"So why weren't you in school yesterday?" Kruel asked Mike the next day as they dropped their bags on the desk.
"My cousin came over," Mike replied casually.
"So your parents let you skip school because of your cousin?" Kruel shook his head in disbelief. "Your dad even allowed that? Wow."
"No, bro." Mike chuckled. "She's gonna be schooling here."
Kruel frowned. "Where is she?"
"She's with Principal Gerad," Mike said just as their teacher walked in. To Kruel's surprise, Principal Gerad also stepped into the classroom—followed by a girl Kruel guessed immediately had to be Mike's cousin.
He was right.
The girl was around Kruel's height, maybe an inch shorter, and carried herself with an aura that seemed heavier than her years. She didn't smile. She didn't wave. Her appearance gave her a sharp, almost wicked look, like someone who had lived through too many fights. And those eyes: dark, piercing, as if she had drawn eyeliner just to look scarier. When her gaze flicked briefly toward Kruel, she reminded him of Drey. The same intensity, the same unreadable stare.
Principal Gerad cleared his throat. "This is Nira Johnson, our new student. She will be joining this class effective immediately. Teachers, please ensure she is seated in the front row in all her classes."
The class buzzed with whispers as Gerad left. Even the teacher had to bang the desk twice to calm the noise.
Kruel leaned sideways toward Mike. "What was that about? Why the special instructions?"
Mike glanced at his cousin, who had taken a seat directly in front of Kruel, and sighed. "Well… my cousin's pretty crazy. She got into some bad stuff in her old school."
"Drugs?" Kruel asked in a low voice.
"No, not that." Mike frowned. "She almost killed someone in a fight. She's like that, always getting into fights. But she's… getting better now."
"Right," Kruel said dryly. "And bringing her to Wincher Lisa would fix that." He didn't even bother hiding the sarcasm.
"Just so you know," Mike added, lowering his voice as the teacher started writing on the board, "we have to make sure she doesn't get into trouble. She has to sit with us at lunch."
Kruel raised a brow. Was that supposed to scare him?
Lunch Hour
Just as Mike had predicted, Nira sat with them during lunch. Normally, Kruel and Mike ate alone, but today was different. A few curious students hovered around, drawn like moths to Nira's flame.
Some wanted her in their afterschool clubs. Others wanted to be her friend. And a few, bold and stupid, came outright asking if she wanted to join their gangs.
Kruel's irritation grew with every passing second. Mike's temper wasn't any better. He barked at anyone who dared approach their table.
Nira ignored them all. She ate slowly, with no expression, as if the world around her didn't matter.
The worst moment came when Danilo Carson plopped into the empty chair beside her.
Danilo was a decent guy, nice and brave, but cursed with a body that betrayed him. He sweated constantly. Even on freezing mornings, he'd be drenched, his shirt sticking to his back, his forehead dripping like he had just finished a marathon. Students often avoided him because of it.
But he was respected. Danilo had saved lives once—dragging injured kids out of the gym when the school was attacked last year, nearly dying in the process. The city had even given him a citizenship award.
"This is awful," Mike muttered under his breath.
Danilo launched into an endless stream of chatter directed at Nira, who only poked at her food, silent and unbothered. Kruel watched her glance up once, her dark eyes locking with his. They stared at each other for a brief moment that stretched longer than it should have, until she broke it by looking back at her tray.
Eventually, Danilo gave up, embarrassed, and sank into silence.
Kruel wasn't sure if he felt relief or disappointment.
After Class
The final bell was minutes away. Students broke into their usual end-of-day groups, some laughing, some planning mischief.
Kruel and Mike sat facing each other, still talking. Nira, as usual, was in her own world, doodling in her notebook.
"I forgot to tell you," Kruel said, lowering his voice. "Grayt Shaw came to me yesterday during break."
Mike stiffened. His jaw clenched. "He did? Did he hurt you?"
Kruel chuckled lightly. He thought he heard Nira do the same, though it was so faint he couldn't be sure. "No. He asked me to join his gang."
"What?" Mike's eyes widened. "Why would he want you to join his gang?"
Kruel hesitated. He didn't want to mention Drey or Jessica. He didn't want to drag Mike into that mess. "I don't know," he lied. "He said he wanted me to learn how to fight."
A soft laugh escaped from the desk in front of them. Nira.
Kruel glanced at her, unsettled. Why did she laugh?
Mike ignored it. "That's unnecessary. You don't need to join a gang to learn self-defense. Just join the karate club or something."
"I guess so," Kruel muttered, though his mind was elsewhere.
Nira suddenly turned and slid her notebook toward him. On the page was a drawing, a near-perfect sketch of one of their teachers. The resemblance was uncanny.
Kruel gaped. "This is…" He swallowed. "…good."
"Good?" she repeated. It was the first time she had spoken to him. Her voice was low, girlish yet edged with something sharp. "You call that good?"
"I mean, it's great, actually," Kruel said quickly, feeling strangely jumpy.
"If you like that," Mike said with a grin, "you should see her other drawings."
Kruel's heartbeat quickened as he looked at her. She smiled. He didn't smile back, but inside, he felt like he might explode.
"Y'know, Kruel's an artist too," Mike added with a mischievous look. "He can draw as good as you. Hey, you should join the art club."
"Nah." Nira shook her head, her smile fading. "If I do, I'll dominate it."
Kruel raised a brow. "Why do you think so? I'm actually the number one there."
"Don't be scared." She smirked and turned away. "I'm not really gonna join your little club."
Mike laughed. "Actually, you have to join a club. It's mandatory."
Nira glanced at them. "I guess I'll join the karate club then." She gave a fake smile.
Kruel felt a pang of disappointment. What a waste of talent. The art club could use her, but it wasn't just that. He couldn't explain why it bothered him.
She went back to doodling. Then, without looking up, she asked:
"You said you encountered a bully, right?"
Kruel shrugged. Mike nodded.
"Does he always bully you both?" Her eyes flicked with a dangerous glint.
Mike nodded again.
"What do you want to do?" she asked.
Kruel frowned. He didn't need anyone's help. Grayt was the least of his problems. "Nothing," he said.
"Interesting." Nira finally looked at him, her gaze sharp. "I'm just curious why you didn't do anything."
Kruel blinked. His heart was racing again. He couldn't tell if she was mocking him, testing him, or… flirting with him. Girls didn't talk to him like that. Ever.
Before he could respond, the bell rang, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Everyone grabbed their things and headed to their afterschool clubs.