The Boy From The Past

Chapter Four: The Boy From the Past

Elara’s POV

I hated being late.

Mira and I stood just outside the classroom door, our hearts thumping fast. We could hear the professor already talking. I looked at her. She looked at me.

“Are you ready?” she whispered.

“No,” I muttered, holding my books tighter, “but let’s just do it.”

We quietly pushed the door open. The classroom was packed—every seat taken. Heads turned. The professor frowned, his sharp eyes narrowing behind round glasses.

“You’re late,” he said flatly.

“I—I’m sorry,” Mira stammered.

“We got… lost,” I added, which wasn’t a total lie.

The professor sighed and waved his hand. “Find a seat. We’re reviewing for the midterms. We’ll also be having a surprise test today.”

My blood ran cold. Test? No one had told us there would be a test.

I looked around the classroom—there were no free seats. Not a single one.

Except…

The one next to Cassian.

He leaned back in his chair, legs stretched out in front of him, arms crossed, his eyes already watching me with that usual unreadable expression.

No. Please, no.

“I’m not sitting there,” I whispered to Mira.

“You don’t have a choice,” she replied, gently nudging me forward.

Mira found an empty chair near the back, and I hesitated before walking toward the front of the class, where Cassian sat. Every step felt like a lifetime.

I dropped into the chair beside him, not even daring to look his way.

“You look terrified,” he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear.

I stayed silent, focusing on the blank paper in front of me.

The professor handed out the test sheets. “You have twenty minutes. Begin.”

I stared at the questions.

What…?

They were unlike anything we’d studied. I didn’t even know what half the words meant.

Panic started rising in my chest. I glanced sideways and caught Mira’s eyes—she looked just as lost.

I swallowed hard. My hand trembled slightly as I picked up my pen. I didn’t even know how to start.

Without a word, Cassian slid his finished paper to me.

I froze.

He took my blank sheet and placed his own test in front of me, then began writing again.

Was he… doing my test for me?

I blinked at the answers—every one of them filled out in sharp, clean handwriting. It wasn’t just a guess. It was… perfect.

My lips parted in shock, and I turned slowly to look at him.

He was already halfway through filling out another one—my original.

Our eyes met.

He didn’t say a word. Didn’t even smirk. He just looked at me with a quiet kind of challenge in his eyes.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know why he did it.

Mira leaned forward and whispered, “He helped you?”

I nodded, barely.

She quickly copied the answers too, eyes wide.

The professor called time.

As we turned in the papers, I sat back down, my heart still beating fast.

Why would Cassian help me?

He didn’t seem like the type to help anyone. Especially not someone like me.

But I couldn’t ask him. Not here.

That’s when it happened.

The classroom door slammed open.

I turned.

And time stopped.

Jace.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

Tall. Confident. Messy black hair. Sharp green eyes. A smirk playing on his lips like he owned the world.

He walked in like he had every right to.

Like this place belonged to him.

“What’s up, losers,” he said with a lazy grin.

My throat went dry. I hadn’t seen him since… since everything.

He didn’t look surprised to see me.

He walked straight toward the professor. “Sorry I’m late. Had to teach someone outside not to insult my bloodline.”

The professor didn’t argue. Just sighed and pointed him to a seat—right behind me.

I couldn’t breathe.

His presence behind me felt like fire crawling up my spine. My hands curled into fists.

Please don’t speak to me. Please just ignore me.

But I could feel him staring at the back of my head the whole time.

Class ended shortly after that.

Everyone began packing their books, chairs scraping and students chatting loudly.

Mira came over, nudging my shoulder. “Let’s go,” she said.

We started walking out.

And then—his hand grabbed my wrist.

I gasped, turning sharply. “Jace—”

He pulled me away from Mira, dragging me to a quiet corner behind the lockers where no one could see us.

His grip was strong. Too strong.

“You?” he said darkly, staring straight into my eyes. “You’re the one they’ve been whispering about?”

I swallowed hard. “Let me go.”

“I heard about your little trick in class,” he said, leaning close. “You’d better stop.”

“Why?” I whispered.

His eyes narrowed. “Because I said so. And you don’t want me as your enemy.”

My chest rose and fell rapidly.

“We’re not dating anymore, Jace,” I said, though my voice shook. “You don’t get to control me.”

“You think just because you’re at this academy now, you’re someone? You’re nothing, Elara. Still weak. Still useless.”

I flinched.

But something inside me refused to crumble.

“Then why are you so scared?” I asked.

His hand tightened. “You’d better keep your head down. Or I’ll make sure you regret coming here.”

I yanked my hand away and stepped back, breath trembling.

“I’m not leaving,” I said. “So go find someone else to threaten.”

He glared at me for one long second.

Then walked away like nothing had happened.

⸻

I found Mira waiting for me just outside the hallway.

“What happened?” she asked, eyes full of concern.

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“Elara.”

“I said nothing,” I replied, trying to smile, though it didn’t reach my eyes.

Mira stared at me for a moment, then looked down.

“My crush…” she whispered.

“Huh?”

She glanced up, looking almost ashamed. “Jace. I’ve had a crush on him since last year. I didn’t even know you two knew each other…”

I looked away, pain knotting in my stomach.

So many secrets. So many things I couldn’t say.

⸻

And still, behind it all, one thought haunted me.

What exactly was happening to me?

Why had Cassian helped me?

Why had Jace returned?

Why did my magic feel like it was waking up… and I couldn’t control it?

Something was coming.

I could feel it.

And for once, I didn’t want to run.