"Hi, handsome," a girl in uniform said to the young man seated near the window, raising her fingers in a warm wave. The way the entire class turned their attention to her suggested she held high status at Greenlight College.
Her hair swayed as she tilted her head, accentuating her beauty. Her uniform was stylishly knotted at the waist, and her short skirt emphasized her figure. The classroom brightened a little with her presence, as though everyone waited for her to speak before deciding how to breathe.
"I'm Clara. I heard you just transferred here," she added, eyes locked on the new student, who slowly lifted his head to see who was speaking.
Her radiant complexion and captivating smile nearly made him forget to respond. He hadn't expected anyone to approach him on his first day, especially not someone who looked like she ran the school.
"Oh, hi. That's right, my name is Fred," he said with a return of a smile.
Clara smiled back and extended her hand. Fred shook it, surprised by how soft and confident her grip was. She held his gaze for a moment too long, prompting Fred to break eye contact. Her perfume lingered faintly in the air, something floral, something expensive.
"So, you're in the Visual Arts department?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation.
"Nope. Music student," she replied.
Fred raised an eyebrow. How does a music student know me already? he wondered. He didn't know if it was coincidence or if this school was smaller than it seemed.
"Wow, that's great. What's your major?"
"Piano." She replied succinctly still brimming with her friendly smile.
Fred was impressed, she looked indeed smarter. "Piano? Impressive," Fred said. "Thanks for coming down here. It's an honor to meet you, ma'am." He brought his hands together in a small gesture of gratitude.
Clara smiled again and turned to leave. As she walked away, every male student in the room followed her with their eyes, mesmerized by her confident, graceful stride. Fred noticed the quiet whispers spreading through the room, the kind that always start when someone important does something unexpected.
"What's up, man? Fred, right?" a guy around Fred's age asked, extending a hand.
Fred nodded and shook it.
"I'm Jerry."
Fred studied him briefly before returning the handshake. Jerry was sharply dressed, as were most of the students here. They all seemed attractive, intelligent, and welcoming. Fred, who had doubted whether this new school would be a good fit, began to feel a spark of hope. One by one, other students came over to greet him. Even the tall, muscular guy known as Hough made an effort.
"Looks like good luck shines around you, man," Hough said before returning to his seat.
Fred didn't quite catch the full meaning of Hough's words, but the positive energy in the room erased any confusion. It was strange for people to show him this much attention so quickly.
Students were already impressed by Fred's talents. Despite joining the term late, his grasp of the coursework amazed them. In his first lecture, he demonstrated a firm understanding of the basics, and his sketchpad revealed a gift for realistic drawing that left classmates stunned. He hadn't expected anyone to care, yet their reactions felt genuine.
Later that day, during break, Fred leaned against a tree, lost in admiration of his new environment. The campus grounds were larger than he expected. Students passed by in groups, laughing, moving from one building to another. Jerry approached, waving.
"I've been trying to get your attention. Want to grab some food?" he asked, eyes squinting against the bright sun.
"Oh, hey... Jerry. Uh, I'm good. I'll just stay here till the next class."
"Jerry!" someone called out. Both Fred and Jerry turned to see another student approaching tall and fit like them. He wore the same uniform, casually slung over his shoulders.
"I've been waiting at the canteen for like twenty minutes, Jerry."
"Sorry, Tamir," Jerry replied. "I wanted to invite our new friend to join us."
Tamir examined Fred with a friendly expression and extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, man. Welcome to Greenlight College where dreams come true."
"Thanks, Tamir," Fred said, shaking his hand. Tamir's grip was strong, the kind that hinted at confidence but not arrogance.
"Alright, guys," Tamir said, clapping his hands together. "Let's go feed these empty stomachs."
Fred hesitated. "I'm good, really. You guys go ahead." He glanced at his sketchbook, tempted to stay put and draw the campus buildings while the light was still good.
"Listen, I heard something today: blurrrrr blurrrrrr... Fun is good! And since it's a three-letter word, that means three of us are heading to the canteen together," Tamir joked, grabbing Fred's wrist.
Jerry laughed as Tamir pulled Fred along. Fred had planned to sketch during the break, but his new friends weren't making that easy. He let himself be dragged anyway. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing.
As they carried their trays toward a table, Fred's eyes met Clara's. She smiled. Seated beside her was a dark-skinned girl with striking red hair, seemingly lost in her own world. Fred smiled back before sitting down with his group. He could feel Clara's attention still on him, even when he wasn't directly looking at her.
Clara and her companion were the only ones at their table, noticeably distant from the rest of the students. It was odd. Someone as popular as Clara should've been surrounded, yet she kept to that one quiet spot.
"So, Fred," Tamir began between bites, "what do you think of Greenlight so far? Like it?"
"Actually, yeah. It feels promising. I think I'm going to enjoy studying here." He meant it. The environment, the people, the energy, it felt like a fresh start.
"Of course! This place has everything, top facilities, great instructors, solid programs. Don't worry about a thing. If you ever need help, just reach out. Jerry and I have got your back," Tamir said. "Where's your hostel, by the way?"
"It's a bit of a walk. Just the edge of Worthloth Forest."
Tamir and Jerry exchanged surprised looks.
"Near that place?" Tamir asked.
"Yeah. I just like the area, it's peaceful." Fred shrugged lightly. He had always been drawn to quiet places. The truth still remained, he lived there because that's the only affordable place he had.
"Be careful, man," Jerry warned, sighing. "I've heard wolves live in that forest. You should've found a place here in the city. That area's kind of isolated… and dangerous."
"I don't think It's dangerous. I just like the vibe," Fred said coolly, avoiding Clara's gaze but one of his friends seemed to sense him. The back of his neck prickled, as if someone were studying him with more interest than before.
"I noticed she's been watching you the whole time," Tamir whispered, nodding toward Clara. "You sure you don't know her?"
"Nope." Fred shook his head. "First time meeting her or maybe we've crossed before. I really don't know."
"Physically, maybe," Jerry chimed in. "But the chemistry is strong!" Jerry turned to Tamir. " Tamir, can you believe Clara came all the way from her department just to say hi to him?"
"Seriously? That's not normal. Is that true, Fred?" Tamir asked, shocked.
Fred quietly continued eating before replying, "I'm just as surprised as you are. I don't know how I became a known man around here." He tried to say it casually, yet the situation puzzled him. He wasn't used to attention.
"Dude, there are tons of guys trying to get her attention, and she ignores them all. This is wild. Wait… is there really chemistry between you two?" Tamir teased.
"Confirmed," Jerry said with mock seriousness.
Fred buried his face in his hands, laughing and shaking his head. These guys were already too much. He didn't respond, just looked up again, still smiling. This felt like the ease he hadn't had in a long time.
When Fred glanced back at Clara's table, he caught the red-haired girl looking directly at him along with two other girls seated nearby. But what startled him wasn't their gaze.
The red-haired girl's eyes shimmered with a sudden flash of green light.
Fred blinked.