Lyserra Academy — Upper Wing Courtyard
The sun bathed the courtyard in soft, golden light, the kind of warmth that made everything feel like an Instagram post. Students mingled around the massive oak trees, chatting in groups, some lounging on benches, others leaning against the sleek, white marble pillars of the academy's upper wing. It was the perfect place to relax between classes, and for Riven, it was just another normal day.
Riven sat casually on one of the benches, his legs spread wide, feet propped up on the edge of the table in front of him. The whole scene screamed untouchable, yet that was exactly how he wanted it. He was that guy who could just chill while the rest of the world ran itself into the ground. His silver hair, slightly tousled, caught the light perfectly, making it shine like an artist's canvas. His piercing eyes, hidden behind stylish black sunglasses, scanned the crowd lazily. The mix of students—some in uniform, some in casual clothes—was like watching an overpriced reality show unfold.
"Yo, Riven! Quit zoning out, man!" Tony called out, leaning against the table. His usual grin stretched across his face, casual but mischievous. Tony was always the life of the party, always making sure everyone stayed entertained.
Riven chuckled, flicking his sunglasses down onto the bridge of his nose, showing just the tiniest bit of his azure eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm just admiring the chaos, Tony."
James, sitting across from him, laughed under his breath. "What, do you actually care about anything, Riven? Or are you just here to be the most irritating person alive?"
Riven leaned back on the bench, stretching his arms out and looking at his friends with that lazy grin. "I don't care... I'm just observing. It's kind of funny, watching people try to live their 'perfect' little lives while I'm here doing nothing."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Dude, you're weirdly good at it though. It's almost like... you can control the vibe without even trying."
Riven smirked, his confidence showing in every inch of his posture. "Yeah, well, that's what being untouchable does for you, my dude. People just... gravitate to it."
Samuel, who had been quiet up until that point, let out a soft snort. "Right, because you're that cool." Samuel was more of the quiet, thoughtful one—he wasn't as loud as the rest, but his sarcasm made it clear he wasn't fooled by Riven's self-proclaimed 'cool' status.
Riven gave him a mock-serious look. "I mean, who wouldn't be cool, right?" He tapped the side of his sunglasses for emphasis.
The group of four had been inseparable since freshman year, constantly rotating between joking, bickering, and laughing. They'd been through everything together — from exam stress to partying all night. But today, something felt... different. Not that Riven cared about that, but the subtle shift in the air was hard to ignore.
And there she was.
Arisa Virelle, the queen of Lyserra Academy.
Riven noticed her the moment she stepped out of the administration building. Arisa always carried herself with an air of perfection that was hard to miss. Tall, graceful, with perfectly styled dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked like she walked out of some designer catalog—effortlessly stunning. But Riven had known her long enough to see through the perfect image. Beneath it, there was always something... calculating.
Riven watched as she walked toward the courtyard, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd. When they met, she gave him a brief, measured smile. It wasn't a friendly smile. It was the kind of smile that told you she had something in mind. She always had something in mind.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "She's staring at you, bro."
Riven sighed and tilted his head back, letting the sunlight hit his face. "She stares at everyone, Tony. The queen doesn't just look at people. She looks through them."
James snorted. "You mean like how she's always pretending to be innocent while slowly putting all the boys in her back pocket?"
Samuel shot James a look, but Riven just chuckled, enjoying the dynamic his friends had. "Exactly. I don't have time for her games."
But it wasn't long before Arisa made her move. She approached the bench where Riven was lounging, her steps slow and deliberate. As always, she had that confident aura around her, like she was walking into her own private kingdom.
"Hey, Riven," Arisa said, her voice smooth like velvet. "I was hoping I could talk to you about something... private."
Riven didn't move, didn't even shift his posture. "I'm busy, Arisa. You can chat with someone else. I don't really do 'private' talks."
Arisa's lips curled into a slight smile. "You don't do a lot of things, do you, Riven?" Her words weren't teasing; they were too calculated, too sharp.
Riven raised an eyebrow. "What's your point?"
Her smile didn't waver. "I'm just saying... maybe you should start doing things that matter. Like... helping out a certain someone."
Riven's eyes narrowed, but he didn't rise to the bait. "Don't waste my time. If you've got something to say, just say it."
Arisa's gaze flickered briefly to the others—his three friends who were watching the interaction with varying degrees of amusement—and then back to him. "It's not like you have anything better to do. I know you've been... a little distracted lately."
That was it. That was the soft push. The first subtle jab. Arisa was baiting him, using that tone to provoke. Riven knew exactly what she was doing, and he wasn't going to bite. At least not today.
With a shrug, he stood up, casually brushing his pants. "I don't have time for distractions." He looked over at his friends. "You guys ready? Let's get lunch."
But Arisa wasn't done.
As Riven turned to leave, she called after him, her voice suddenly dripping with sweetness. "Don't worry, Riven. I'll make sure no one distracts you... I promise."
Her words lingered in the air like a faint perfume, sweet but with an underlying bitterness.
Later That Day
The rest of the day went by uneventfully, but Riven could feel the subtle shift in the air. It wasn't just Arisa; it was the entire vibe of the academy. Whispers, stares, little glances thrown his way from all directions. The subtle change was happening, but Riven couldn't quite place it yet.
He shrugged it off as he headed out of class with his friends. Arisa's games weren't his concern. His only focus was to keep playing his own game—a game where he was always the one in control.
The First Whisper
Later that night, Riven sat on his bed, phone in hand, scrolling through messages from his friends. Tony, James, and Samuel were all texting him, bantering back and forth. But one message caught his attention—a message that wasn't from any of them.
"Is it true you've been stalking Arisa?"
It was a screenshot of some chat that had been circulating around campus. His name was there, tagged, bolded. Stalking Arisa. Being obsessed with her. Riven blinked, not sure whether to laugh or roll his eyes.
He immediately hit the group chat. "You guys seeing this bullshit?"
The replies were fast.
Tony: "What the hell, bro? I know people love to make up stuff about you, but this is next level."
James: "Man, they even made a fake chat. People are idiots."
Samuel: "This is beyond stupid. People really want to stir the pot now."
Riven leaned back in his chair, his smirk barely visible behind his phone. He should have known. Arisa never played games unless she knew exactly how to win.
By the end of the night, the rumor had spread like wildfire. Arisa's little game had begun.
And Riven?
He didn't care.
At least, that's what he kept telling himself.