For the first time in his life, Shonte had a space that was entirely his own. He spent the rest of the weekend exploring the common areas with the others, getting used to the velvet couches, the high-end entertainment centers, and the quiet warmth that radiated from the building's walls. Luxor was always present, floating between the roles of a strict administrator and a warm, fatherly hostel master, making sure they were fed and rested.
***
The peace of the weekend was shattered the moment Monday arrived. The twelve students walked out of their private building together, crossing the main courtyard toward the cafeteria. The entire student body had spent the weekend gossiping on forums and group chats.
"Look, there they go."
"The freak class."
"I heard they're all mentally unstable or something."
"Even the class president got demoted to the reject wing."
Whispers trailed behind them like toxic exhaust. Elena walked with her chin incredibly high, though her knuckles were against her textbook bag. Tyler ignored the comments by loudly complaining about the cafeteria's lack of organic espresso, while Adrian walked backward, tossing sarcastic remarks at anyone who stared too long.
"Keep looking, sweetheart! It's fifty bucks an hour to stare at the talent!" Adrian yelled down the hallway, completely unfazed.
Shonte tried to blend into the middle of the group, his eyes glued to his worn sneakers. He could handle the whispers of strangers. What he couldn't handle was the familiar, heavy tread of boots approaching from the side corridor.
"Well, well, well. Look at the little charity case."
Marcus slid out from the locker bay, flanked by two of his usual lackeys. He was a senior, a broad-shouldered varsity linebacker who spent the last two years turning Shonte's life into a living hell. He stepped directly into Shonte's path, forcing him to a sudden halt.
"I heard the school finally put all the garbage in one dumpster," Marcus sneered, leaning down until his face was inches from Shonte's. "What's the matter, Weldon? You too fucking stupid to stay in a normal class? Did your pathetic adoptive family finally tell the school they didn't want a piece of shit freak living under their roof anymore? Is that why you're hiding in the special-ed wing with the rest of these losers?"
Shonte flinched, the words striking deep into the raw, unhealed wounds of his home life. He stepped backwards, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Before Marcus could take another step forward, a massive shadow fell over him.
Malik stepped up from behind Shonte. The sports club captain completely towered over the linebacker, his broad shoulders blocking the hallway light. Malik didn't even look angry, but his expression was completely deadpan, his eyes cold as he slipped his phone into his pocket.
"Get the fuck out of his face, Marcus," Malik said, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated through his chest. "Before I break your jaw and make sure you never play another snap of football in your life."
"You want to go, Renn?" Marcus snarled, trying to stand his ground, though his eyes darted nervously to Malik's massive build.
"Oh? What's Timmy Tough Knuckles gonna do?" Mia smirked.
"Yeah! He's not alone, you illiterate caveman," Adrian snapped, stepping up to Malik with a razor-sharp smirk. He tapped his silver cardigan pin casually. "Go back to your crayons. You're completely outmatched here, intellectually and physically."
Mia stepped forward next, popping her gum loudly as she leaned against a locker, her leather jacket catching the light. "Yeah, run along, honey. Some of us actually have places to be, and your breath smells like garbage."
Elena stepped to the front, her class president authority returning in full force. "Marcus, if you do not vacate this hallway in three seconds, I will personally file a harassment report with the disciplinary board that will stay on your transcript permanently. Move."
Marcus looked at the wall of faces. Malik wasn't backing down, Adrian was glaring with pure arrogance, and the Park twins were staring at him with their eerie, synchronized black eyes, their white and black hair making them look like supernatural guardians. Realizing he was completely outnumbered and outmatched, Marcus spat on the floor near Shonte's shoe.
"Whatever. Enjoy your freak show," Marcus muttered, turning on his heel and storming down the corridor with lackeys behind him.
Shonte let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, looking up at his classmates. "Thanks," he murmured.
Malik just shrugged, slinging an arm loosely around Adrian's shoulder as they started walking again. "Don't sweat it. Nobody touches our group."
The rest of the school day proceeded with a strange, isolated normalcy. Inside their private classroom, the twelve students sat at their new desks, the door safely shut against the rest of the school, and Luxor took the podium.
For the next several hours, he taught them standard curriculum subjects. Advanced Calculus, Literature, and Political Science. But his teaching style was flawless. He explained complex formulas with such universal simplicity that even Tyler could understand. Luxor was patient, encouraging, and deeply dedicated to their education, ensuring they wouldn't fall behind the rest of the district.
When the final bell of Monday afternoon finally blared through the building, signaling the end of the academic day, the twelve students packed their bags. They left the building as a single unit, walking back toward their exclusive dorm residency.
As they crossed the central plaza, Shonte's eyes scanned the crowd. He spotted the familiar sharp features of Cassandra and Silas standing near the main exit gates. They were looking around, likely waiting to corner him for their daily torment or to mock his eviction.
Shonte tightened his grip on his bag and stepped deeper into the center of the group, using Malik's massive frame and Riri's slouching stride to shield himself from their line of sight. Supported by his new classmates, he glided past his sibling unnoticed. He didn't owe them a walk home anymore. He had a new destination.