The silence broke with the heavy swing of the double doors and a wave of laughter and chatter. Three figures entered, their presence immediately warping the hushed atmosphere. Kael Collins led, his stride easy and confident, flanked by Maicon and Jacson. They scanned the room, their eyes passing over the scattered students before landing on you.

Kael’s lips curved into a slow, deliberate smile. He cut a path straight through the stacks, his friends trailing like shadows. The sound of his expensive sneakers on the linoleum grew louder, then stopped right beside your table.