[End of Class - Amphitheater Classroom - Cassius's Perspective]
When the bell rang, I could almost physically feel the collective sigh of relief in the amphitheater. A three-hour tension session had ended, everyone grateful for surviving Aurex Cassimar's mental arena. The students' haste in gathering their belongings carried an atmosphere of panic, as if the professor might change his mind and lock the doors.
I was calm. For someone born and raised in Apexia, people like Aurex Cassimar weren't foreign. They were the types who used power as an art and words as weapons, the kind of people my father dealt with every day in the Senate corridors. They were dangerous, yes. But I understood them. In their world, there was no place for weakness, and finding and breaking the weakest link was their favorite game.
The person expected to be today's weakest link had turned out to be the strongest instead. My eyes involuntarily found Octavian. He sat alone at his desk, gathering his belongings slowly, with almost mechanical precision.
Octavian Corvus... That kid was a complete enigma. His analytical ability was incredible, he could use language like a politician, and his obsession with details was the clearest sign of his perfectionist personality. There was something odd about this kid. It was like instead of showing his real self, he was constantly playing a role. Every sentence was calculated, every movement planned.
Except for his gentle behavior toward Ella and that moment of sincerity I saw when he was whispering with Marcus, he hadn't given the slightest clue about who he really was.
Then that moment had happened. When Octavian entered class late, I saw that predatory smile on Aurex's face. I noticed Octavian's color drain, freezing at the door. We all thought he was finished. But after getting over the initial shock and panic, he did something incredible. He pulled himself together and gave the professor an incredibly clever but equally risky answer. Then throughout the class, he deflected every provocation like a diplomat. This kid had incredible potential.
But how did he manage to get under the spotlight in every class? That first outburst in Professor Flavia's class, now becoming Aurex Cassimar's target... It all started with his being late. Was this terrible bad luck, or some kind of luck he wasn't even aware of? Maybe the brightest minds in this institute were tested like this from the very beginning.
Titus, sitting in the front rows, was still trembling as he gathered his things. Aurex had humiliated him badly. Several people beside him were trying to console him, but it was useless. He would never be the same after this class. That was Aurex's goal anyway.
I saw Gaius and Marcus waiting for me at the door. Gaius was impatient as always, while Marcus was... looking at Octavian. There was an understanding, almost protective expression on his face that I had never seen before. I didn't know what had happened between them, but it was definitely something much deeper than that "silent scream" joke.
I gathered my things and walked toward them. I hesitated as I passed by Octavian. He was in his own world. His face was tired but determined. As if he hadn't just emerged from a three-hour battle.
When I looked at him, I didn't just see a classmate. I felt that there was someone interesting, I saw a mystery. And most of all, I was curious about the real person hidden under that perfectionist armor.
I hope one day he opens his heart to me like he did to Ella. Because I was sure there was someone much more interesting than all of us behind this mask.
[End of Class - Amphitheater Classroom]
When the three-hour mental battle ended, the crowd exiting the amphitheater flowed like a river in the corridor. Our group tried not to lose each other in this river while everyone had one goal in mind: The cafeteria.
"I'm dying of hunger," declared Gaius, dramatically pressing his hand to his stomach. "Aurex literally sucked my soul. I need to get that energy back."
Cassius laughed. "Your energy never runs out anyway, Gaius. But I wouldn't say no to a plate of pasta."
Marcus and I followed them silently. My mind was still replaying what happened in class. Just then, a soft voice called my name.
"Octavian!"
When I turned around, I saw Ella looking at me with a worried but equally relieved expression. She had separated from her friends to come to me.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice sincere. "When you were late to class and the professor stopped you, I was very worried."
Her genuine concern instantly lightened all the tension I had accumulated in class. "I'm fine," I said, smiling involuntarily. "It was just a small mishap. I survived."
Ella smiled too. "You did more than survive. Your answer to him... everyone was very surprised."
Just then, a cheerful and attention-grabbing voice interrupted our conversation.
"Octa! I see you put on your show again today."
It was Luna with her usual two friends. All three approached us confidently as if walking on a runway. Luna's gaze was directly on me, but she didn't neglect to greet the group. "Hello, kids," she said with a cute smile.
Her gaze returned to me. "We were going to compare our notes after class, but we didn't write much of anything, did we?" she said, with calculated irony in her voice. "You didn't clean the blackboard either, by the way. I hope it didn't escape the professor's notice."
With these words, the atmosphere instantly changed. I noticed Ella's smile fade, shifting uncomfortably in place. Marcus's eyes were sparkling; he was looking at Luna with admiration, as if she had just made the world's cleverest joke.
I needed to take control of the situation. "I won't neglect my duty from the first day," I said calmly. "But it wasn't a very productive class for comparing notes, you're right. Maybe in future classes, when we actually learn something, we can study together."
This was an answer that neither rejected nor accepted her, exactly the kind I used against Aurex. Luna hesitated for a moment, then put that sweet smile back on her face. "Great idea! Then we'll keep in touch, Octa." When her friends pulled her away, they left us with "See you!"
As Luna and her group moved away, Gaius's curious voice broke the silence. "Wow... When did you meet her?"
Ella's question was sharper. "She called you 'Octa,'" she said, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. "Are you close?"
Everyone's eyes were on me. This was a social minefield. "We met on the bus this morning," I explained. "As for the 'Octa' thing... that's something she came up with. Frankly, shortening names to be close friends doesn't seem like a very sincere way to me."
Cassius raised his eyebrows. "So what is a sincere way, expert sir?"
This was a perfect setup. I thought for a moment, then turned my gaze directly to Ella.
"Maybe giving each other nicknames that suit our character would be more sincere," I said.
Gaius jumped in. "Great idea! Do you have any ideas for me?"
I pretended not to hear him. Without taking my eyes off Ella, I spoke in a soft voice.
"For example, Angel."
Ella's cheeks instantly turned pink. She looked away, smiling shyly. In that moment of silence, I saw Gaius and Cassius's mouths hanging open in amazement. They weren't expecting such a smooth and direct move. Marcus was looking at me as if he had watched a magician's greatest trick, as if to say "Is this really an expert?"
I broke the silence again. "Come on," I said cheerfully. "I'm hungry as a wolf."
We started walking toward the cafeteria. I could hear the whispers behind me and Gaius saying "Angel? Wow..."
When we got our food and sat at a table, the atmosphere had relaxed a bit more. Ella was still a little shy but had a happy expression on her face. The conversation continued about classes, teachers, and life at the institute. After eating, we needed to find a place for our afternoon distance learning classes.
"There are empty study rooms near the library," said Cassius. "It's quiet and has good internet."
This idea appealed to all of us. We cleared our plates and headed toward the massive library on the other side of campus.
The silence of the library was like a refuge after the campus noise outside. As Cassius had said, the small study room we found on the upper floors was spacious enough to accommodate all of us comfortably. The glass walls looked out onto the corridor, but the inside was completely ours. As everyone took out their tablets and settled at the table, we began preparing for the afternoon "Constitutional History of the Valerian Republic" class.
When class started, I tried to focus on the professor's hoarse voice coming through my headphones. But my mind was filled with echoes of that moment I had left in the cafeteria.
What the hell did I do?
This question was hammering inside my brain. Calling Ella "Angel"... This wasn't one of the hundreds of scenarios I had prepared, one of the dozens of tactics I had memorized. It was completely out of control, completely instinctual. It wasn't calculated. And that was the most frightening part. A crack had formed in the walls of the new me I was trying to build, and the old, thoughtless Octavian had burst out.
Throughout the meal, I wore my best mask to suppress this thought. I pretended to understand jokes, joined the conversation with meaningless comments, acted normal. But a storm was raging inside me. I really loved her, Ella, as a human being. I wanted her to be by my side as a friend, to see that sincere smile of hers more often. We hadn't shared much yet, but I hoped we would. The nickname I gave her was an uncontrolled expression of this hope. What if I scared her? What if this sudden move pushed her away from me?
Then Luna came to mind. That calculated smile on her face, her measured and weighed mannerisms... The complete opposite of Ella's pure concern. And Marcus... I had noticed how he perked up every time Luna's name was mentioned during the meal. He liked that girl, it was very obvious. If Marcus came and asked for my help, would I help them get together? I would. But Marcus was quiet and someone on his own inner journey like me. He was my companion. It was very likely that someone like Luna would hurt him for a whim.
Could I allow that?
My father's voice echoed in my mind. "There will be those you need to protect." I understood then. What was the real purpose of my project to build a new me? To be strong, yes. But why? To be able to protect those I love. Marcus, maybe Ella someday... I will protect them. I don't care what happens to me on this path.
"Octavian?"
What separated me from my thoughts was Ella's whisper. I took off one of my headphones. She was looking at me sweetly but reproachfully.
"The professor asked the same question three times," she said. "Just because our cameras are off and this is a remote class doesn't mean we can let you completely disconnect, right?"
Her gentle scolding hit my face like a slap and brought me back to myself. I felt my cheeks flush with shame.
"You're right," I whispered. "I'm sorry, I was lost in thought."
Ella smiled. "It's okay. Just focus on the class."
I put my headphone back on and took a deep breath. I needed to silence my mind. I started observing my surroundings to gather my attention. No matter how focused Ella was on the screen, she occasionally drew small, meaningless shapes on the edge of her notebook. Light filtered through the glass wall, sparkling in her light-colored hair. Marcus, sitting across from me, was taking notes of every word the professor said with furrowed brows; his pure seriousness increased the anxiety that settled in me when I thought about Luna. Even Gaius and Cassius seemed to have managed to focus on this boring class.
I made a promise to myself. First, I would finish this class. Then, one by one, I would solve each piece of this complex social equation. But now with one difference: According to my own rules.
When the clock struck six, after our foreign language professor Miche's metallic voice spoke his last word, the digital classroom suddenly fell silent. He was the most mechanical teacher in the distance education staff; his classes gave the impression of being taught by a machine. The "Class Ended" message appearing on the screen was like the finish line of a mental marathon. Everyone took a deep breath at the same time. When we took off our headphones, the familiar, peaceful hum of the library filled our ears again.
"Finally!" grumbled Gaius, stretching. "Miche's classes bored me to death, I swear. If it weren't for tonight's theater show, I would have lost my mind."
Marcus nodded as he gathered his notes. "You're right," he said simply. Then he turned to me. "There's theater, The Flame of Medea. Are you coming, Octavian?"
Cassius chimed in with a mocking smile. "Marcus. You can guess Octavian, he's a homebody. The library and books are enough for him." His voice was provocative but not malicious; just one of our usual teasing.
I shook my head, trying to smile slightly. "Not tonight, guys. I have a few things to take care of." This was a classic excuse, but it would work. Even the idea of attending a crowded event was enough to make my palms sweat.
"Suit yourself," said Gaius, shrugging. The three of them gathered and stood up together. "We're off then. See you tomorrow, 'businessman'."
As they headed toward the library's massive door, my gaze drifted to Ella, who was quietly gathering her things across the table. Wasn't she going to the theater either?
"Aren't you going?" I asked, being careful not to sound too curious.
Ella looked up and answered with a shy smile. "My mom, you know... She doesn't like me coming home late after dark. The show ends late too."
I nodded to indicate I understood. I liked this responsible side of her. As we both continued gathering our things, we were almost alone in the library. The silence was strangely not comforting but tense instead. I needed to find something to talk about.
"Where do you live?" I asked suddenly. I realized how inappropriate my question was and immediately regretted it.
Ella wasn't surprised. On the contrary, a warm expression appeared on her face. "On Argentum Hill. It's not too far, but traffic is terrible at this hour."
This was a reflection of the ordeal I experienced every day. Maybe I could offer a solution to this. "Argentum Hill? The lines going there are very crowded at this hour," I said confidently. "If you want, let's take my bus. It goes to Novus District, but it passes right below your hill. If you get off there, you'll be home in ten minutes without getting stuck in traffic."
A momentary hesitation appeared on Ella's face. "I don't know... I've never used that route. What if I get lost?" Her shyness made her even more endearing.
"Don't worry," I said, trying to add a reassuring tone to my voice. "I won't leave you alone. When we get off at the stop, I'll walk with you and leave you at the main road. Besides, it's not right for you to walk alone at this hour." My protective instinct was emerging naturally for the first time.
The offer seemed to make her heart race for a moment. Her cheeks flushed slightly. "Really? But it would be a bother to you. You'd be extending your route."
"What bother?" I said, shrugging. "We're going in the same direction anyway. It doesn't matter to me."
Her resistance crumbled in the face of my insistence. I could see from her eyes how much she really wanted this offer. Her fear of being a burden had faded next to her desire to walk with me safely for a while longer.
"Okay," she said, unable to hide the gratitude in her voice. "Since you say so... Thank you."
"You're welcome," I said, smiling.
As we shouldered our bags and left the library's quiet corridors, we walked side by side but didn't speak. But this silence wasn't like the tense silence before. This was the hopeful, sweet silence of something new beginning.
When we left the library and turned onto the main campus road, that sweet silence between us had given way to a strange tension. We were walking side by side, but it was as if there was an invisible wall between us. My mind was working frantically to break this silence, but every sentence I could think of seemed more meaningless than the last.
"Um..." I began suddenly, unable to prevent the crack in my voice. "About calling you Angel at lunch... I mean, I hope you didn't misunderstand."
The moment the sentence left my mouth, I scrunched my face in regret. Great, Octavian. This was the worst, most awkward topic you could have started with. I could feel my cheeks burning.
Ella paused and turned to me. There was a surprised but cute expression on her face. "No, I didn't misunderstand," she said in a soft voice. "I just... couldn't quite understand why you gave me such a nickname. But I was hesitant to ask in front of your friends."
Her honesty relaxed me. I took a deep breath and chose the path of honesty too. "Because... I don't know. I feel peaceful when I'm with you. As if I don't need to tense up, think, or make plans. That was the first word that came to mind, it came out unfiltered."
Ella's eyes sparkled and a warm smile spread across her face. "No one has ever said anything like that to me before," she whispered. "I liked it."
This confession instantly swept away all that tension between us. We continued walking in a relaxed manner.
"When we greeted this morning, you had a friend with you," she said, changing the subject.
"Yes, Maria. We're just seat partners, not very close. She was going to return to the dorm right after class, she needed to study. She even reluctantly turned down my lunch invitation." She paused, her voice a bit sad. "Even though they're people I just met... I think I don't have any friends."
This sincere confession touched my heart. "Aren't we friends?" I asked without thinking. Then I immediately gathered myself with embarrassment. "I mean, what I mean is, I don't have anyone other than you I can call a 'friend' either."
I was sure my face was red again, but Ella just smiled. This time her smile was more sincere. I felt excited. This was the birth of a new idea.
"Look," I said enthusiastically. "Since we're both friendless, then we need to get to know each other. But I don't want to bother you with my questions, embarrass you. Let's do this: As time goes on, we'll ask each other things that come to mind, things we're curious about, and tell each other. Without rushing. What do you think?"
Ella giggled. "You're very different from your friends, you know?" she said.
It slipped out of my mouth. "I can't be this comfortable around them."
My words hung in the air. This was a truth I had only recently admitted to myself. Ella seemed to notice this truth and nodded understandingly.
"I gave you a nickname," I said, gathering my courage and smiling. "I'm curious too... Do you have a nickname for me?"
A mischievous glint appeared in Ella's eyes. She squinted. "Hmm, let me think," she said mysteriously. "It should be something special for you. Let it remain a secret for now."
Just then, the headlights of a bus appearing at the beginning of the street illuminated our faces. "The bus is coming!" I shouted in panic. "Hurry!"
We ran to the stop and threw ourselves inside. When we sat side by side in an empty double seat, we were both out of breath. When the bus started moving, our shoulders were touching. I could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. In the air was a sweet mixture of vanilla and old book scent. This was her smell. When I leaned my head against the window, I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She was looking at me too. When our eyes met, we both quickly turned our heads in different directions. This silent, shy moment was enough to make my heart flutter like a bird in my chest.
The monotonous swaying of the bus and the blurred lights of the city outside were like the music of the silence between us. My cheeks were still burning, and my heart missed its rhythm with every contact of our shoulders. Ella's vanilla and book scent had etched itself into my mind. This was now the scent of peace for me.
She was the one to break the silence again. Her voice, coming out like a whisper, barely overcame the noise of the engine.
"I found a nickname for you too," she said.
I turned my head from the window to her. I was looking at her with curiosity and a little anxiety. "Really?"
Her eyes were sparkling. "Yes," she said, and after a small hesitation continued. "Spotlight."
The nickname was so unexpected that for a moment I didn't know what to say. I furrowed my brows. "Spotlight? Why?"
Ella lowered her gaze to the bus floor, as if searching for her words there. "Because... When you're around, I feel like there's a spotlight on me." Seeing that I immediately panicked, she quickly added: "But not in a bad way! I mean, not because you make me uncomfortable. Quite the opposite... Like... I feel seen. In all that crowd, all that noise, you noticed me. Not just my presence, but really me."
Her words touched somewhere inside me. No one had ever seen me like this before. Usually, I was seen as either aggressive, annoying, or just weird. But Ella had seen something behind my rough exterior, something I might not have been fully aware of myself.
I swallowed. I tried to joke to hide my embarrassment. "So I'm like a detective interrogating you under spotlights?" My voice came out softer than I had planned.
A sweet smile appeared on Ella's lips. "No," she said, shaking her head. "More like... a spotlight that finds a lost actor on stage."
This comparison melted the distance between us a little more. This was a silent agreement about how invisible we both sometimes felt. I felt close to someone for the first time.
"Sometimes I thought I needed to make a lot of noise to be noticed," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I used to fear disappearing into my silence," she replied in the same tone.
At that moment, I felt we understood each other without needing words. We came from two different worlds but shared the same fear of invisibility.
Just then, the bus's digital announcement was heard: "Next stop: Argentum Hill."
The magic of the moment was broken. Ella pressed the "passenger getting off" button.
As the bus slowed down, we stood up together. When it stopped, we moved toward the door. "Promise is a promise," I said in a low voice. "I'll take you to the main road."
When we got off the bus and breathed in the cool night air, Apexia's lights were shining above us. Standing side by side on the sidewalk, there was now not just shy silence between us, but also newly budding understanding and a shared secret. The excitement of walking together on quiet streets filled my heart.
The moment we started walking, Ella suddenly stopped and grabbed my arm. Her fingers were ice-cold and gripped tightly. "What's wrong?" I asked anxiously. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes were scanning the dim street ahead. "We can't go this way," she whispered, the tension in her voice breaking all the magic of the moment.
"Why? Isn't your house this way?" I asked in confusion.
She turned to me. In the weak light of the street lamp, there was a fear in her eyes I had never seen before. "We just... can't go, Octavian. Please, don't question it. Let's go around the other way. It's longer but... safer."
This last word hung in the air: Safer. What or who did we need to be safe from in this calm, bright neighborhood of Apexia? The pure fear on the face of the girl who had just opened her heart to me began to overshadow all the positive thoughts in my mind. The problem wasn't who she was anymore. The real question was what was in that simple, ordinary-looking street that made her tremble so much.
Ella, what had she really been afraid of?