Alex stopped before his classroom. Nobody had bothered him after his little interaction with Bella, though he wasn't sure that could even be counted as an interaction, seeing as it amounted to nothing more than her teasing him. And not to forget about the fact that he had almost slammed her to the floor.
As he stood before the classroom's door, Alex turned to look around the hallway. Alex quickly noticed that some students were still lingering in the hallway, talking among themselves while stealing subtle glances at him, and whenever their eyes caught his, they quickly looked away.
A few students stood facing the windows, gazing into the pale blue sky, some chatting with friends as they looked at the sky, others simply stood alone gazing at the sky and clouds.
From what Alex could see, many students had already formed groups, something he had noticed on the first day as well, but today it seemed far more visible, meaning more and more students had formed friendships since then, and the earlier groups Alex had seen on the first day were likely students who had already known each other before coming to the academy.
However, he also noticed a few students standing alone beside the windows or tucked into some corner of the hallway, minding their own business, some watching the others and most simply gazing out at the sky through the glass. They were like him, alone on their own with no other classmates as their friends.
Alex turned his head away from the hallway and lifted his gaze toward the wooden sign that read Class 1-S in bold letters.
The door was closed, and from what he could gather from the students lingering in the hallway, the professor had not yet arrived. So, he could stay in the hallway and wait for the professor to come before entering the classroom, or he could go in right away. He chose the latter.
Ordinarily he would have entered without a second thought, but today was a little different for him. The students had already learnt of Eldric's and the others' suspension from the principal's speech at the assembly hall, so Eldric and his minions would not be present in the classroom from today onwards until the suspension ended.
Also, rumours of Alex's level having increased had already spread wide and had reached the ears of most students. So, along with this news and the earlier news, Alex expected different looks from the students, and he had already received them from those of his class who were lingering out in the hallway.
However, entering the classroom where Nack and Eldric had bullied him felt different, and he could not help but remember the state he had been in when he entered the class yesterday. He had shown up looking a complete mess the previous day, and some part of him was still anxious because of it.
He took a long breath, and with a steady hand slid the door open.
He was quickly welcomed by the light spilling through the windows, and a cold breeze that had crept in through the open windows swiftly brushed against his neck.
Taking one more long breath, Alex took a step inside the classroom and was immediately greeted by silence. The room that had been buzzing with noise only a second ago turned deathly quiet the moment he stepped inside.
He decided against turning his head toward the others and instead walked straight to the last row of benches that stood beside the windows. He made sure to keep his head high and his body as still and straight as a statue.
He could hear the sound of his own breathing, and even his footsteps. He could hear the cold air seeping in through the windows as he walked into the class amidst the deathly silence.
As he reached the last row of benches, he turned to face the students. The classroom itself had not changed at all, yet something else had. Alex could see it tangibly. The air felt different today, and even he himself was different.
The students were seated on their respective desks. Some rested their head on the desk, others leaning back on the chair. While some were clustered in groups forming a circle around a specific desk, likely their leader.
Alex's eyes did not just scan them sitting or standing but were rather focused on how they were no longer looking at him with blatant, open taunts or mockery. They were sizing him up, trying to figure out whether the rumour of him leveling was true.
Their eyes swept over him from head to toe. Both the girls and the boys did it. They were trying to work out whether the rumours about his leveling were true or false. They held suspicion and caution in their eyes in equal measure; they were wary of him now. They were afraid of him catching up to them.
Before, they would have worn open, taunting looks, or even if they tried to hide it, he could still tell that they had not taken a liking to him. They especially hated him for being placed with them in the same class. Class S.
However, today it was different. They held themselves back and looked at Alex as though he were some kind of opponent that they had to know everything about.
Alex resumed his walk and quickly walked to his bench in the middle of the row beside the window, and making sure he didn't look stressed or anxious, he slowly pulled the chair back and sat down.
As he took his seat, the classroom returned to normal all at once. The loud chatter filled the room once more. It happened so suddenly, almost too quickly.
Alex glanced around and saw that some were still stealing glances at him, though more subtly now, while most others were completely absorbed in talking among themselves.
His eyes also caught sight of Lara and Thalia's backs as they talked with each other. Both of them had their heads turned toward each other. They didn't turn their heads back to look at him, nor did they steal glances at him.
Especially Lara, who would normally have looked at him worriedly or come to talk to him with her usual energy, didn't do any of it this time.
He knew it was because he had lashed out at her yesterday, telling her not to bother with him. And though he felt he should not have lashed out at her like that, there was no way for him to tell with certainty that she didn't have some ulterior motive for being nice to him. She had saved him in the battle royale because she was interested in seeing his fate, but other than that, Alex didn't know much about her reasons for being nice and trying to help him.
He sighed and shook his head. It was better this way, for her not to approach him, because he had to stay wary of others. People didn't always appear in wolf's clothing; sometimes a wolf could hide in plain white sheep's clothing instead. It was something his grandpa had told him, and repeated many times, to remind him that he should be wary of others, people who might act kind on the surface but were not so kind underneath.
However, even after telling himself that he had acted out of suspicion and that he simply hadn't been in a good state yesterday, he still couldn't bring himself to forgive himself for how he had acted. He should have at least told her nicely that he suspected foul play from her and that she might have some ulterior motive. He could have also told her that he didn't like it when she tried to be nice to him for no apparent reason.
Alex let out a long breath. He actually did not know what to do about the current situation. For now, he decided to calm his troubled mind.
And since he had no one to talk to and nothing in particular to do for the moment, he rested his elbow on the desk, propped his head against his palm, and focused on the world outside the window. The sky was blue, and the absence of Eldric in the classroom gave him some reassurance. At least for a week, until Eldric returned, Alex could relax and enjoy his life a little.
No, I can't enjoy this. I need to level up quickly, he reminded himself, his jaw tightened. Things were not going to be simple for him from now on. He was heir to the Drakethorne House, and he would have to uphold its prestige.
He could no longer cower and hide behind the excuse of being unable to level up. He would be tested time and again, on how fast he could level up, on how strong he could become.
Life's not simple, but I will give my best.
***
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