Lucian's POV-
"Back to your seats!", Mr. Dalton shouted.
"Welcome back, Lucian"
He smiled,
"Hope that you are aware of the final tests beginning from tomorrow?"
"Yes sir.", I replied with all my energy although I knew, it's going to be hard to study in lees time, but I will make through it.
"Fine, my daughter will help you with the notes and syllabus as you have not attended some important classes.", His tone shifted, it seemed like he was trying to convince me to study.
And why with his daughter?
"But sir..."
"Lucian, you can come to my home along with me after the school.", he forced a smile and moved back towards the blackboard.
"Is he serious?", Nikos whispered.
Lucian: "Are you serious?"
Nikos: "Why do I need to be serious?"
Lucian: "Then why are you still here?"
Nikos: "Because your situation is serious!"
Lucian: "But my studies are also serious"
Nikos: "Fine, but my money is more serious."
Lucian: "Ahhh! Okay whatever"
"Lucian! Stay serious", sir shouted at me.
BUT I wasn't talking, Nikos just wait!!!
The periods went away like a horse running in a field.
Soon it was break time.
Everyone rushed out, some went to the cafeteria, some to other activities room.
"Nikos?" "Nikos!" "NIKOS!!!!"
"Yes yes yes... what happened?", he panicked.
"Hope you have slept enough"
"Yes, quite good."
"Then you are going to guard my house this night."
"Why me? I'll bring you a dog if you're afraid of thieves.", he laughed like a vampire.
The bell rang, and slowly the crowd returned to the classroom.I leaned back in my chair and exhaled.
"Bro," Nikos nudged me, "you look like you're about to faint again."
"I'm not," I replied.
Emotionally yes, physically also yes, mentally… definitely yes.
Mr. Dalton walked in again with his usual strict face.
"Lucian," he said, "meet me in my cabin after school. I'll take you home."
Everyone stared at me.
Adrian: "Bro… you're meeting the father first and then the daughter? Respect."
Nikos: "DON'T DIE."
I glared at Nikos.
"Why would I die!?"
"Because fathers usually kill the boys who go to their homes," Nikos answered with a straight face.
Mr. Dalton heard that and almost threw his duster at him.
"GET OUT!"
"No sir. I was just breathing," Nikos protested dramatically.
Everyone burst out laughing.
But in between the laughter… I felt something tighten in my chest again.
I wasn't scared of Mr. Dalton.
I wasn't scared of exams.
I was scared of… telling the truth.
Everyone in this school had a normal life.
Homework. Classes. Crushed pencils. Lunch fights.
Meanwhile I was dealing with:
Blood
Betrayal
Family history
People trying to kill me
I looked at Adrian and Sophie laughing loudly.
Maybe I wanted that normal life too…Maybe I wanted one day where I didn't have to look behind my back.
Just one.
"Bro," Nikos whispered again.
"What now?"
He handed me a small snack packet.
"You fainted in the dockyard yesterday. You need protein."
I blinked.
"…This is chips."
"Potato has protein," he said with the confidence of a scientist who had just won a Nobel Prize.
I facepalmed.
"Your brain has expired."
But I took the chips anyway.
Maybe I did need it—food for the body, and Nikos' stupidity for the soul.
Break ended, the next teacher entered.
But as everyone opened their books… I found myself staring outside the window.
And quietly thinking—
If one secret could break me this much…
What would the next one do?
The bell rang for final period, and everyone rushed out.
Nikos swung an arm around my shoulder dramatically.
"BRO. READY?"
"For what?"'
"For your funeral at Mr. Dalton's house."
"I'm going to STUDY, not DIE."
"Yes, but the difference is very small."
Before I could punch him, Mr. Dalton called out:
"Lucian, meet me in the cabin."
We walked there—Nikos sticking to me like FBI bodyguard.
Mr. Dalton looked up and smiled.
"Lucian, you missed many important chapters. My daughter Elsa will help you with the notes. After school, you will come with me."
I gave a polite nod.
Meanwhile Nikos slowly raised his hand like a school child.
"Sir, I will also come. His brain requires emotional support."
Mr. Dalton blinked.
"…Fine. Both of you."
I stared at Nikos.
He mouthed: "BRO, IF YOU DIE, I DIE."
I regretted all my friendships in life.
The Car Ride
Nikos sat in the backseat, already eating chips.
"BRO, do you want one? You may not get dinner tonight."
I glared.
Mr. Dalton sighed deeply.
"Lucian, you look exhausted."
"…Life."
"I get it. Just study and focus. Marks don't kill."
"Sir…" I whispered, dead inside,
"You have NO idea."
Dalton Residence
Beautiful house. Calm. Peaceful.
Nikos whispered, "If someone kills us here, no one will ever find the bodies."
Before I could slap him, Mr. Dalton called:
"Elsa! He's here."
Footsteps. A girl came down the stairs with a notebook in her hand.
Cute, calm, elegant.
"This is my daughter—Elsa."
Elsa Dalton.
She smiled softly.
"Hi Lucian… I heard you missed some classes. I'll help you catch up."
Nikos leaned toward me,
"Bro, she looks like the topper who studies even in dreams. RIP to you."
I elbowed him.
Before I could greet her—
A voice came from behind.
"Mr. Dalton, do you have the science PYQs from last term? Elsa told me I can collect notes from here."
I froze.
Nikos froze.
Elsa turned.
Aria walked into the living room.
She stopped the moment she saw me.
Silence.
Her eyes flashed—
Not fear.
Not confusion.
But…
Hurt.
I swallowed.
Of all the places in the world… she had to be HERE today.
Elsa looked between us.
"Oh—Lucian, Aria was here to collect the notes. Since she missed the classes."
Nikos leaned whispered in my ear.
"Bro—BRO—what is this plot twist? How many heroines do you want?"
Mr. Dalton didn't notice the nuclear tension in the room.
"Oh good, Aria. You can study together then."
Nikos whispered in my ear,"Bro… destiny is shipping you two harder than your readers."
I almost elbowed him in the stomach.
Aria looked away, speaking coldly:
"I'll stay only for my notes. I don't have time to waste."
Elsa blinked at us, confused.
Nikos smiled brightly at her."Hi, I'm Lucian's emotional support system."
Elsa looked terrified.
Mr. Dalton clapped his hands.
"Good! Let's start studying."
Inside me?
Chaos.
Questions.
And a storm I wasn't prepared for.
Elsa began explaining the syllabus, arranging papers on the table. Nikos immediately ripped open a packet of biscuits from his pocket.
Mr. Dalton raised an eyebrow.
"Nikos… You brought snacks to study?"
"Sir, this is multi-tasking. Food for body, studies for mind."
Aria hid a small smile.Elsa stared at Nikos like she'd never seen such a student in her life.
Elsa started teaching.Aria sat beside her.
And suddenly the atmosphere got…
Awkward.
Aria kept stealing tiny glances at me.Elsa kept helping me patiently.
Nikos leaned close again.
"Bro, I'm seeing a live love triangle forming. Hurry up and choose one before exams."
I glared at him.
Elsa explained another theory, and Aria quietly added a point to help me understand.
I froze.
Why was she helping me?
Did she know?
No. She didn't. She couldn't.
Nikos watched everything with drama-fed eyes.
"I swear," he whispered, "if there was popcorn, I'd eat it."
I let out a tired breath.
Tests tomorrow.
Enemy's daughter in front of me.
Topper on the other side.
Nikos doing comedy in the background.
And all I could think was—
Why is life not simple?
"Lucian, Elsa, Nikos.... Maybe you should sit inside!", Mr Dalton instructed.
"I'll see you later.", Aria stood up to leave.