The next day arrived with the crisp stillness of early morning.

Vaelis moved through her routine with practiced ease, slipping into her uniform and stepping out before the household fully stirred. The air was cool, the city just beginning to wake, but she didn’t linger to appreciate it.

She had no interest in fleeting moments of peace.

Not when she had more important things to focus on.

—

The school day continued with an unshaken rhythm, but Vaelis felt the shift.

Her confrontation with Alicia yesterday had set the tone—lines were being drawn, whether spoken or unspoken.

She wasn’t oblivious to the lingering glances cast her way as she walked through the corridors. Some were wary, others curious.

But none of them mattered.

The only thing that did was proving, time and time again, that she wasn’t someone to be dismissed.

—

The afternoon sun filtered through the classroom windows when their homeroom teacher cleared his throat.

“We’ll be forming project teams for the upcoming academic evaluation,” he announced. “Each group will be assigned according to their current performance ranking.”

Vaelis barely paid attention. Group work had never interested her. She preferred working alone—efficient, direct, free of unnecessary obstacles.

Yet, when the teacher began reading out names, her disinterest vanished.

“Alicia Langford, Rowan Sinclair, Adrian Voss…”

A pause.

“And Vaelis Cara.”

Silence.

She heard the murmurs before she saw the expressions.

"That’s an unexpected team."

"Alicia and Vaelis in the same group? This will be interesting."

From beside her, Rowan let out a slow smirk.

“Well, well,” he mused. “Looks like we’re a team.”

She ignored him, turning instead to the teacher.

“I prefer to work alone.”

A ripple of hushed shock followed her words.

Alicia’s expression remained poised, though her eyes flickered with something unreadable. Adrian, as always, remained silent.

The teacher sighed. “No exceptions. Work together.”

Vaelis inhaled slowly before taking her seat.

She felt Alicia’s gaze on her.

Felt Adrian watching from his usual composed distance.

And Rowan—Rowan, with his ever-present amusement—leaned slightly closer.

“This is going to be fun,” he murmured.

Vaelis didn’t reply.

It wouldn’t be fun.

It would be war.

—

The project discussion took place after class, inside the quiet confines of the library.

Alicia had taken immediate control, her words practiced and smooth.

“I suggest we divide the work accordingly,” she said, glancing at the neatly prepared notes in front of her. “Rowan and I will handle the research. Adrian will compile the data. Vaelis—”

A slight hesitation.

“You can proofread and finalize everything.”

Silence.

Rowan leaned back in his chair, clearly entertained. Adrian turned a page in his book, not reacting.

Vaelis, however, only tilted her head.

“You’re assigning me the finishing touches?”

Alicia smiled, polite as always. “It plays to everyone’s strengths.”

Vaelis let out a quiet hum.

“No.”

The simplicity of the word made Alicia’s expression falter for the briefest moment.

“I’ll take research and analysis.”

Alicia’s lips pressed together, but her voice remained steady. “That’s already assigned—”

“Then reassign it.”

Another silence.

This time, Rowan let out a low whistle. “She doesn’t hold back, does she?”

Vaelis didn’t look at him.

She kept her focus on Alicia, watching as the other girl carefully measured her next words.

Finally, Alicia exhaled lightly, her expression never breaking. “Fine. Then we’ll divide the research.”

“Good.”

The tension was subtle yet sharp.

And as the meeting continued, Vaelis knew—this was only the beginning.By the time evening approached, Vaelis remained in the library, her fingers gliding across the pages of an old reference book. The earlier discussion with Alicia had done little to unsettle her—if anything, it had only reinforced what she already knew.

This project wouldn’t be a simple academic task. It was a battle of control.

The library was nearly empty by now, the soft hum of distant voices blending with the rustle of pages. Vaelis had no interest in lingering longer than necessary, but just as she prepared to pack up, she noticed a shadow fall across her desk.

Adrian Voss.

He stood there, quiet, unreadable as always, his presence neither overbearing nor insignificant. He hadn’t spoken much during the meeting, yet now, in this near-empty space, he regarded her with an expression she couldn’t quite place.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice steady.

A pause. Then, his gaze dropped slightly to the book in front of her.

“You work fast.”

Vaelis didn’t react. “Efficiency is key.”

For a moment, it seemed like he might say more, but before the silence could stretch further—

“Ah, look at this,” Rowan’s voice cut in, smooth and amused as he leaned against a nearby bookshelf. “The top student and the silent genius having a moment. Should I give you two privacy?”

Vaelis barely glanced at him. “You talk too much.”

Rowan grinned. “And you talk too little. Perfect balance.”

Adrian didn’t respond to either of them, instead shifting his focus back to his book. He had no interest in meaningless banter.

Vaelis, on the other hand, had no interest in wasting any more time. Closing her notebook, she stood, her movements precise.

“I’ll handle my part of the project,” she said, directing it to neither of them in particular. “I expect the same from you.”

Rowan smirked, pushing off the shelf. “So demanding. Makes me wonder how Alicia's holding up.”

“Not my concern.”

With that, Vaelis walked past them, her departure unhurried but absolute.

Adrian watched her go, expression unreadable.

Rowan, on the other hand, let out a low chuckle. “She really is something, huh?”

Adrian didn’t answer.

Because for the first time, he found himself actually paying attention.