The morning air carried a faint chill, but Liam barely felt it. His senses were alive—awakened by last night's encounter. Every step toward school felt sharper. Every shadow felt meaningful.
Kaela was waiting at the corner, arms folded, her bag slung across one shoulder. She looked alert. More than that—she looked ready.
"You good?" Liam asked as he approached.
Kaela smirked. "I've never been more awake."
They walked in sync, the streets familiar, but their world anything but. Despite the bruises hidden under their clothes, there was an undeniable buzz between them—excitement. They had fought real assassins. Survived. Won.
Liam cracked a grin. "We really did that."
Kaela nodded. "Yeah. We're in it now."
Still, under their bold smiles, a flicker of tension lingered—like the quiet before a storm. They weren't naïve. The Black Veil wouldn't let that go.
But somehow... that made things more thrilling.
---
At School
The gates of the school loomed ahead, and while the building looked the same, something about it felt different now.
Liam and Kaela walked in silence, side by side. Their steps were light, but their minds heavy with thoughts of the Black Veil.
They weren't downcast—not exactly. If anything, they felt charged. Excited. A little scared, yes, but also burning with anticipation.
The world they thought they were preparing for had arrived. And strangely, it felt… good.
---
First Period – History Class
Lucas stepped into the classroom like any other day—clean buttoned shirt, rolled sleeves, black slacks. A stack of old history texts rested under one arm.
"Alright, everyone," he said, placing the books down. "Let's pick up from where we stopped last week—the Obelisks of the Old Continent."
The class groaned half-heartedly, but Lucas just chuckled and continued.
As he scribbled dates and keywords on the board.
Liam sat back, trying to focus. But the calm of the classroom now felt like camouflage. A layer of normalcy to cover the world hidden just beneath.
Lucas taught with the same smooth rhythm he always had—asking questions, telling stories, challenging students on historical facts.
Every so often, Kaela caught it. A glance. A pause too long. A word spoken with more edge than usual.
---
Break Time
Liam and Kaela sat under their usual tree. Kids passed by chatting, laughing, trading snacks—blissfully unaware.
"I thought it'd feel… different," Liam admitted.
Kaela raised a brow. "How so?"
"Like everyone should see what we've done. What we've been through."
She nodded thoughtfully. "That's the thing about this life. The world doesn't slow down for your scars."
He sighed. "Yeah."
"But also…" she added, "there's a thrill in knowing something no one else does."
He smiled. "Like carrying a secret badge."
Kaela looked up at the sky through the branches, sunlight filtering through. "Exactly."
They sat quietly for a moment. Not anxious. Not overthinking.
Just waiting.
Because they both knew—the fight had only just begun.
Second Period – Math Class
The chalk squeaked against the board as Mrs. Hailey solved equations with precision. Her thick glasses slid down her nose now and then, and she'd push them back up with a sigh before asking someone to come solve the next one.
Kaela got called up once. So did Liam. Neither hesitated.
Their minds weren't just sharper—they were calmer. Focused. Maybe it was the combat training, or the adrenaline from the night before, but regular equations now felt like puzzles in a game rather than stressful obstacles.
"Impressive work, both of you," Mrs. Idowu muttered as she marked the board. "Must've studied hard over the weekend."
Kaela shot Liam a quick smirk. "Yeah... studied."
---
Lunch Time – School Cafeteria
The smell of warm rice and peppered stew drifted through the air. Liam grabbed a seat near the back while Kaela returned with two plates.
They ate in silence at first—still alert, even though nothing around them seemed dangerous.
"So," Kaela said, eyes flicking across the cafeteria. "Think they'll come again?"
Liam swallowed. "Not today. Maybe not this week. But they'll come."
She nodded. "Let them."
There was confidence in her voice, but not arrogance. Just quiet resolve.
---
Final Period – Literature Class
The last period was a quiet one. The class read through a poem about storms and hidden battles. The metaphors struck a little differently now.
Kaela underlined a line that read: "Though thunder speaks not, it waits with its teeth."
She passed the book to Liam and tapped it.
He gave her a look and mouthed, "Too accurate."
The day ended with the sound of the closing bell, backpacks zipping, chairs scraping the floor, and students rushing toward the gates.
The air outside was cool and dry. The sky painted in shades of gold and lavender.
Liam and Kaela walked side by side again, their path quiet. They didn't speak much. They didn't need to.
It wasn't like before anymore.
The world still looked the same.
But they didn't.
---