Chapter 4: I'm your son

The abandoned classroom smelled like chalk dust and old pizza.

By “they,” Jaden meant Andy, Casey, Avery, and Chris — the latter glaring at him like he personally ruined the world just by existing.

Chris had missed yesterday’s cafeteria chaos, but thanks to social media updates and exaggerated retellings from friends, he was furiously disappointed.

Jaden? Unbothered. Shameless. Untouchable.

Avery was first to break the silence.

“Okay, being the girl here, this place is disgusting,” she announced, waving a hand dramatically.

“I don’t know if you guys are happy with it, but I’m not. So… what are you doing? What do you want to tell us, Jaden? Speak now or forever remain silent.”

“Relax,” Jaden said with a grin. “I’m not here to stress you.”

Chris snorted. “Yup. Definitely going to stress us. Tell me why I’m in school at 6:45 in the morning.”

Jaden shrugged. “Don't you guys wake up earlier than that when we have a job?”

Andy groaned. “But we don’t have a job, and I want to sleep like a normal teenager.”

“Normal is a word far from us,” Jaden replied like a poet writing his manifesto.

Avery rolled her eyes so hard it was audible. “I’m going to ask this again. Speak. Whatever the hell you want to say. Or forever remain silent.”

Jaden took a deep breath, putting on his most dramatic expression. “Okay. I’ll need your help.”

Casey’s eyebrow twitched. “I was going to pretend I didn’t hear that… but okay. Let’s hear you out.”

Andy muttered to Chris, “It’s going to be something stupid.”

Chris whispered back, “Let’s just trust him.”

Jaden leaned forward, intensity radiating. “I need you to help me get Kai.”

Andy froze mid-breath. “Yeah, it's stupid.”

Chris blinked. “Wait. So you called us here to help you for a boy you saw yesterday… and you want to have… sex with him?”

Jaden shrugged. “Yes. And don’t treat this as a joke. I must get him.”

Avery waved a finger. “If you must get him, you get him yourself. Do not convince us to get stressed because of you. Plus… he’s tagged a murderer. He killed people. Why the hell are you so obsessed with him? What is this, Detective Chinatown? Are you trying to solve a case?”

Jaden leaned back, arms crossed, grinning like he’d won the lottery.

“There’s only one reason I’m doing this.”

Chris’s lips parted. Casey’s patience snapped visibly. “You better tell us, because I’m thirty seconds away from losing it.”

“I want to study him,” Jaden said simply. “I’m intrigued.”

The room went silent.

His friends couldn’t believe it. Their grimaces could have powered a small city.

Without a word, they all left the room.

Casey muttered as he went, “If you’re done, come to class.”

Jaden remained, smirking at the empty room.

He sat down on the edge of a desk.

“Perfect,” he muttered.

“Now… time for a nap before the real fun begins.”

After a quick morning nap, it was time to trudge through the day. Classes passed mostly like they always did — nothing too exciting, nothing too dangerous.

Lunch rolled around. Usually, Jaden and his friends dominated the cafeteria spotlight, their table practically a stage for popular kid theatrics. But today… Jaden had other plans.

He grabbed his tray and wandered toward the dusty, abandoned corner by the vending machines. The table was practically ignored by everyone else — perfect for his… purposes.

He barely sat when he saw it. The masked boy. Kai.

Kai was approaching with his tray, eyes hidden but somehow locking onto him like a predator spotting prey.

Jaden waved casually.

Kai immediately turned away, as if the cafeteria had suddenly become a no-entry zone.

Jaden didn’t hesitate. He jumped up, intercepting him. “Come on. Sit.”

Kai hesitated, then chuckled — a low, amused sound, not funny, but… intrigued.

“You don’t stand a chance against me,” Kai said, voice quiet but cutting. “You don’t stand a chance with me. Stay away from my life.”

Jaden smirked. “The more you ignore me, the more I’m going to come for you.”

Kai’s brow furrowed. “Why? What’s wrong with you?”

“I think it would be so… fun to hear you scream my name,” Jaden said casually, leaning back, voice teasing and unbothered.

Kai’s patience frayed, but he kept it contained. Eyes flicking around — every pair slowly turning toward them — he leaned toward his food.

“Just do what you want. It’s not going to work. I’ll never let your dick inside me. Never.”

Jaden grinned like he’d just won the lottery.

“We’ll see about that… when you’re begging me to go faster.”

Kai scoffed, standing abruptly, tray in hand.

“Okay. Keep trying. Good luck.”

With that, he tossed his food into the trash and left the cafeteria, mask still in place, hoodie up.

Jaden stayed where he was, grinning at Kai’s retreat like he’d just scored the ultimate victory. His phone buzzed.

He glanced down.

Your mom is awake.

He groaned.

Of course. She just had to ruin the high of the moment.

---

After school, Jaden hopped on his bike, the wind whipping through his hair, adrenaline from the cafeteria still buzzing in his veins. He rode straight to the hospital.

At the nurses’ station, he gave his usual charming grin. “I’m here to see my mom. VIP ward.”

They nodded, accustomed to his antics, and waved him through.

Outside the room, his dad sat, arms crossed, expression sharp.

“She’s awake?” Jaden asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” his dad said.

Jaden didn’t hesitate. He strode forward, ignoring any lingering hesitation. His father tried to follow, but Jaden shot him a glance, icy and sharp.

“Stay out,” he said simply.

Inside the room, he closed the door and locked it. The soft hum of hospital machines surrounded him.

He approached her slowly, deliberately, a calm predator in motion. “Mother… are you okay?”

Her eyes snapped open. Recognition and fear collided. Without thinking, she slapped him hard across the face.

“Get away from me, you monster! Get away!”

Jaden tilted his head, psychotic grin spreading across his face.

“No… it’s me, Mother. I’m your son.”