Two months. That's all the time Carter had to finish both junior and senior year.
It sounded impossible—but impossible didn't matter when Arkwright was waiting.
Summer school meant long hours, no breaks, no weekends. Two years of work packed into eight brutal weeks—and somehow, he had to pass.
On the first day, Carter arrived early. Ridiculously early.
He wanted to pick the back seat, sit alone, and maybe breathe for once.
But he wasn't alone.
"No. Sophomore."
"Nice. Same here. I'm Sofie."
"Carter."
She gestured across the room. "That's Max in the hoodie. Full-time brooder. And that guy's Tobias. Don't call him Toby unless you want drama."
Carter cracked the smallest of smiles.
"You skipping ahead too, or just catching up?" she asked.
"Trying to graduate early. Fast-track my way out of here." he tried to joke, albeit awkwardly.
She gasped, grinning. "I knew it! I totally called it."
More students arrived. Carter shrank back in his seat.
He wasn't ready for—
The stares started.
No one whispered. No one pointed. They didn't need to.
They all just... avoided him.
An entire row stayed empty around him.
Carter gritted his teeth. "At this point, you're overdoing it." He thought to himself.
Then the teacher walked in, brows raised at the seating.
"Ugh. Apologies for the cold welcome, Carter," she said. "Class started two days ago. Borrow someone's notes and catch up."
As class started, people stole glances at him. Some flinched. Others sweated.
Even Sofie stared—but hers was different. Fascinated. Like he was a creature in a zoo exhibit.
"People keep looking at me like I'm going to explode or something" he muttered.
When the bell rang, Max didn't even wake up. Tobias sprinted out.
Sofie, of course, stayed.
"Was it true?" she asked, leaning closer with a glimmer in her eye.
Carter tensed. "What?"
"Did you really stop that terrorist? With fire? Like… scorched-earth-level fire?"
She leaned in closer. "That's insane. In a cool way."
Before Carter could answer, the teacher called his name.
Sofie pouted. "See you tomorrow then."
"Thanks, Mrs. Abram," he said.
"No need to thank me. I know you're trying to graduate early, and just twelve hours a day for two months won't cut it."
Carter looked slightly disappointed, which made Mrs. Abram continue.
"I'll tutor you from today onward. So make sure your mom knows all about it."
"Thank you, Mrs. Abram," he said, genuinely grateful.