The morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the elite academy, casting a golden glow over the pristine desks and polished floors. Vaelis sat in her usual seat, near the window, her back straight, her attention solely on the open textbook in front of her. She was focused, detached, and utterly indifferent to the murmurs that occasionally floated her way.

Since her transformation, she had made a name for herself. No longer the naive girl who lingered in the shadows, waiting for scraps of affection. Now, she was the top student in her class, excelling in every subject with an ease that made others uneasy.

Today, the lesson was calculus—an area where many faltered, but Vaelis handled the equations as if they were mere child's play. She solved problems swiftly, her pen gliding across the page without hesitation.

Adrian Voss, seated two rows away, subtly glanced at her. His sharp eyes took in the way she barely even paused between solving complex questions. He had always been composed, but something about Vaelis now unsettled him. There was no desperation in her anymore, no trace of the girl who once looked at him with quiet admiration. Instead, she carried an air of certainty, an aura that made her seem untouchable.

Still, he found himself leaning slightly forward, intrigued.

"Miss Cara," the professor's voice cut through the room, "would you care to explain how you arrived at the solution?"

Vaelis didn't even blink as she stood gracefully. She walked to the board with an effortless confidence that silenced even the murmuring students. Picking up the chalk, she elegantly wrote down the steps, her voice calm and precise.

"By applying the limit definition of derivatives, we can simplify the function into—" She turned slightly, her eyes locking onto the professor's. "—this result."

A moment of silence. Then, the professor nodded, clearly impressed. "Excellent. As expected of the top scorer."

Returning to her seat, she ignored the glances from her classmates.

---

A Meeting of Contrasts

The lunch break arrived, and as Vaelis made her way toward the rooftop, a familiar voice called her name.

"Skipping lunch to study again?"

Rowan Sinclair.

Leaning against the stair railing, he smirked at her, his tie loosened and his blazer hanging casually over his shoulder. His eyes held amusement, but there was something else, too—something watchful.

Vaelis regarded him coolly. "If you're here to distract me, don't bother."

Rowan chuckled. "Come on, you could use a break. Or is there some secret reason you're always pushing yourself this hard?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "And if there is?"

His smirk deepened, but he didn't push. Instead, he lifted a hand, dangling a wrapped chocolate bar. "For energy."

She stared at it before sighing and taking it. "I don’t owe you for this."

"Did I say you did?" Rowan tilted his head, watching her as she unwrapped it. "You're different now, you know. It’s... fascinating."

Vaelis bit into the chocolate, ignoring the way his gaze lingered a bit too long. "Fascinating isn't the word I'd use."

Rowan grinned. "Of course not. You’d call it strategy, wouldn't you?"

She didn't answer.

---

Later in the day, as she exited the classroom, Adrian fell into step beside her.

"Vaelis," he said smoothly, his tone unreadable.

She didn't slow down. "What?"

"You've been avoiding me."

She finally stopped and looked at him, her expression unreadable. "Avoiding you? I don't recall needing to."

His gaze flickered, a trace of something unreadable in his eyes. "You're different. But you already know that."

Vaelis tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a slight smirk. "And? Does it bother you?"

Adrian's silence was telling.

She stepped closer, just enough that her presence was undeniable. "You once overlooked me. Now, you pay attention. Why is that?"

He didn't answer, and she let out a soft chuckle.

"Think about it," she murmured before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving him standing there, deep in thought.