The classroom door closed with a resonant thud, leaving Selora inside. As Jordan and Jayden stepped into the corridor, the weight of her piercing gaze lingered on their backs like daggers. Neither spoke at first, the tension thick enough to cut.
Finally, Jayden's voice broke the silence, low and venomous.
"Never again. Do you hear me, Walker? Never again will you trespass in my personal space. My dreams are mine alone."
Jordan stiffened, his jaw tight. He turned just enough to meet Jayden's glare.
"You think I wanted that? I never asked to see what I saw. Believe me, the last thing I want is to be tangled in your darkness."
The words hung heavy in the air, each syllable sparking against the other. Before the argument could ignite further, a pair of voices cut through the tension.
"Honestly—what is all this ruckus?"
Cynthia stepped forward from around the corner, her posture immaculate, her expression sharp with disapproval. Kaitlyn trailed just behind her, eyes flicking curiously between the two boys.
Cynthia's tone was cool, almost aristocratic in its refinement.
"Fighting in corridors on your first week? How utterly childish. If either of you had sense, you'd realize that every feud only feeds into weakness. Do you plan to embarrass yourselves before the Academy has even begun to test you?"
Jayden scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Spare me your lectures. You know nothing of what's between us."
Cynthia's eyes narrowed.
"I know enough. And I know the difference between strength and reckless spite."
Jordan opened his mouth to respond, but Kaitlyn gently touched Cynthia's arm, her voice soft but steady.
"They're classmates, Cyn. Rivals maybe, but still classmates. Isn't that worth something?"
Her eyes lingered on Jordan for a moment longer than necessary, a faint curiosity in her gaze before she turned away.
The corridor grew quiet again, the four of them standing in uneasy silence. For all their sparks and rivalries, the truth was undeniable — they were still young, still bound together under the Academy's crest, and still far from understanding what awaited them.