The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Crownspire Academy, casting golden streaks across the polished floors of the classroom. The teacher's voice droned on, explaining the intricacies of the subjects they'd do here—the type of knowledge that separated the strong from the weak in this school. Most students scribbled notes feverishly, but Adrian Veyra's eyes were distant, scanning the room, listening without truly listening.
A peculiar sensation pricked at the back of his mind—someone was watching him. He turned his gaze slowly, casually, and froze for a moment. Across the classroom, a girl's eyes were fixed on him. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to burn into his, framed by golden blonde hair that fell perfectly over her shoulders.
Aria Giovanni.
Their eyes met for a heartbeat, a fleeting moment that carried a strange weight neither of them fully understood. But before anything else could happen, the teacher's voice cut sharply through the tension.
"Adrian, Miss Giovanni, are we paying attention or daydreaming? Focus, please."
Both of them looked down, expressions unreadable. Adrian's lips twitched slightly, but he said nothing.
When the bell finally rang for break, Adrian packed his bag without haste, knowing someone would follow. As expected, Aria approached him in the courtyard, her presence confident, almost predatory in its casualness.
"Can I be your friend?" she asked. Her tone was blunt, almost disarming, as if the question had no room for hesitation or doubt. It was the kind of straightforwardness that suggested hidden motives—but Adrian didn't think too hard.
He regarded her silently, his black-and-crimson hair catching the sunlight. She looked up at him, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow. Adrian was taller than her, but there was a strange intimacy in the way their eyes met, though neither realized it. He tilted his head slightly, almost as if testing her.
"Fine," he said, voice calm, almost disinterested.
That was all it took. For the remainder of the break, they walked the courtyard side by side, talking in quiet tones, sharing more than one might expect in a first encounter. It was easy, natural, yet the undertone of subtle manipulation threaded through every word they exchanged. Adrian learned things about her—not many, but enough to understand she was no ordinary student.
When class resumed, they walked back together. However, before Adrian could enter the room, a shadow fell across his path. One of the 4th-year student council members stood before him, expression unreadable, gaze sharp as a blade. She didn't bother introducing herself.
"Adrian," she said flatly, "if I were you, I'd watch out."
Adrian chuckled lightly, tilting his head, amusement flickering across his calm features. "Who the hell are you?"
The girl's lips curved slightly. "I'm someone you don't want to mess with," she replied before disappearing down the hall.
Adrian's eyes followed her for a brief moment, curious, but the encounter was already dissolving in his mind. With a shrug, he entered the classroom, treating it as nothing more than a minor curiosity.
The rest of the day passed without much incident—until he left the school grounds. A sharp, familiar presence made him pause. A young man, tall, well-built, with an arrogance that was almost tangible, stepped into his path. Despite scoring lower than Adrian, he had been placed in Class X, and the sight of Adrian's perfect score clearly irritated him.
"You know," the man said with a smirk, "I already know who you are."
Adrian's expression didn't change. "Not like I was hiding it," he replied flatly.
The man laughed, a low, calculated sound. "Doesn't matter. As long as I know, I can frame your name however I want."
Adrian tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing into slits. "Oh, really?" His voice remained calm, emotionless, almost chilling. "If you think it's going to matter, it's not."
For a tense moment, they locked eyes, measuring each other, calculating, predicting. But before it could escalate further, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Adrian, wait here with me," said Aria, stepping into his side. "I'll wait for my driver."
Adrian glanced at her, curiosity piqued. "Why did you interfere?"
Aria shrugged, a faint smile playing on her lips. "You don't know him, it might mean trouble if you tangle with him now. It's best to stir clear, son of Cassian Veyra." she said cryptically, her tone light yet edged with knowing.
Adrian's mind raced. "How does she know that?" he thought. But before he could ask, a sleek car pulled up, and Aria waved. "See you, Adrian. Stay out of trouble."
Adrian raised a hand in response, muttering under his breath, "What a load of bull. Waste of time… Does pops think this shit's going to be hard? This is just… Hella easy. FUCK!!"
His own driver then arrived.
His driver opened the car door, and he slid inside, letting the cityscape blur past as he headed home.
Once inside the family estate, the quiet study awaited him. Cassian Veyra looked up from a stack of papers, eyes twinkling with curiosity.
"How was your first day?" his father asked, voice warm but curious.
Adrian leaned back in the leather chair, one hand running through his hair. "Looks easy as hell. I might be done by the end of this semester," he said casually.
Cassian laughed, a deep, rumbling sound. "Don't underestimate Crownspire Academy, Adrian. There's more here than what meets the eye. More than tests or scores… this place shapes minds, manipulates futures. Keep your eyes open."
Adrian smirked faintly, a spark of challenge in his crimson-and-black gaze. "I've got it covered, Pops. This is just the beginning."
And as the shadows lengthened in the study, Adrian's mind already raced ahead, plotting, observing, calculating. Friendships, rivals, manipulations—they were all part of the game, and Adrian intended to play it perfectly.