Chapter 7: Sera

“Bro, you’re seriously becoming my favorite person here.” Luca said leaning in, with his arm casually slung across the back of the bench. “You have no idea how rare that is.”

I side-eyed him. “Uh… thanks?”

We were sitting out in the courtyard during lunch, enjoying the sun on our backs. I was halfway through biting into an apple when I realized Kael had been staring at us for a full minute from across the quad.

River leaned toward me and whispered behind his thermos, “Heads up buddy. Kael’s giving you the look.”

I blinked. “What look?”

“The kind like I’m two seconds away from setting someone on fire look,” he muttered, barely hiding his smirk. “ I'm pretty sure Luca’s gonna die first.”

Luca, who's oblivious as ever, grinned even wider. “Wanna skip afternoon classes with me? We can pretend we’re heading to study group and hit the lake instead. You look like you need a break, Seth.”

I laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, no. I actually want to survive this school year.”

“Oh, come on. You survive by living a little,” he said, nudging my shoulder. “And you, my mysterious little roomie, need to loosen up.”

Roomie.

That word punched my gut harder than I wanted to admit. Because Luca had no clue that I wasn’t just some awkward new guy. I was the only girl in an all boys elite academy, walking a tightrope every damn day trying not to get caught!.

And Kael… don’t get me started on him.

“Luca,” Kael’s voice cut through like a cold blade.

We all turned to him. He stood behind us, with his arms crossed, his face perfectly sculpted like always, his gaze locked directly on Luca’s hand that was still hanging dangerously close to my shoulder.

Luca chuckled, not even flinching. “Jealous much?”

Kael’s eyes narrowed. “You're blocking my seat.”

River gave me a small kick under the table, like he was trying to say brace yourself.

“Damn,” Luca muttered, standing and raising his hands like he’d been caught red handed. “Relax, man. I’m just talking to Seth. Chill.”

Kael sat next to me, spine straight like he was preparing for battle. His leg brushed mine under the table, and for a second, my heart kicked into overdrive.

Why did he sit next to me?

“You’re not his babysitter,” Kael said flatly.

Luca grinned. “Maybe not but he clearly likes me more than you.”

“Keep dreaming.”

I stared down at my tray, praying the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

Kael didn’t talk much after that. But he didn’t leave either. He just… stayed there after chasing Luca away.

Later I found out that we had mandatory exercise periods. I hoped it would be easy and not difficult.

The training field smelled like sweat, when I entered and the coach barked at me.

“Seth, you’re up!”

Coach blew the whistle, and everyone else were bare chested and already glistening with sweat,they all turned toward me.

Crap.

My grip tightened on the wooden practice sword . My heart wasn’t racing because of the workout, nope! It was racing because I was moments away from exposing everything.

Literally.

Everyone here had stripped down to just their track pants for drills. But if I so much as pulled my shirt off and leave my boobs dangling, it is game over.

“Top off,” Coach barked to me, like it was nothing.

I froze.

“Problem?” he snapped.

“Y-Yeah, actually…” I coughed dramatically. “I… I have asthma.”

Coach raised a brow. “Asthma?”

I nodded, adding a slight wheeze for effect. “Cold wind, and chest exposure triggers it. Doctor’s note and everything.”

There was a second of silence.

Then came a snort from Kael.

I caught it just barely but he was standing to the side, his arms folded, watching with his usual cold expression, except his mouth had the tiniest quirk. Like he didn’t believe me… but wasn’t gonna call me out either.

Coach sighed. “Fine then practice in your damn shirt. Let’s move.”

Crisis averted.

I jumped into the drill, dodging and swinging with everything I had, even as sweat clung to my back and made the oversized shirt feel twice as heavy.

“Why the hell are you training in your full uniform?” Luca asked later, jogging up beside me with a towel around his neck. “You trying to sweat yourself into a coma?”

I shrugged. “Fashion statement.”

Theo leaned over. “You okay, man? You looked like you were gonna pass out.”

“I’m fine.”

But Kael was still watching me from the bleachers, his stormy gaze was still unreadable. Was he trying to figure me out?

After drills, the Sovereign Circle announced the club assignment day.

In Virelade, every student had to choose a club by the end of week two. It was mandatory self-development, whatever that meant. And the club you picked said a lot about who you were.

“So,” Theo said, sidling up beside me, “you made your choice yet?”

We were sitting on the steps, students were buzzing around us, waving banners and clipboards. The club fair had taken over the courtyard.

“Not really,” I said, leafing through the options. “I’m not sure I fit anywhere.”

“Oh, come on. Join the swimming club!” Theo said, practically bouncing. “We need more members and you seem athletic. You’re not scared of water, are you?”

I choked on my own spit. Scared? No. Scared of swimsuits? Abso-freaking-lutely.

“I, uh, can’t really swim that well,” I lied.

“Dude, it’s literally in the name: club. We practice. I’ll teach you.”

“No, it’s not that, I...” I paused. “I just… don’t do pools.”

Theo blinked. “You allergic to chlorine or something?”

“Yeah. Something like that.”

He looked disappointed. “Okay, that sucks. You would’ve looked cool in the uniform.”

I swear my soul left my body for a second.

“Football it is, then.” Luca appeared out of nowhere, slinging an arm over my shoulders like we were old friends. “You’ve got fast feet, Seth. And good instincts. Plus,” he said with a wink, “we’d get to see you in tight shorts.”

“I’m going to kick you,” I said, deadpan.

He grinned. “Is that a yes?”

“That’s a hell no.”

Luca pouted. “You wound me.”

River passed by, catching the exchange. “Leave him alone, Luca. Not everyone wants to be a golden retriever jock with abs and no brain.”

“Hey! I have a brain,” Luca said. “I just don’t waste it on algebra.”

While they argued, I slipped away toward the back tables. There, barely touched, was the Art Club booth. There were no shouting and no flashy banners. Just a few sheets of paper pinned to a corkboard with pencil sketches and a signup list half empty.

I picked up a pencil lying on the corner and stared at it.

I hadn’t drawn since I arrived. Since I left home.

My fingers twitched with excitement.

Without really thinking, I grabbed a scrap paper and started sketching.

Strong jaw, angled brows, stormy eyes. The ghost of a scowl on perfectly shaped lips.

Before I even realized it, I had drawn Kael.

I crumpled the paper immediately and shoved it into my pocket.

Someone behind me cleared their throat.

I froze.

It was Kael.

He hadn’t been standing there long. But the way his eyes flicked to my clenched fist told me he saw the drawing or at least enough of it.

“You joining Art Club?” he asked.

I straightened. “Thinking about it.”

“Why not football?”

“Why do you care?”

He didn’t answer right away,just looked at me, his face unreadable as always.

“It suits you,” he said finally.

I blinked. “Art?”

He nodded once. “More than pretending to be something you’re not.”

I stiffened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He tilted his head, then leaned in the tiniest bit.

“Just don’t waste your time fitting in because You won’t.”

Then he walked away.

That night, I sat by the window in my dorm room, sketchpad on my lap, moonlight pooling on the floor. The school was quiet.

And all I could think about was Kael’s voice.

“Don’t waste your time fitting in. You won’t.” What did he mean by that? It wasn’t said with cruelty.

It was a warning or maybe… a weird kind of kindness.

I started sketching again but this time it was not him but me!.

Not Seth, the boy with awkward energy and oversized shirts. But Sera,the girl I barely recognized anymore.

Hair falling around her shoulders, soft eyes, uncertain smile.

I shaded it slowly, carefully, like if I drew her well enough, I could remember who I really was.

By the time I finished, the sky was glowing faintly with early morning light. I spent my night drawing myself.

I tucked the drawing into the back of my sketchbook, zipped it shut, and whispered, “Art club it is.”