present.
Not distant.
Not closed off.
Just a warm nature.
Rick noticed that too.
Night deepened.
The noise faded.
One by one, they left the table.
Marco dragged Misheal away arguing again
"YOU ATE MORE THAN ME"
"YOU COUNTED PIECES?!"
"YES!"
"YOU NEED HELP!"
Back at the table
Andre stood up
"Sir, I will be on my way now."
Rick smiled
"Please let's do this again. Come by anytime."
Bially jumped in
"To us you're family."
"And tell that old woman, Mrs Jenkins that I miss her cooking and I would love to have her in my home."
Andre smiled
"Thank you sir and ma. I will convey your message."
Maria went outside.
Andre followed.
Cool breeze.
Soft night.
They sat.
A little distance between them.
Not awkward.
Just… unsure.
Maria spoke first.
"…Are you ok?"
Andre looked at her. " I'm good?"
She smiled faintly.
"…Im happy you are."
Andre's voice lowered.
"…About yesterday I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."
Maria looked away slightly.
"…You don't have to apologize."
"I do."
Silence.
Then
Her voice lowered.
"…Andre seriously I'm ok."
"But."
"…I saw it."
His expression didn't change.
"…What?"
"…Your wounds."
A pause.
"…They healed."
Andre exhaled slowly.
"…It's a gift."
Maria didn't look convinced.
"…No."
She shook her head gently.
"…It didn't look like a gift."
Andre turned to her.
"…What did it look like?"
Her eyes softened.
"…Not what it looked like."
A pause
"What you looked like."
Andre looked at her
"What do you mean."
"You push people away when you are hurt, you may have the gift to heal your wounds but what about the wound in your heart."
"You act like you're a monster, a fiend but deep down we both know you're not who you portray yourself to be."
That landed.
Andre looked away.
"…You're not scared?" he asked quietly.
Maria didn't hesitate.
"…No."
A pause.
"…Should I be?"
Andre studied her.
"…Most people would be."
She smiled slightly.
"…Most people weren't there."
Silence.
Then
"…You protected me at every event you were present."
"I never got to thank you."
"So thankyou Andre."
Her voice dropped softer.
"…And whatever you are…"
She looked at him fully now.
"…I trust you."
Andre's fingers tightened slightly against his knee.
"…You shouldn't trust people so easily."
Maria chuckled lightly.
"…I don't."
A beat.
"…Just you."
That…
He didn't expect.
Maria looked down.
"…You know…"
"…You're different."
Andre raised a brow slightly. "…Different how?"
She smiled.
"…You behave like someone who doesn't care about anybody…"
A pause.
"…But still shows up when it matters."
Andre's gaze softened.
Barely.
"…You talk too much."
Maria laughed.
"…And you don't talk enough. So we balance."
A small silence.
Then
"…Will you keep showing up?" she asked quietly.
Andre didn't answer immediately.
But when he did
It was simple.
"…Yes."
And somehow…
That meant everything.
"ARE YOU TWO DATING OR WRITING A POETRY BOOK OUT THERE?!"
Marco.
Leaning out the window.
Maria's face turned red instantly.
"MARCO!"
Andre stood up calmly.
"…I should go."
Maria stood too.
"…Okay."
A small pause.
Neither moved immediately.
Then
"…Goodnight, Andre."
"…Goodnight, Maria."
He walked away.
Slow.
Calm.
Emirates Academy (Morning)
The academy buzzed louder than usual.
Students rushing. Voices overlapping. Energy everywhere.
Marco dragged himself into class like a man who had lost everything.
"I didn't study…" He dropped his bag dramatically. "…I just came to witness my failure live."
Hugo smirked. "At least you're self-aware."
Maria sat quietly, flipping through her notes.
Focused. Calm.
Then
Andre walked in.
Same quiet presence.
Same unreadable expression.
But this time…
He seemed more jovial.
Maria kept her gaze on him.
He looked at her and gave a sly smile.
She immediately looked away and smiled to herself.
33 minutes later.
Mr. Diego stood at the front.
"Clear your desks."
Groans filled the room.
Marco clutched his chest. "…This is how I die."
Papers dropped.
Pens moved.
Silence.
Marco staring blankly at question one
Carlos also present, writing calmly as if it were A.B.C
Maria focused, steady
Mario calculating like a machine
Esmeralda composed, elegant even under pressure.
Andre…
Still.
Eyes scanning once.
Then writing.
Fast.
Precise.
Like he already knew everything.
After test
The bell rang.
Papers collected.
Time passed.
Then
The results sheet went up.
Students rushed.
Chaos exploded.
"Who topped the class"
"MOVE"
Marco forced his way in. "Let me see my academic funeral"
Then he froze.
"…No."
He blinked again.
"…NO."
He turned slowly.
"…Andre."
Silence rippled.
At the very top:
1st — Andre (100%)
Below:
2nd — Mario
3rd — Maria
4th — Esmeralda
Then the rest.
Marco grabbed Andre's shoulder violently.
"…You've been hiding this."
Andre blinked. "…Hiding what?"
"YOUR BRAIN."
Hugo chuckled. "…Didn't expect that."
Misheal folded her arms. "Annoying."
Maria smiled softly.
"…I knew you'd do well."
Andre glanced at her briefly.
"…Thanks."
Marco pointed at Maria. "SEE?! SHE KNEW!"
"I didn't!"
"YOU LOOK LIKE YOU KNEW!"
Marco paced dramatically.
"This is unacceptable." A pause. "He fights." Another pause. "He studies." He turned. "…What do I do?"
Hugo answered calmly. "…Suffer."
Misheal smirked.
Maria laughed.
Andre chuckled.
"It was pure luck. Don't take it overboard."
Then
Silence fell.
Carlos walked past.
His eyes locked onto Andre.
Andre didn't look away.
Carlos smirked slightly.
And walked past.
No words.
But everything was said.
As Carlos made a corner buck came back to Andre and his friends.
"…Hey."
They all ignored him.
Awkward silence.
Buck scratched his head.
"…Damn. That hurt."
Still nothing.
Andre sighed slightly.
"…Hey man, whatsup"
Everyone turned to him.
Buck blinked.
"…Yh… I'm good?"
He stepped closer.
"…I just wanted to say sorry."
A pause.
"…For Carlos."
His voice lowered slightly.
"…The other day went too far."
Silence.
Then he bowed slightly.
"…It won't happen again."
And just like that
He turned and left.
Marco leaned in slowly.
"…Did you see the way he was looking at Maria?"
Silence.
Maria blinked.
"…What?"
Marco gasped loudly.
" Seem's like he's crushing on you"
Maria smacked him instantly. "SHUT UP!"
Hugo raised a brow.
"…Interesting."
Maria frowned. "It's not like that."
Marco nodded slowly. "…That's exactly what someone with a new admirer would say."
Hugo crossed his arms.
"…Speaking of interesting…"
Marco froze.
"…What?"
"…My sister."
Silence.
"…What about her?"
"…Late night calls."
The group went quiet.
Then
Misheal leaned forward. "…Oh?"
Maria blinked. "…Wait… what?"
Marco started sweating.
"…Network issues."
Hugo stared at him.
"…On a phone call that she was laughing for over a hour?"
"…How are you sure it was me."
"Because she kept calling your name over and over again."
Maria hit him again. "Oh my brother is in love?!"
Marco held his head.
"Im not, we were talking about the test."
Hugo nodded dramatically.
"Test Indeed."
Andre let out the smallest exhale.
Almost a laugh.
Then
She walked in.
Esmeralda.
Calm.
Composed as usual.
She walked straight to them.
Stopped in front of Marco.
Held out a small box.
"…I'm sorry."
Silence.
Marco blinked.
"…Wait… this is real?"
She didn't respond.
"…For what I said the other day."
A pause.
"…Can you forgive me?"
Marco looked at her.
Then at the box.
Then back at her.
"…If this is food, yes."
Maria smacked him.
"Take it seriously!"
Marco straightened.
"…I forgive you."
A beat.
"…Thankyou for the gift."
Esmeralda almost smiled.
Then her eyes moved.
To Andre.
A brief pause.
Then....