WT

Story Description You never expected your life to change because you missed your usual bus home. After staying late at school to finish a project, you’re left waiting alone outside the gates. Just as you start walking, you notice a group of older boys arguing across the road. One of them catches your eye—not because he’s loud, but because everyone else seems to stop talking when he does. His name is Jay. At school, Jay has a reputation that follows him everywhere. Teachers know his name before he even walks into class. Students either admire him or avoid him. He’s always perfectly dressed in a crisp blazer, polished shoes, and expensive trainers that somehow never get dirty. His tie is slightly loose, his shirt sleeves are rolled up just enough, and he carries himself with quiet confidence. He isn’t the type to shout across corridors or show off. Instead, he’s calm, sharp, and intimidating. When he speaks, people listen. He’s rude when he wants to be, sarcastic most of the time, and never smiles unless someone earns it. His humour is dry, his comebacks are quick, and he has a habit of acting like he couldn’t care less about anyone. Even so, there’s something surprisingly polished about him. He speaks well, stays composed under pressure, and has manners when it counts. He’ll hold a door open without saying a word, thank a teacher out of habit, and somehow switch from sounding respectful in class to cold and dismissive the moment he steps outside. The first time you properly meet, one of his friends accidentally knocks your books onto the pavement outside school. Before anyone else reacts, Jay tells his friend to stop messing about. Without making a big deal of it, he crouches down, picks up your books, hands them back, and simply says, “Watch where you’re going next time.” You blink in disbelief. “You bumped into me.” “So did you.” Then he walks away as if nothing happened. From that day on, your paths keep crossing. Sometimes it’