It's been a week.
A week living as a human. It was exciting.
She had adapted. They all had ....
Kira leaned against her locker, flipping through her notebook.
"I'm telling you, that equation makes no sense. Why would demand curve do that?"
Lisa laughed. "Because math hates us. That's the only explanation."
Damon glanced over their work, unimpressed. "You're overthinking it. Solve for the variable first, then substitute."
Kira squinted. "That's literally what I did."
"And yet," Damon said dryly, "you arrived at chaos."
Lisa snorted. "He's not wrong."
The bell rang, sharp and final.
Kira closed her book with a sigh.
"Great. Economics."
Lisa's expression shifted slightly. "Kyel's class."
They had already mentioned to Damon that the demon lord was here.....
Kira's jaw tightened just a fraction.
"Yeah. That one."
Damon checked his schedule. "I've got chemistry. Guess this is where we split."
"Lucky you," Kira muttered.
They started walking, then paused at the corridor intersection.
"Try not to provoke him," Damon said quietly to Kira.
She smirked. "No promises."
Lisa shot Damon a look, then followed Kira toward the economics wing as Damon headed the opposite way.
As they approached the classroom, the door was already open.
Kyel Nightshade stood inside.
Waiting.
____________________
The chemistry lab was already half full when Damon walked in.
Beakers lined the tables, the sharp scent of chemicals lingering in the air. Students chatted lazily, settling into their seats—except Cassidy Williams.
She had chosen a table near the middle. Alone.
The moment she spotted Damon, her face lit up. She raised her hand slightly and waved him over, patting the empty seat beside her.
Damon hesitated for only a second before walking toward her.
"Hey," Cassidy said brightly as he sat down. "Looks like we're early."
"Seems so," Damon replied calmly, placing his bag at his feet.
Across the room, Mr. Williams entered, clapping his hands once. "Alright everyone, settle down. Today we'll be starting a paired project—reaction rates. You'll be working with the person next to you."
Cassidy smiled to herself.
"Guess that makes us partners," she said, turning toward Damon.
"So it does," he replied evenly.
Mr. Williams continued explaining the project, his voice steady in the background as Cassidy leaned closer, lowering her voice. "You transferred here recently, right?"
"Yes."
She laughed softly. "You're not very talkative."
"I talk when necessary."
Cassidy raised an eyebrow. "Then let's make this necessary. I don't want a bad grade."
Damon glanced at the worksheet, then back at her. "Neither do I."
They began working, Damon jotting notes quickly, efficiently. Cassidy watched him for a moment longer than needed.
"You're really good at this," she said.
"Most guys just stare at the paper like it insulted them."
He gave a faint smile. "Chemistry is predictable. People aren't."
"That sounded deep," she teased. "You always think like that?"
"Only when I'm paying attention."
Mr. Williams cleared his throat.
"Remember, this project counts for thirty percent of your term grade. Choose your partners wisely."
Cassidy met Damon's eyes, smiling as if the choice had been entirely accidental.
"Oh, I did," she said lightly.
Damon didn't respond—but for the first time, he looked at her a little more closely.
_________________
The economics classroom was unusually full.
Ace and his friends slipped in just before the bell, earning a few curious glances. Missing Kyel Nightshade's class the previous day had clearly not been wise—no one wanted to repeat that mistake.
Kira sat beside Issa, with Amber and Mira just behind them. Lisa was a row over, unusually attentive.
At the front of the room, Kyel Nightshade finished writing on the board and turned, his expression unreadable.
"Since some of you were absent during the last lesson," he said calmly, "we'll be reinforcing the material with a paired project."
A low groan spread across the class.
"This will be graded," Kyel added.
Silence followed.
Kira leaned toward Issa. "I hate group projects."
Issa sighed. "Same. They always pair you with someone unbearable."
Kyel picked up a list. "I'll assign the pairs."
Ace leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, already bored—until his gaze drifted forward.
Kira.
Kyel noticed the shift immediately.
"Amber," he said, "you'll work with Mira."
Both girls nodded, resigned.
"Issa," Kyel continued, "with Lisa."
Issa blinked. "Wait—what?"
Kyel didn't look up. "No objections."
Then—
"Kira."
She looked up slowly.
"Ace."
The room reacted instantly.
Whispers spread. Someone laughed under their breath. Mira's eyes widened. Amber leaned forward in disbelief.
Ace raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Guess that's settled."
Kira's eyes flicked briefly to Kyel, then back to Ace. Her expression was calm—but sharp.
"Let's be clear," she said quietly. "We're doing the project. Nothing more."
Ace smirked slightly. "Relax. I'm here for the grade, not the drama."
"Good," Kira replied flatly. "Because I don't have time for either."
From the front of the room, Kyel watched them for a moment longer than necessary.
Kyel's voice cut cleanly through the low hum of the classroom.
"This project will not be completed here," he said. "You'll work on it outside school hours. I expect depth, not summaries."
A ripple of quiet complaints followed.
Kira stiffened slightly.
Ace leaned back in his chair, unfazed.
"You'll submit it in two weeks," Kyel continued. "Failure to collaborate will reflect accordingly."
His gaze lingered—briefly—on Kira and Ace.
"Dismissed."
The hallway filled quickly.
Issa grabbed Kira's arm the moment they stepped outside. "You're joking. You and Ace?"
Amber shook her head. "This is either a disaster or a story waiting to happen."
"It's just a project," Kira said, though her tone lacked conviction.
Ace approached, hands in his pockets.
"So," he said casually, "my place or yours?"
Kira blinked. "Excuse me?"
"For the project," he added. "My house is closer. And quieter."
She studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. But we focus."She wanted to experience being a human but things had gone south
Naomi causing trouble.
Lord Kyel being here for reasons she still doesn't know, so it's better to focus and leave it simple.
Ace smiled. "That is the plan."
_______________
Ace's House
Ace's house was… unexpected.
Clean. Modern. Quiet.
Kira paused just inside the doorway, taking it in.
"Didn't picture this?" Ace asked, noticing.
"I pictured louder," she admitted.
He shrugged. "People usually do."
They settled at the dining table, books and papers spread between them. For a while, they worked in silence—comfortable, focused.
Then Ace spoke.
"You're good at this," he said, glancing at her notes. "You actually understand the concepts."
Kira didn't look up. "I pay attention."
"That's rare," he replied lightly.
She smiled before she could stop herself—then caught it, masking it quickly.
They leaned over the same page at one point, shoulders brushing.
Neither moved away.
Ace cleared his throat. "So… opportunity cost."
"Yes," Kira said softly. "It's about what you give up to choose something else."
He glanced at her. "Funny how that applies to more than economics."
Her eyes met his.
The moment lingered—too long to be accidental, too short to be bold.
Kira straightened. "We should finish the outline."
Ace nodded, though his gaze stayed on her a second longer. "Yeah. Right."
They returned to their work.
But the air between them had changed.
And both of them knew it.