It was hard for Juka to focus on Headmistress Louise. Especially after what happened earlier—he had almost exploded. Instructor Vallin had reined things in, but the damage was done: cracked pillars and warped floors marked where he stood, reminders of how dangerous he could be when provoked. Now, as the assembly continued, an unmistakable tension filled the room. Some students whispered anxiously about the potential for another incident, while a few in the front row whispered to a prefect, arguing that Juka should be suspended until he could control himself. The atmosphere shifted palpably, scrutiny giving way to open suspicion. The murmurs and scrutinizing stares didn't go unnoticed. As if he needed more heat on his case.
Deion Erivo still stared at Juka with obvious disdain. Ignoring him wasn't the hard part. What bothered Juka more was the subtler attention from the faculty; even if they were discreet, he felt their focus linger. He wondered if they were waiting for him to lose control again, scrutinizing every movement for a sign of weakness or danger. For the first time since his enrollment, Juka felt self-conscious as he sat in a chair that was weirdly constricting, surrounded by kids who had little in common with him. His uniform still didn't fit quite right, and his accent always seemed to stand out during roll call. He questioned whether he would ever blend in, or if people would always treat him like an outsider. Sometimes, he wondered if everyone could sense the difference in his energy, the way the air tingled around him when he was nervous. He tried to steady his breathing, hoping no one would notice how tense he really felt.
As Louise continued with assembly, she noticed the focus of the room circling Juka, almost as if the entire student body had become a whirlpool with him at the center. Observing this, she thought, "It's only been a few months, and he's warping pillars and cracking floors," while laying out the semester's activities.
She addressed everyone, "The Moonlit Gala will be postponed to facilitate both repairs to the auditorium and your monthly Magical Assessment practicals."
Students groaned for various reasons; some dreaded the assessment stress, while others were frustrated about the postponement of the Gala. The Moonlit Gala was one of the most anticipated events in Merlin's calendar year. Nobles from across the kingdom attended under the guise of charity and cultural exchange, but students knew the truth: reputations were made there. Partnerships were formed there. Futures could change in a single night.
The assembly ended with everyone throwing glares at Juka, and he couldn't help but hang his head to try to avoid as much eye contact as possible…until he saw a familiar pair of silver-adorned short heels. "Juka, are you okay?" Carmen asked as she tilted her head to meet his eyes, her long dark hair forming a curtain between the students walking by and the interaction between them. "Yeah, I'm fine," Juka said quickly, trying to mask how isolated he really felt, "Just thinking about those assessments, you know…heh."
She flicked his nose before scolding him gently, "It's bad manners to lie to a lady you know."
Before he could respond properly, Instructor Rein and Vallin politely interrupted. "Princess? Apologies, but we need to have a word with Mr. Evernight here." Juka didn't even notice their approach. "We promise he isn't in any kind of trouble," Vallin clarified as he put a gentle hand on Juka's shoulder. "We just need to understand what happened before the assembly that caused the outburst." Carmen looked a little worried before Juka reassured her, "I'll be okay, Carmen, really." Juka said before the two men started guiding him to the Headmistress's office.
The hallway, once teeming with students going to and fro, seemed to split down the middle to allow them to pass. The same stares and whispers Juka wanted to avoid had now placed him in the exact position he never wanted to be in: The centerpiece.
The walk to the headmistress's office was long and uncomfortably silent; the two men escorting Juka really knew how to intimidate. Had they not explained their motives earlier and said explicitly that Juka wasn't in any real trouble, he would have thought they were going to expel him on the spot. The thought of expulsion didn't exactly reassure him, but knowing it wasn't that did actually bring him some comfort, albeit a little. It felt like they were walking forever until they got to the Headmistress's office door. Ornate, Imposing, and very final in every sense of the word. Vallin's knuckles rapped on the dark wood of the door and awaited a response. The Headmistress's voice came through the door so clearly it was almost like she had been standing in the doorway awaiting them, "Enter."