The classroom buzzed with quiet whispers even after the teacher started the lesson.
Mayson could hear every word.
He rested his chin against his hand, pretending to look at the paper in front of him while the class settled down.
But his attention wasn't on the lesson.
It was on the sounds around him.
Two girls behind him leaned closer to each other.
"That's him," one whispered.
"The new guy?"
"Yeah. I told you he was handsome."
Another voice joined them.
"Do you think he plays sports?"
"I hope he joins the football team."
Mayson resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Humans really had no sense of subtlety.
Beside him, the girl from the coffee shop continued reading something in her notebook, completely ignoring the whispering storm happening behind them.
He glanced at her.
She noticed immediately.
"You're staring," she said quietly without looking up.
"I'm observing."
"That sounds worse."
"It's more accurate."
She finally looked over at him, studying his face for a second.
"You're definitely not from around here."
"That obvious?"
"People here don't walk into coffee shops and insult hot chocolate."
He shrugged slightly.
"I was being honest."
She closed her notebook and leaned back in her chair.
"Well, honest guy from somewhere else, you should know something."
"What's that?"
"This school loves gossip."
"I noticed."
"You've been here about five minutes and half the girls already think you're the most interesting thing that's happened all year."
"That sounds exhausting."
She laughed quietly.
"You'll get used to it."
The teacher suddenly turned from the board.
"Miss Carter."
The girl beside him straightened.
"Yes?"
"Less talking, more listening."
She nodded quickly.
"Sorry."
The teacher's eyes shifted toward Mayson.
"You must be our transfer student."
"Mayson Winchester."
"Right. Let's see what kind of education you're bringing with you."
The teacher picked up a piece of chalk and wrote a complicated equation across the board.
Most of the students groaned.
Even the girl beside him frowned.
The teacher turned around again.
"Mr. Winchester."
Mayson looked up calmly.
"Yes?"
"Why don't you come up here and solve this for us?"
A few students immediately whispered.
"Oh this will be good."
"Watch the new guy embarrass himself."
Mayson stood slowly.
The walk to the board was short.
He glanced at the equation once.
Just once.
Then picked up the chalk.
The answer came quickly.
Numbers moved across the board in smooth strokes.
Step after step.
No hesitation.
No second guesses.
When he finished, he placed the chalk down and stepped back.
The room was silent.
The teacher stared at the board.
Then looked at Mayson.
Then back at the board.
"That's… correct."
A few students straightened in their seats.
"No way."
"He didn't even think about it."
The girl beside his seat leaned forward slightly, studying the board.
Then she looked at him.
"You did that really fast."
Mayson returned to his seat.
"It wasn't difficult."
She raised an eyebrow.
"For you maybe."
The teacher cleared his throat and continued the lesson, though his tone sounded slightly more cautious now.
Mayson leaned back in his chair.
He could feel eyes on him again.
Curious ones.
Impressed ones.
A few jealous ones.
School might not be so boring after all.
Lunch was even worse.
The cafeteria exploded with noise the second he walked in.
Whispers spread through the room like wildfire.
"That's him."
"The new guy."
"Look at him."
Three girls sitting near the center table waved him over.
"Hey!"
Mayson noticed.
He kept walking.
Their smiles faded slightly.
He grabbed a tray and picked up random food he had no intention of eating.
Human food rarely interested him.
But appearances mattered.
He sat down at an empty table near the windows.
Within seconds someone sat across from him.
It was the girl from his class.
"You're popular," she said.
"I noticed."
She unwrapped a sandwich and took a bite.
"You didn't answer earlier."
"About what?"
"Where you moved from."
"Different places."
"That's vague."
"It's accurate."
She studied him for a moment.
"You're weird."
"I've been told that before."
She smiled slightly.
"I'm Lily, by the way."
"Mayson."
"I know."
"You asked earlier."
"True."
Across the cafeteria the football team sat at a large table, laughing loudly.
One of them leaned back in his chair and nodded toward Mayson.
"That's the new guy?"
Another player turned.
"Looks like it."
"Coach said we're getting a transfer today."
"Think he can actually play?"
Mayson heard every word.
He didn't react.
Lily followed his gaze toward the team.
"You thinking about trying out?"
"Maybe."
"You'd probably make the team."
"Why do you say that?"
"You solved that math problem like it was nothing."
"That's not football."
"No, but it means you're probably annoying good at things."
He smirked slightly.
"That's a compliment?"
"Depends how humble you are."
Mayson glanced down at the food on his tray.
He pushed it around slightly.
Lily noticed.
"You're not eating."
"Not hungry."
"That's weird. Everyone's always hungry during lunch."
He shrugged.
"I ate earlier."
Technically true.
Just not human food.
The bell rang a few minutes later.
Students started standing up and heading toward the exits.
Lily grabbed her bag.
"See you in class, hot chocolate guy."
Mayson sighed quietly.
"That nickname is going to stick, isn't it?"
"Probably."
She walked away laughing.
Mayson watched her go for a moment before standing.
The hallway outside buzzed with students again.
Some nodded at him.
Others stared openly.
One girl even walked up beside him.
"Hey."
He looked down slightly.
"Yes?"
"You're new, right?"
"Yes."
She smiled brightly.
"Do you want to sit with us tomorrow?"
Mayson thought about it.
Then shook his head slightly.
"I usually read during lunch."
"You read?"
"Books."
She blinked.
"Oh."
Then laughed awkwardly.
"Well… if you change your mind…"
She walked away.
Mayson continued down the hallway.
Broken Falls High was exactly what he expected.
Loud.
Curious.
Chaotic.
But somewhere in the back of his mind a different thought formed.
This town didn't feel normal.
His senses kept catching strange things.
Heartbeats that were too calm.
Smells that didn't belong.
Eyes watching him from places humans shouldn't notice.
Mayson smiled slightly as he walked outside toward the football field.