"You remember me, right, buddy?" someone said, a hand landing casually on Evanâs shoulder.
"You..." Evan didnât even need to turn around. That voice, that vibeâit could only be one person.
And sure enough, when he looked back, his hunch was right.
James stood there, grinning.
"What are you doing here?" Evan asked, genuinely surprised. He thought heâd been separated from his friends for good. Maybe luck hadnât completely abandoned him after all.
"I'm in the same section as youâSection A," James replied with a grin. "Why? Not happy to see me?"
"No, no. Iâm just... surprised. Honestly, Iâm really glad," Evan said, smiling. "But what about Rey? I didnât see him."
"Oh, Reyâs in Section B," James explained. "They split us up."
Evan blinked, confused. "Wait⊠but youâre still friends? Arenât classmates usually in the same section?"
James raised an eyebrow. "You do realize friends can exist outside your homeroom, right? Youâve seen students from different classes hanging out."
"...Right," Evan mumbled, still looking a bit unconvinced.
"Anyway, when I walked in earlier, I didnât see you," Evan said, remembering the empty seat next to him.
"Oh, I was snoozing in the back. Had to stay up all night working," James yawned, pointing to his lonely desk.
"Want to come sit with me? Or would you rather stay here with this grumpy dude?" he added, jerking a thumb toward Rook.
Rook's jaw twitched, but he didnât say anything. He knew James wasnât someone to mess with casually.
Evan glanced around. "Wonât your usual partner mind?"
"I sit alone anyway. Keeps the drama low."
"Alright then, Iâll join you. I donât think I can study well with this tension," Evan whispered, packing up.
"Cool. Iâll lend you my notes till you catch up," James offered, handing him a neat notebook.
The two began chatting while waiting for the next teacher.
Unbeknownst to Evan, just sitting with James caused a ripple in the classroom.
"Hey, isnât that the new guy? The one sitting with James?"
"Yeah, I thought he was some no-name nerd, but if heâs with James⊠maybe heâs rich."
"Totally. James only hangs with big shots. Maybe heâs a gangster's kid... or like, the secret heir of some elite family?"
And just like that, the rumors took flightâwhispers fluttering from desk to desk, even leaking into other sections.
Soon after, the classroom quieted as the next period began. With James beside him, Evan finally managed to follow the lessons.
Then came the most awaited time for many students:
Lunch Break.
The room buzzed with chatter as students rushed out, some heading to meet friends in other sections.
"Yo Evan, letâs hit the cafeteria," James said, tugging him along.
"Wait, I brought my lunch," Evan said, pulling out a plain yellow cloth-wrapped box.
"Ooh, homemade food, huh? Letâs eat with Rey. He should be waiting," James said, already walking.
At the cafeteria, they spotted Rey sitting at a table.
"Hey James, grab something quick before weâ"
Rey stopped mid-sentence as the student behind James came into view.
"Evan?! You found him first?!"
"Surprise," Evan smiled, taking a seat beside him.
"Man, I hope you like our school," Rey said, half-talking, half-munching.
"Yeah, James and I met earlier, and we figured weâd eat with you," Evan replied.
"Iâll get some food," James said, heading off.
"Wait, you could just share with us," Evan offered.
"Nah, I donât do homemade food," James called over his shoulder. "Even if I bring it, I wonât eat it."
"Heyâ" Evan started, but Rey cut him off.
"Donât bother. Iâve tried for a year. Heâs stubborn like a boulder."
"But how hard can it be toâ"
"Harder than youâd think."
James returned with two cheese sandwiches and a soft drink.
Meanwhile, Evan unwrapped his lunchâfour golden chicken drumsticks nestled with steamed veggies, a chocolate cupcake topped with chips, and a side of dipping sauce.
James did a double-take.
"...Okay, Evan. Level with me. Which family do you belong to?"
Rey nodded. "Seriously. That looks like a luxury chefâs bento. You sure youâre not the kid from those Section A rumors? Yâknow, the secret heir or gangsterâs son?"
"What? No! I'm just a regular, everyday normal mâow!"
Evan winced mid-sentence as he accidentally bit his tongue. Hard.
[System Alert: Attempting to belt out copyrighted lyrics in broad daylight? Tsk tsk. This is your first and only warning. Next time, weâre confiscating your mic. Keep the concerts in the shower, bro.]
{A/N: You again?! I thought you died in the last chapterâs cliffhanger! Still coming back for more, huh? You tired of living?}
Heh. You think
that
pathetic excuse of a plot twist could kill
me
? Hah! Go eat dirt, author. Do you ever hear aâLEGENDS NEVER DIE! YAHHHHHHHHHâ
vanishes dramatically
đ„
{A/N: Oh, youâre so dead. The warâs officially on. I swear this story wonât end until I erase you from existence.}
"Okay... so it
was
just a rumor," Rey said, leaning back. "But how did you end up in Section A? That class was already locked. Even rich kids couldnât buy their way in."
He looked at Evan, suspicious yet curious. Deep down, Rey felt Evanâs identity was...
off.
Something about it didnât add up.
Only time would tell if that hunch was paranoia... or prophecy.