Once they are in the Class , Quinir started to think about the feeling again , it is bothering him a lot, he felt like it's not a coincidence.
Quinir frowned slightly while looking at the board.
What is that…?
He pressed his fingers lightly against his chest.
For a brief moment, the warmth flickered again.
Then it disappeared.
Drake noticed the movement and whispered quietly.
"You sure you're okay?"
Quinir nodded once.
"Yeah."
Drake leaned back in his chair and lowered his voice.
"You should report Rylan."
Quinir shook his head slightly.
"That would only make things worse."
Drake sighed.
"Yeah… you're probably right."
Rylan and his two friends sat in the back of the classroom, occasionally glancing toward Quinir with mocking smiles.
But they didn't do anything else for now.
The teacher began the lesson.
Equations slowly filled the board.
Students copied notes.
Time passed slowly.
But every few minutes Quinir could feel Rylan staring at him from behind.
Not just him.A few other students kept looking at him too.
The scholarship news had spread through the entire school.
Whispers followed him everywhere.
Finally the lunch bell rang.Students rushed out of the classroom.
Drake stretched his arms.
"Finally. I'm starving."
Quinir packed his bag quietly.
But before he could stand, A paper ball hit the back of his head.
Drake turned immediately scowling at Rylan..
Rylan and his friends were laughing.
"Oops," one of them said sarcastically.
Rylan leaned back in his chair.
"Careful. Our genius might get injured again."Drake slammed his hand on the desk.
"Grow up, Rylan."
Rylan smirked.
"Relax. We're just joking."
Quinir stood up calmly. "Let's go, Drake."
Drake muttered under his breath while following him.
"Those guys are unbelievable."
They walked toward the cafeteria.
The hallway was crowded with students.
But even here, whispers followed Quinir.
"That's him."
"The scholarship guy."
"Jackson Private High…"
Drake grabbed two trays of food and placed one in front of Quinir.
"Eat," he said. "You look like you might pass out."
Quinir gave a faint smile.
"Thanks."
For a few minutes, things were quiet.But Drake suddenly leaned forward.
"You know something?"
Quinir looked up.
"What?"
Drake lowered his voice."I think Nova is behind this."
Quinir didn't look surprised."I know."
Drake blinked."You know?"
Quinir nodded slightly.
Drake frowned.
"That guy must really hate you."
Quinir didn't answer.
He simply continued eating.
But inside his mind, things were slowly becoming clearer.
Nova wanted the scholarship.
Vanessa wanted the scholarship.
Quinir went deep into thought thinking he needs to resolve it as soon as possible.
they were using Rylan to pressure him.
Quinir exhaled slowly.
If they thought intimidation would make him give up, They didn't know him very well.
Quinir finished the last bite of his lunch slowly.
Across the cafeteria, students were laughing and talking loudly, but he barely noticed any of it.
His mind was already working through possibilities.
If Nova really wanted the scholarship that badly, then this pressure would not stop here.
Today it was Rylan.
Tomorrow it could be something worse.
Quinir lifted his eyes slightly and scanned the cafeteria.
Several students quickly looked away when they noticed his gaze.
Drake followed his line of sight and sighed.
"Yeah… they're all watching you."
Quinir shrugged faintly.
Drake snorted." they don't have anything better to do."
He leaned closer and lowered his voice and started gossiping.
"You know that place is basically the kingdom of rich families, right? Politicians' kids, CEOs' kids… all those people."
Quinir nodded.
"I know."
Drake shook his head.
"Then why did you even apply?"
Quinir paused for a moment before answering.
"Because I can and the teachers who recommend me were the professors at the Jackson high, they wanted me to attend it after I won the last Math match with their school."
Drake stared at him for a second, then laughed quietly.
"Fair enough."
But the smile slowly faded from Drake's face.
"You should still be careful."
Quinir looked at him.
Drake lowered his voice further.
"Rylan isn't just some random bully."
Quinir raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Drake glanced toward the cafeteria entrance before answering.
"His family owns a construction company in this city. They're pretty rich. He gets away with a lot of things because of that."
Quinir didn't look surprised.
"That explains his confidence."
Drake nodded.
"And Nova is richer than him."
Quinir's expression remained calm, but Drake could see the faint tightening of his jaw.
"Yeah," Drake added quietly. "So if those two are working together…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Quinir understood.
Still, he simply said,
"I'll handle it."
Drake looked at him for a moment.
"You're way too calm about this."
Quinir gave a small smile.
"Panicking wouldn't help."
Drake sighed while comically saying to lift Quinir's spirit up. "Sometime I feel Like I'm so immature when I'm around you."
Quinir raised an eyebrow.
"That's because you are."
Drake placed a hand dramatically on his chest.
"Wow. Betrayed by my own friend."
They finished their lunch and stood up, carrying their trays to the return counter.
Students were still whispering nearby.
Some pretended not to stare.
Others openly looked at Quinir as if he had suddenly become someone important.
Drake noticed again and muttered,
"I swear this school hasn't had this much drama in years."
Quinir ignored the looks and walked back toward the hallway.
Afternoon classes passed slower than usual.
Rylan didn't try anything during class, but the smirk on his face made it clear he wasn't done.
Once the final bell rang, students began pouring out of the building.
Drake slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Football practice today," he said. "Otherwise I'd walk with you."
Quinir nodded.
"I'll be fine."
Drake looked toward the parking lot where Rylan and his friends were standing.
He frowned slightly.
"You sure?"
Quinir followed his gaze.
Rylan was leaning against the hood of a car, talking to his friends.
For a brief moment, Rylan's eyes met Quinir's.
He smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
Quinir looked away.
"It's just a twenty-minute walk."
Drake hesitated for a moment before sighing.
"Alright. Text me if anything happens."
Quinir nodded.
"Go before your coach kills you."
Drake laughed.
"True."
He jogged toward the sports field.
Quinir adjusted the strap of his bag and began walking toward the school gate.
Students slowly thinned out as he left the campus.
The afternoon sun hung low in the sky.
For a while, the walk was quiet.
Cars passed occasionally.
Quinir turned a corner on the street that led toward his neighborhood.
That was when he heard footsteps behind him.
Three sets.Slow.Deliberate.
Quinir stopped walking.
He didn't turn around immediately.
The footsteps stopped too.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Well, look at that."
Rylan.
Quinir finally turned.
Rylan stood a few meters away, his two friends beside him.
The street was quiet.
Almost empty.
Rylan cracked his knuckles slowly.
"Your Hero didn't walk you home," he said.
One of the boys behind him laughed.
"Too bad for you."
The three of them spread out slightly, blocking the narrow sidewalk.
Cars passed on the street, but no one paid attention to the four boys standing there.
Quinir adjusted the strap of his bag.
"What do you want?"
Rylan tilted his head as if the question amused him.
"You still don't get it, do you?"
Quinir didn't respond.
Rylan stepped closer.
"You're supposed to understand your situation by now."
Quinir's silver-gray eyes stayed steady.
"My situation?"
Rylan nodded.
"Yeah.Just Give that Seat to Nova when we are being Nice about it."
Quinir remained silent.
Rylan's expression slowly darkened.
"people like you don't belong there."
The words hung in the quiet street.
Quinir studied his face for a moment.
Then he asked calmly,
"Did Nova promise you something?"
The question caught Rylan off guard for half a second.
One of the boys behind him shifted uncomfortably.
Rylan quickly recovered.
"What makes you think that?"
Quinir shrugged slightly.
"You wouldn't bother otherwise."
The smirk returned to Rylan's face, but it was thinner now.
"You think you're smart."
Quinir didn't deny it.
Rylan suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Quinir's collar.
"Let me explain something clearly."
His voice dropped.
"If you don't refuse that scholarship… we'll make sure you regret it."
Quinir slowly looked down at the hand gripping his shirt.
Then he looked back at Rylan.
"You're threatening me."
Rylan smiled.
"I'm educating you."
Quinir raised his hand and calmly removed Rylan's grip from his collar.
The movement was slow but firm.
Rylan frowned slightly.
Quinir adjusted his shirt.
"If Nova wants the scholarship," he said quietly, "he should earn it himself."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Rylan suddenly shoved Quinir backward.
Harder this time.
Quinir stumbled a step but kept his balance.
Rylan cracked his knuckles again.
"Looks like we need to teach you properly."
The two boys behind him stepped forward as well.
Three against one.
Quinir stood still in the middle of the street.
The first punch came fast.
It landed against Quinir's stomach, forcing the air out of his lungs.
Before he could fully recover, one of the boys shoved him from the side.
Quinir staggered backward.
Rylan grabbed his collar again and drove a punch into his face.
Pain exploded across his cheek.
Quinir fell to one knee.
The other two boys kicked him from behind.
Another kick landed against his ribs.
"Still acting tough?" one of them sneered.
Rylan crouched slightly and grabbed Quinir by the hair, forcing his head up.
"You really think you can compete with Nova?" he said.
Rylan finally stepped back and spat on the ground beside Quinir.
"Listen carefully."
He leaned down slightly.
"You've got two days."
"If you don't refuse that scholarship…"
He paused.
"…we'll keep doing this until you do."
Their voices faded as they disappeared down the street.