chapter one- first glances

September 21. The first day of high school.

Overwhelming, he thought, staring at the doors. Welcoming tables were lined with candy baskets. His eyes—the deep onyx of almonds, shadows of purple beneath them betraying too many sleepless nights—brightened. His sweet tooth nearly betrayed him.

But he hesitated, looking around, thoughts racing. Is this for new students? Or the teachers? No…teachers wouldn’t leave it here. Maybe staff? What if I take one and everyone sees me…greedy?

He shook his head violently, forcing his long, wavy dark brown hair back from his face, masking his panic with his usual chilly confidence. Shoulders straightened, his healthy frame feeling heavier in his own mind than it probably looked.

Slowly, he made his way to the news board, scanning the list of names. Aether Kael. Class A1. Room 16. Last four.

A faint knot of tension tightened in his chest—another first-day first impression he had to survive.

The classroom looked warm and cozy, but all Aether could feel was the weight of dozens of eyes on him. His chest tightened, palms damp—he had never felt anxiety this intense.

“Did you see the new kid?” whispered Sarah, blond hair falling over her shoulder, to her friend Emily, who adjusted her pink dress nervously.

Aether tried to ignore them, hoping to slip straight to a seat, like always. But Professor Smith cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

“Alright everyone, please welcome your new classmate. Would you introduce yourself?”

Aether froze. He hadn’t prepared for this. The whispers grew louder. What do I even say? I need to make a good entrance. A reputation to build…

He cleared his throat and spoke, keeping his gaze on the wall behind the classroom. “Greetings. I am Aether Kael… from northwest Africa.”

The room went silent for a moment—then muffled snickers. Aether raised an eyebrow, annoyed. What the—my accent is fine. A bit different, maybe, but fine. Tsk, childish.

“Nice to meet you, Aether. Why don’t you sit next to Luna?” Professor Smith pointed to the girl with dark hair sitting alone in the middle row.

Aether’s curiosity piqued, but Luna’s cold voice stopped him before he could step closer.

“You better not be one of those quiet and mysterious types,” she said without looking up.

Aether’s eyes narrowed. How dare she— He cut himself off, forcing his voice cold. “And you better not speak to me.”

Luna finally glanced up, her defiant gaze meeting his. “Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine?” she said sarcastically.

Some students stifled laughter at the exchange. Professor Smith waved a hand, trying to keep order.

“Alright, alright. Aether, please take your seat,” he said, gesturing again.

As Aether made his way to the desk next to Luna, he felt a presence from across the room. Damian, tall, sleek, and effortlessly confident, leaned casually against his desk, tennis bag slung over his shoulder. His dark hair was brushed back, sharp jawline catching the soft classroom light, and his grey-blue eyes flicked toward Aether with interest.

Aether didn’t notice it—too wrapped up in his overthinking—but Damian’s gaze lingered. Something about the quiet, flustered boy standing frozen in the middle of the room intrigued him, sparking a curiosity he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Even from across the room, Damian caught the little details: the emerald-green notebook trembling slightly in Aether’s hands, the faint purple shadows under his eyes hinting at exhaustion, and the subtle tension that seemed to cling to him like a second skin.

Aether sat down, notebooks almost falling, and tried to steady his breathing. Little did he know, someone across the room had already noticed him—and that the story of two very different boys had just begun.

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