Philadelphia High School was bright, clean, and full of Student chatting who were chatting with each other.
Students from both schools , exchanged greetings, talked about classes, sports
Gwen and MJ were pulled away by a group of friendly Philadelphia girls.
"Arin, we'll catch up later!" Gwen called.
"Don't disappear on me," MJ winked.
Arin smiled softly at both of them, then slipped away from the crowd.
He had a mission today.
He wandered through the hallways, using his sharp senses and memory of the movies to locate someone important.
Someone connected to the Shazam storyline.
Someone who could confirm the timeline.
That's when he saw him.
A boy standing alone near the lockers — skinny, wearing a blue sweatshirt, a metal crutch supporting his left leg. Glasses slightly crooked.
Awkward posture.
Freddy Freeman.
One of the future Shazam family.
Arin's heart thumped calmly.
Found him.
He walked over with a friendly, easy smile.
"Hey," Arin said softly, "Midtown High school Exchange visit. I'm Arin."
Hearing the voice freedy look and saw a handsome man make him surprise but he still greet back .
"Oh— um, t-that's cool. I'm Freddy. Freddy Freeman."
Arin nodded.
"You looked alone. Thought I'd say hi."
Freddy stared at him for a moment, then smiled — genuinely, gratefully.
"That's… actually pretty nice of you, dude. Thanks."
They began talking casually. Freddy was bright, funny, and very talkative once he relaxed.
Seeing that freedy is easy to talk Arin plan to ask more personal information
"Hey freedy you like kind of sad what happened.
Hearing this freedy look at Arin and felt warm in his heart, thinking that Arin is good person he so freedy tell said " Actually I live in froster home with my other siblings but a month ago, during an accident… our foster dad died."
His voice wavered slightly, but he forced a smile.
"so i am kind of feel sad thinking about him and after he gone all the responsibility fell on mom, It's been hard on Mom. She's handling all of us alone."
Arin's eyes softened.
"And last night… Mom brought home a new kid."
Arin's body stiffened slightly.
Here it comes.
Freddy lowered his voice.
"His name is Billy. Billy Batson."
Arin froze for a moment.
Billy Watson.
Freddy shrugged.
"Mom said Billy's been running away from every foster home he stayed in. But… he seems like a good kid under the rough surface "
Arin kept his face calm.
But inside?
His mind raced.
Billy's foster father died before Billy arrived .
In the movie timeline, billi's father was alive but now he dead.
fortunately he arrived early.
The family situation changed.
Everything was slightly shifted but billi still don't get power but he to be sure he plan to ask more.
So Arin took a slow breath and said " Sorry to hear that you have lost you father freedy, May he rest in peace "
Hearing this freedy look at Arin with more friendly gaze and said " Thank you Arin "
Seeing freedy because much friendly to him, Arin ask pretending to be curious
"Freddy… is Billy is strange? Any weird things about h?"
Freddy frowned.
"No? He just came last night and don't like to speak much so I don't know much about him"
Hearing Arin become sure that Billy hasn't received Shazam's powers yet.
Good.
Very good.
A faint spark appeared in Arin's eyes.
His calm voice hid the excitement bubbling inside:
"So he's just a person who don't like to talk much ?"
"Yeah," Freddy said. "Why, something up?"
Arin smiled lightly.
"No reason. Just curious."
But inside, his thoughts were not clam.
Billy hasn't met the Wizard yet.
The Champion is still unchosen.
The Rock of Eternity is still waiting.
The power of SHAZAM is still in his reach.
His fingers curled slightly.
He had a chance.
A real chance.
To claim power of magic and the power of gods.
Arin kept talking with Freddy, forming a genuine bond — because Freddy was the first male friend he every had since regaining pervious life memories, so he plan to form a good bond with him.