I got ready, packed my bag, and joined mom at the breakfast table. I mechanically ate my toast, the dream still playing on a loop in my mind.
"Did you sleep okay?" she asked without looking up.
"Yeah… just weird dreams," I replied, brushing it off.
The walk to school felt quieter than usual. Even Jane's usual chatter couldn't pull me completely back. My mind kept drifting his hand reaching out, the softness in his eyes, and how real it all felt.
And then I saw him. Aizen. Just ahead, walking into school with Eric.
Same messy hair. Same cold face.
Not a trace of the boy from the dream.
Jane stopped mid-sentence and narrowed her eyes at me. "What happened to you? You've been zoning out since morning."
I sighed, "Nah, it's nothing."
She raised an eyebrow. "Tell. Now."
I hesitated, then gave in. "Okay, fine. I had that dream again… the same bench, the same fog. But this time, I saw him more clearly."
"Who?" she asked, leaning closer.
"Aizen."
Jane blinked. "Again?"
I nodded slowly. "He came towards me… like he was about to say something. Or… touch my face. Then I woke up."
Jane stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "Okay, this is getting weird. You've never even spoken to him properly before, and now he's invading your dreams?"
"I know, right?" I said, holding my bag's shoulder strap tightly. "It felt so real. Like I could actually feel the moment."
She looked thoughtful for a second, then smirked. "Maybe your brain's cooking up romance drama without permission."
I rolled my eyes, but inside, I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or worry.
"You better not fall for the dream version of Aizen," Jane said dramatically. "That would be a whole other level of doomed." We both laughed.
As we walked into the classroom, just a few steps behind Aizen and Eric, the familiar hum of morning chatter buzzed in the air. Jane and I were still half-laughing over our earlier talk, but something about the room made us pause.
Tina and Susan were standing near the window, talking in hushed voices. The moment they saw us, they suddenly went quiet, exchanging a quick glance before pretending to fix their hair or look at their notebooks.
Jane slowed down and gave me a side-eye, her lips twitching with a knowing smirk. "Bet they were talking about that boyfriend," she whispered without looking at me.
I whispered back to Jane, "Leave it. It's their matter."
As soon as the teacher walked in holding a stack of answer sheets, the class fell into a hush.
She began calling names, handing out papers with brief comments. Then, she looked up and said, "Anastasia."
I stood up, heart pounding just a little, and walked to the front.
"You did really well," she said, handing me the sheet. "Just missed full marks... by half. This is the highest in the class."
I blinked at the paper in my hand, then smiled softly. "Thank you," I said, returning to my seat as Jane gave me a tiny thumbs-up and mouthed, "Told you!"
At last after everyone, the teacher called out, "Aizen."
He stood up calmly, walked over without any visible trace of nervousness.
"I couldn't check yours earlier because of all the admission paperwork and formalities," she explained as he stood next to her desk. "So I'll go through it now, if that's alright."
The entire class had their eyes on him with curiosity. First day exams were never easy, especially without knowing the teacher's style or pattern.
But as she flipped through the pages, her expression began to shift from neutral to impressed.
"There's no mistake," she finally said, eyebrows raised. "You got full marks."
The class collectively gasped. Even the teacher looked slightly stunned. "Well… that's quite something, especially for your very first day here."
Aizen just nodded, said a quiet "thank you."
Jane whispered, "Okay that was unexpected."
Now the whole class had their eyes on the two of us... me, who just missed full marks, and him, who had effortlessly taken the top spot even though he had to give exam on his very first day.
I was trying to keep a straight face, but inside… it stung.
Too many emotions churned in me at once... frustration, disbelief, a strange sense of defeat. I wasn't used to someone just appearing out of nowhere and stealing the place I'd worked so hard for. And the worst part? He looked like he didn't even care.
Then he glanced towards me, and I swear... just for a second there was a hint of a smug smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
That was the moment it began... our unspoken competition.
No declarations, no open rivalry.
Silent competition?
Fine.
Game on, Aizen.