The small house in Brooklyn still felt unfamiliar. Moving boxes were stacked in corners of the living room, some untouched since the day they arrived a week ago.
Alex Carter stood by the kitchen window, watching the street outside growing busier as people hurried to work. The early New York air was humid, but carried a freshness that hinted at new beginnings.
He exhaled softly.
First day at a new school… again.
At the dining table, his mother was preparing breakfast. "Just toast and milk today, okay? We haven't had a big grocery run yet," she said with a tired but warm smile.
"That's fine, Mom."
Alex sat down. He wasn't the type to complain—especially after the last two months. His life had changed enough without adding more problems.
The divorce was still a raw memory, like a page torn suddenly from a book.
Their dad stayed in Washington D.C. with his new girlfriend, while Alex and his younger sister moved with their mom to Brooklyn for a fresh start.
Footsteps echoed from upstairs.
Nancy came down the stairs, brushing her hair out of her face. She had a naturally pretty look, her skin slightly tanned even though they were both light-skinned. Nancy always looked like she had just returned from a summer holiday.
"Morning," she said, sitting beside Alex.
"You guys ready for school?" their mom asked.
"Totally," Nancy replied immediately. "BIPS, right? Brooklyn International Private School. Sounds fancy." She took a bite of toast, smiling brightly.
Alex shrugged. "Fancy or not, we'll see."
Nancy narrowed her eyes. "You're nervous, aren't you?"
"No."
The answer came quick, but Nancy knew her brother too well. Alex was too smart—and too guarded—to admit anything emotional easily.
"Alex," their mom said gently. "You don't have to keep thinking about the divorce. Just focus on the new school. This is a chance to start over."
He nodded with a small smile. "I know."
Alex was quiet—observant, low-profile, the kind of genius who noticed everything but rarely talked about it. He felt a lot more than he ever showed, though he kept most of it to himself.
Their mom placed two water bottles on the table. "Okay, you two should go before the traffic gets bad. First days are usually full of introductions. Don't be late."
Nancy stood up, grabbed her bag, and tapped Alex's shoulder. "Come on, Lex."
Alex picked up his simple black backpack—plain and low-key, just like him. He paused for a moment, looking around the half-unpacked house.
A changed life.
New city.
New school.
New everything.
But he had one habit that always helped him survive new places:
Observe first. Speak later.
The front door closed behind them.
They walked toward the school bus stop.
The school bus stopped in front of the tall, maroon-colored building of Brooklyn International Private School (BIPS).
The structure looked more like a historical New York museum than a high school—brick walls, large windows, polished doors with a golden crest carved into the wood.
Students walked across the courtyard with neat posture.
Their maroon blazers were perfectly ironed, ties straightened, shoes polished.
Everything felt elite, almost staged.
Alex and Nancy stepped into the main hall. After they were split into different directions, Alex followed a teacher down a corridor filled with movement:
groups of seniors standing like organized units,
teachers checking clipboards as if monitoring a system,
students whispering about "rankings" under their breath.
Alex didn't need long to notice something:
this school was too tidy, too controlled… too perfect.
The classroom was already full.
Vintage wooden desks, a digital whiteboard, bookshelves lined with Western novels — the place looked expensive and carefully curated.
In the middle row, a boy with messy brown hair named Jared Collins jolted awake in his seat as his friend in front of him, Leo Ramirez, spun around with excitement.
"Bro, did you hear the rumor this morning?" Leo whispered loudly.
Jared rubbed his eyes. "What now?"
"The kid from BTSI who supposedly got bullied because their school ranking dropped."
Some students pretended not to listen, but everyone clearly knew the story.
Jared frowned. "I still don't get it. Who even controls this whole ranking system? Us? Them? Another school?"
Leo shrugged casually. "Isn't it The Cooperation? Everyone keeps talking about them."
"Yeah, I know that," Jared replied, lowering his voice. "But how does the rumor spread so fast? Every school in Brooklyn acts like they follow some invisible scoreboard."
Before Leo could answer—
TRIIING!
The bell rang, and everyone snapped back to their seats.
The door opened.
A teacher in a maroon shirt entered, holding a clipboard.
"Good morning, everyone. Before class begins, we have a new student joining us today. Please come in."
Alex Carter stepped forward.
The teacher introduced him politely, "This is Alex Carter. He just moved here from Washington, D.C. Please help him settle into BIPS."
A few students immediately scanned him from head to toe — classic BIPS behavior, analyzing whether the new kid could disrupt their academic standing.
The teacher pointed to an empty seat.
"Alex, you may sit next to Jared."
Alex nodded and walked over.
Jared gave a small wave. "Hey. I'm Jared."
"Alex," he replied quietly.
Leo turned around, grinning. "I'm Leo. Welcome to the most disciplined school on Earth."
"Thanks… I guess," Alex murmured, taking in the atmosphere.
The teacher began writing on the board, but around the classroom, Alex kept picking up whispers:
"…ranking dropped again…"
"…BTSI caused another issue…"
"…Cooperation sent another evaluation…"
It was strange — as if the ranking mattered more than academics.
In another class, Nancy introduced herself confidently.
A few girls complimented her hair; others asked if she really moved from Washington.
Nancy was quick to blend in — unlike Alex, who preferred staying low profile.
Back to Alex
Class resumed, but Alex's mind kept turning.
His first hour at BIPS had already revealed something unsettling:
The school wasn't just elite.
It operated under invisible rules… rules none of the teachers talked about, but every student obeyed.
And one name kept echoing in the back of his mind:
The Cooperation.