Second Floor
Jordan stepped closer to Jonathan, lowering his voice slightly.
"You good?"
Jonathan paused.
For a brief second, he looked down at his hand ,the same hand that had twisted the boy's wrist that morning.
Then he calmly put his glasses back on, his expression turning unreadable.
"Yeah," he said flatly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Jordan studied him for a moment.
"You sure?"
Jonathan adjusted the strap of his bag.
"We have lab, don't we? Let's go before we miss it."
Jordan nodded. "Right. Let's go."
They headed down the stairs toward the second floor.
The hallway buzzed with noise
lockers slamming, students laughing, footsteps echoing against the tiled floor.
And then—
Jonathan saw her.
Ashley was standing near the lockers with Emily, talking animatedly, her hands moving as she explained something dramatically.
His steps slowed.
Just slightly.
Not enough for Jordan to notice.
But enough.
As if something invisible had shifted.
Ashley felt it.
That strange awareness creeping in.
She turned her head—
And their eyes met.
Hazel.
Green.
No distance.
No window between them.
Just a crowded hallway that suddenly felt too quiet.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Too long.
Neither smiled.
Neither looked surprised.
But neither looked away immediately either.
Then
Reality snapped back.
Noise returned.
Students moved.
Life continued.
They walked past each other.
Opposite directions.
Like strangers.
But not really.
Ashley and Emily entered classroom 11C.
"Morning!" Emily said, dropping her bag onto her chair.
"Hi!" a few classmates answered.
The room was loud, chaotic, alive with unfinished conversations.
Ashley sat down, placing her notebook neatly on the desk.
Before the bell rang, Angelina suddenly spun around in her seat, eyes wide.
"Did you guys hear?" she asked dramatically.
Ashley looked up. "Hear what?"
Angelina lowered her voice like it was breaking news.
"I heard our teacher is choosing students to work on some special learning project… with the nerds from class 11A."
For half a second, silence.
Then—
"What?!"
"You're joking!"
"No way!"
Emily dropped her head onto the desk.
"Oh my God… please don't let it be me. I don't even have energy for regular school and now this?"
A few students groaned.
Ashley leaned back slightly.
"I'm not really into that," she said calmly. "I have other things to deal with."
Emily glanced at her.
She didn't ask what.
She already knew.
Auditions.
The future.
Hollywood.
The bell rang.
The teacher walked in.
"Good morning, everyone."
The class slowly quieted.
As the lesson began, Ashley opened her notebook and stared at the page.
I really need to start focusing on my future.
If I want to succeed, I can't keep getting distracted.
Meanwhile—
At the same floor in the laboratory, Jonathan stood at his station, carefully measuring liquid into a glass cylinder. Goggles rested over his glasses. His movements were precise. Controlled.
Jordan stood beside him.
"You've been quiet all morning," Jordan said.
"I'm working," Jonathan replied calmly.
Before Jordan could continue, the lab door opened.
Their teacher walked in, clipboard in hand.
"Good morning, class."
The room settled immediately.
"I have an announcement before we continue."
Jonathan didn't look up right away
but his attention sharpened.
"The administration has approved a collaborative academic project between classes 11A and 11C."
The teacher continued calmly.
"I will personally choose specific students from this class," he said while looking across the laboratory.
"Those selected will be assigned to work with a student from class 11C. The partner from 11C will also be chosen according to my decision."
The room shifted slightly.
"This project is mandatory," the teacher added. "It will count toward your academic evaluation."
Jonathan stood quietly at his station.
Work with someone from another class.
He didn't know who it would be
and he didn't try to guess.
To him, it was simply another academic assignment.
More coordination.
More deadlines.
More responsibility.
It meant adjusting his schedule and making sure it didn't interfere with his research goals.
Nothing more.
Jordan leaned closer and whispered,
"What, are they bored? Is this really what they came up with?"
Jonathan replied flatly, "It's part of the curriculum."
Jordan shrugged. "Still feels unnecessary."
Jonathan didn't react.
He adjusted his goggles, checked the measurements on the table, and returned his focus to the experiment in front of him.
Whatever names the teacher announced later —
He would treat it like any other task.
Professionally.
To be continued…