Tyler woke up before the alarm rang.
There was no jolt of urgency or lingering dream pulling him up from sleep. His eyes simply opened, adjusting to the pale light slipping through the curtains, and for a few seconds he lay still, listening to the house breathe.
Somewhere down the hall, a cupboard closed softly. The faint sound of a pan being placed on the stove followed. Morning had already started without him.
He sat up, running a hand through his hair, and glanced at the clock on the side table. There was still time. Enough to move at his own pace.
The routine came back easily. Washing his face, brushing his teeth, taking a cold shower and changing into clothes laid out the night before. Each action felt practiced, almost automatic, but not empty. This was how he had lived the past year. Calm. Ordered. Predictable.
When he stepped into the kitchen, the smell of breakfast filled the air. Melissa stood by the stove, moving with quiet efficiency, while Silas sat at the table, scanning something on his phone with a cup of tea resting near his hand.
"You're up early," Melissa said without turning around.
Tyler shrugged lightly. "I woke up."
Silas looked up briefly. "First day," he said.
Tyler nodded and took a seat. The chair scraped faintly against the floor, the sound sharp in the otherwise gentle morning. Melissa placed a plate in front of him a moment later.
"Eat properly," she said. "Don't rush."
"I won't," Tyler replied.
They didn't talk much while eating. There was no need to. The silence wasn't awkward or heavy. It was the kind that came from familiarity, from knowing that nothing needed to be said to be understood.
When Tyler finished, he stood and carried his plate to the sink. "I'm heading out," he said, slinging his bag over one shoulder.
Silas nodded. "Walk with Elijah?"
"He said he'd come by."
"Good," Silas said. "Listen to him."
Tyler smiled faintly. "I will."
Outside, the air felt different. Cooler than it had been during the heart of summer, but not yet sharp. The street was already more alive than usual. A few students in uniforms walked in loose groups, their voices carrying easily in the open space.
Tyler stepped onto the sidewalk just as Elijah appeared at the corner, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed. He looked different in his uniform, not because of the clothes themselves, but because he wore them like someone who belonged.
"You're on time," Elijah said.
"So are you," Tyler replied.
They fell into step together without effort, heading down the road toward the main street. For a few moments, neither spoke.
"Don't stick out too much today," Elijah said eventually. "First impressions last longer than people think."
Tyler glanced at him. "I thought you liked standing out."
Elijah smirked. "I like choosing when."
They walked past a small shop, its shutters half-open, and crossed into a busier area where more students were converging. The flow naturally widened, groups forming and dissolving as people spotted familiar faces.
"Classrooms are spread out," Elijah continued. "If you get lost, don't panic. Just follow the signs or ask. And don't assume seniors are scary. Most of them are just funny."
Tyler nodded, filing the advice away.
A loud voice cut through the air from behind them. "Tyler!"
Chris jogged up, breathless, a grin already on his face. "You guys started without me."
"You live closer," Elijah said. "That's on you."
Chris laughed and fell into place beside Tyler. "So this is it," he said, glancing ahead. "Middle school."
"Technically, yes," Tyler replied.
Chris opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted when two more figures appeared from a side street. Kai walked with his usual straight posture, hands clasped behind his head, while Noah bounced along beside him, already talking even before he reached them.
"You're late," Noah announced, as if he had authority over the matter.
"We just started walking," Kai said calmly.
Elijah looked over the expanded group and nodded once. "Good. You're all here."
Noah blinked. "You sound like a teacher."
Elijah ignored him. "Listen," he said, his tone shifting slightly. "You'll hear a lot of things today. About teachers. About rules. About which classes are 'good' and which aren't. Most of it is exaggerated."
"So what should we believe?" Chris asked.
"Watch for yourself," Elijah replied. "And don't copy anyone just because they're loud."
Noah frowned. "That's unfair. Loud people are interesting."
"They're also the first ones noticed," Elijah said. "Which isn't always good."
Kai hummed thoughtfully. Tyler stayed quiet, observing the way Elijah spoke to each of them differently, adjusting his words without making it obvious.
As they approached a wider intersection, a cluster of older students stood waiting, uniforms slightly different in cut and colour. Elijah slowed.
"That's me," he said, nodding toward them. "Second years."
"And Last advice" Elijah said
"Make a big impact at school this year and enjoy"
Noah shouted "we're gonna bang this up"
Tyler looked at the group briefly, then back at Elijah. "We'll meet during break?"
Elijah smiled. "If you don't get lost."
Chris waved. "Try not to forget us now that you're important."
Elijah scoffed lightly and stepped away, joining his classmates without another word.
For a moment, the group slowed, unsure of pace. Then Tyler continued walking, and the others followed naturally.
"So," Noah said, filling the gap. "What now?"
"Gate's ahead," Kai replied.
They walked the rest of the distance talking about small things. Clubs they'd heard rumors about. The size of the campus. Whether teachers actually remembered names or just pretended to. Tyler listened more than he spoke, occasionally responding when addressed directly.
The school gate came into view, tall and unmistakable. Beyond it, buildings rose in orderly lines, students streaming inward like water finding its path.
Tyler stopped just short of the entrance, his gaze lifting briefly. The structure was familiar. Not in detail, but in feeling. He had walked through these gates before, years ago, under different circumstances.
"This place is huge," Chris muttered.
Tyler exhaled softly. "You get used to it."
And then they stepped inside.
Crossing the gate felt less like entering a new place and more like stepping back into a structure Tyler already understood.
The campus opened up beyond the entrance, wide pathways branching out between buildings that rose with deliberate symmetry. Concrete and glass reflected the morning light, and banners welcoming new students hung neatly from poles lining the main road. Groups clustered instinctively, some stopping to look around, others moving with purpose as if they had rehearsed this walk in advance.
Chris slowed almost immediately, turning in a slow circle. "Okay," he said, voice low but impressed, "this is definitely bigger than primary."
Kai nodded, eyes already tracking signs and directions. "They planned it like a city."
Noah craned his neck upward. "How many floors do you think there are? Bet someone gets lost on the first day."
"Someone always does," Tyler said calmly.
Chris glanced at him. "You sound way too confident about that."
Tyler didn't answer. He simply kept walking.
Students were being guided inward by staff members standing at key intersections, their voices firm but not raised. The flow gradually angled toward a large building near the center of the campus. Above its entrance, bold lettering marked it clearly.
Auditorium.
"That's where they're sending everyone," Kai said.
Tyler nodded. In his previous life, the memory surfaced without effort. The order. The speeches. The way excitement faded into structure by the time students left those doors.
Nothing about it felt new.
As they approached the auditorium, voices merged into a low hum. Inside, rows of chairs filled the space, already occupied by a growing number of students. The stage at the front was elevated just enough to command attention, curtains drawn back neatly.
"Over there," Noah said, spotting familiar faces.
Eris stood a short distance away, her posture relaxed but alert, eyes scanning the room as if already cataloging it. Amaya was beside her, hands in his pockets, while Luna and Aria stood nearby, talking quietly. A few other students from primary school hovered at the edges, recognizable but not close enough to pull into conversation.
Tyler's group merged naturally.
"You made it," Luna said, smiling faintly.
"Barely," Chris replied. "This place is designed to overwhelm people."
Amaya shrugged. "It's just space."
Eris looked at Tyler briefly, then away again. "They'll seat us soon," she said. "Teachers were guiding people earlier."
Noah leaned closer to Kai. "I give it five minutes before someone trips on the stairs."
They didn't have to wait long.
A sharp sound cut through the noise as a microphone was tested on stage. The hum lowered instinctively, conversations tapering off in uneven waves until the room settled into something close to silence.
A girl stepped forward, posture straight, expression composed. Her uniform was worn perfectly, not stiff, but precise in a way that suggested intent rather than habit.
"Good morning," she said, her voice carrying clearly through the hall. "Welcome to Central Academy."
Tyler recognized her immediately.
Mira Lang.
"Please take your seats and remain seated," she continued. "We will begin shortly."
Chairs shifted as students complied, the movement echoing briefly before settling. Tyler took a seat near the center of his group, folding his hands loosely in his lap.
Mira waited until the room was still.
"On behalf of the student council," she said, "I'd like to welcome all first-year students. Today marks the beginning of a new stage in your education, one that comes with higher expectations and greater responsibility."
Her delivery was calm, measured, and efficient. No wasted words. No attempt to charm.
"We ask that you listen carefully to the instructions provided today. They are meant to help you transition smoothly into academy life."
She turned slightly toward the side of the stage. "I now invite our principal, Mr. Rowan Hale, to address you."
Applause rose, scattered and uneven, as a man stepped forward.
Rowan Hale stood tall, his presence commanding without effort. His gaze swept across the audience once before he spoke, not searching for reactions, but assessing.
"Welcome," he began. "You are now students of Central Academy."
The applause faded quickly.
"This institution has built its reputation on discipline, performance, and order," Rowan continued. "You were not admitted here by chance. Each of you represents potential. Our responsibility is to refine it."
He paused, letting the words sit.
"You will be held to standards higher than those you are accustomed to. Attendance, conduct, and academic performance will not be treated lightly. Rules exist to maintain fairness and efficiency, and they will be enforced accordingly."
Tyler listened without expression. The speech followed a familiar pattern. Authority framed as opportunity. Structure framed as privilege.
"Those who adapt will thrive," Rowan said. "Those who do not will find this place difficult."
Silence followed his final words.
"Remember," he added, "Central Academy is not here to adjust to you. You are here to adjust to it."
Polite applause followed as Rowan stepped back.
Mira returned to the microphone. "Thank you, Principal Hale."
She turned once more toward the stage entrance. "Finally, I'd like to introduce the president of the student council, Adrian Wells."
The reaction was different this time. Louder. More curious.
Adrian walked out with an easy confidence, his smile practiced but not empty. He waved briefly, acknowledging the attention before speaking.
"Good morning," he said. "I'll keep this simple."
A few students laughed quietly.
"I was sitting where you are now not too long ago," Adrian continued. "And I remember thinking that this place felt… overwhelming."
He gestured lightly toward the room. "It is. At first."
"But you'll learn," he said, voice steady. "Not just how to navigate the buildings or the rules, but how to find your place here. Clubs, sports, councils, projects. There's room for all of it."
He paused, making eye contact with different sections of the audience.
"The student council exists to represent you," Adrian said. "If you have concerns, ideas, or ambitions, bring them forward. Central Academy runs best when students take responsibility for more than just their grades."
That earned a stronger response.
"Work hard," he concluded. "Look out for each other. And don't waste your time trying to be someone else. You'll be here for a while."
Applause filled the hall as Adrian stepped back, nodding once to Mira.
"Thank you," she said. "Class assignments will now be displayed. Please proceed to your designated classrooms in an orderly manner."
Screens along the walls flickered to life, lists scrolling quickly. Names, numbers, directions.
Chris leaned in. "There it is."
Tyler found his name without effort.
Class 1-A.
"Looks like we're together," Kai said.
Noah grinned. "Good. Less walking."
The crowd began to move, chairs scraping as students stood and filtered toward the exits. Voices rose again, energy shifting from contained to restless.
Tyler followed the flow, his bag resting comfortably against his shoulder. The corridor ahead stretched wide, doors lining both sides, each marked clearly.