The school announcer's voice suddenly cut out, leaving a sense of shock hanging in the air at Zenith Academy. Students stared at their phones, eyes wide with disbelief. The breakfast hall, which had been filled with chatter, was now alive with a different kind of noise: furious whispers. “Mandatory? Seriously?!” “Ember Blackwood? And Maya Gupta?” The names reverberated through the hall, a mix of Zenith's most famous, its infamous, and its quieter students. Everyone knew who they were talking about.
Kael, seeing the email, simply raised an eyebrow. He listened to the chattering students, a thought forming: Hmm, it seems like things are going to get interesting. He sighed to himself. There goes my peaceful school life. A tiny, almost unnoticeable smile played on his lips. This was new. For the first time, someone had sparked his interest. He looked at students rushing towards the Boardroom, then mixed among them, his athletic, strong figure moving with an almost invisible presence.
In a quiet corridor, a group of girls looked shocked. Ember leaned against the wall, staring at a message on her phone with a slight frown. What is that old lady planning? Does she want to shut down the school or make it a place where everyone fights? How can these eccentric people, with their strong personalities, get along or work together?
As Ember contemplated this, Chloe, one of the girls in the group, called out to her. Chloe was chosen alongside Ember, not just because her family was wealthy, but also due to her exceptional information-gathering skills and keen observation.
Chloe, noticing Ember's quiet, distant expression, approached her. “Ember, what are you thinking about?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Ember shook her head, saying nothing. Chloe didn't press, but her voice held a touch of anxiety. “Ember, what do you think Principal Vance wants? If we’re all put in the same class, why were we chosen? Some of them are even more troublesome and infamous than us. Won’t the school turn into chaos?”
Ember listened for a moment before speaking with a cold and clear voice. "It doesn't matter what she wants to do. I can handle it. And of course, we were chosen; this school can’t function without us. As for our soon-to-be classmates, the rule is simple: as long as they don’t mess with me, I won’t mess with them."
With that, Ember turned to Chloe and the others. “Let’s go. We can't be late for the meeting,” she said, leading the way to the Boardroom, with her friends following behind.
Kenji felt angry and humiliated after what happened in the cafeteria. The new email only made things worse. He was furious at Maya, whose face he couldn't get out of his head. Now, he was stuck in a class with Ember Blackwood, the girl who embarrassed him publicly, and Maya Gupta, the girl he had just threatened. This felt like a cruel joke. His followers stayed away, sensing his anger. He checked his phone again, hoping the names would change, but they didn't. His jaw tightened. He would not let Maya get away with this. But his main focus was Ember.
When Ember arrived, a crowd had already gathered at the Boardroom door. Some people were just curious and wanted to see what would happen. Others were the few whose names were on the surprising list, though Ember didn’t know all of them.
The Boardroom was the true face of Zenith Academy: cold, powerful, and very tidy. A large, shiny mahogany table took up the center, surrounded by tall, dark leather chairs. Portraits of serious past principals lined the walls, with their achievements written on silent brass plaques. The air smelled of old wood and something that felt slightly clinical.
As the selected students entered after their last classes, the room buzzed with tension. No one wanted to sit in the head chair. Ember arrived a few minutes late, as expected. She looked around the room with mild disgust and chose a chair near the windows, away from the center. Her eyes moved over the nervous faces, stopping briefly on Kenji, who sat with his arms crossed, glaring straight ahead. Maya, small and anxious, curled up in a chair by the door, practically trying to blend in.
Kael entered quietly and sat in a chair at the back. He looked between the main points of tension—Ember and Kenji—and the anxious energy of the other students. This is going to be interesting, he thought again.
The sudden click of the door made everyone look up. Principal Eleanor Vance walked in, her heels echoing loudly on the polished floor. She carried a strong presence: a neatly fitted dark suit and silver hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her sharp eyes scanned the students, lingering for a moment on Ember. There was no warmth or smile on her face.
"Welcome," she began, her voice sharp and precise. It wasn't loud, but it silenced the room instantly. "You are here because you represent the future of Zenith Academy. The Advanced Studies Track is not an option; it is an obligation. An obligation to yourselves, to this institution, and to the progress we demand."
She paused, narrowing her eyes to ensure every student felt the weight of her gaze. "This program will break you down and build you back up. It will force you to interact, collaborate, and, yes, confront yourselves. Forget your little groups. Forget your petty rivalries. In this room, you are all equals. You are here to learn—every single one of you. Especially those who think they already know everything." Her eyes flickered to Ember, then to Kenji, delivering a silent, ice-cold warning.
Ember leaned back in her chair, meeting the Principal's gaze with her trademark bored indifference. The slight tension in her brows however, betrayed her. Kenji's fists tightened even more beneath the table. Meanwhile, Kael looked at everyone's reaction, a tiny, almost invisible smile curving his lips. He knew this was just the beginning.
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