After the visitor passed through the gate, the courtyard gradually restored to its normal noise level. But not entirely. People were still watching him. It wasn't simply because he was new.Rothswood High occasionally admits new students. That was how he carried himself. Too calm. Too confident. As if he belonged somewhere else entirely. Lena tried to ignore it and turned back to Naomi. Footsteps approached the fountain. Slow. Deliberate. Lyra was the first to notice.
Her stance straightened somewhat when the tall newcomer came to a stop a few feet in front of their group. Up close, he appeared even older than the others—not in age, but in presence. His dark eyes wandered quietly across the audience before he spoke. "Sorry to interrupt." His voice was soft and controlled. "Do any of you know where the admissions office is?" Cassidy blinked.For a time, she appeared to be caught off guard.Then she immediately recovered. "Uh… yeah," she responded, standing slightly. "Inside the main building, second hallway on the left."
"Thank you." He offered a slight nod. Instead of departing immediately, his eyes returned to the gathering. I'm studying them. He stared at each of them with a fascinating expression, as if he were recognising jigsaw parts. His gaze briefly focused on Cassidy. "Blake," he said evenly. Cassidy frowned. "…Yes?" He offered a slight smile. "I thought so." Naomi leaned gently towards Lena.
She muttered, "Do we know this guy?" Lena shook her head slightly. The stranger's gaze shifted again. This time, I settled on Lena and Lyra. Something shifted in his expression.Recognition. Interest. Something deeper. "Hart," he said gently. Both twins froze slightly. Lyra narrowed her eyes. "Okay… that's getting weird."The stranger seems amused by her reaction. "My apologies," he replied gently. "Old towns bear old names. "You tend to remember them."
Cassidy crossed her arms. "Okay, now I'm curious." She tilted her head. "And you are?" The guy appeared to think about the question for a time before responding. "Adrian." A brief pause."Adrian Vale." Something changed in the air as soon as he said the name. Lyra's eyes sharpened somewhat. Cassidy blinks again. "Vale?" she repeated. This was another founder name.
Everyone in Rothswood knew the founding families. The Harts. The Blake family. The Calders.The reyes. The Whitmore family. And the Vales.Except… The Vale family had essentially vanished decades ago. Adrian saw their reactions."Guessing the name rings a bell." Cassidy uttered a tiny laugh. "Yeah… because the Vale house is basically a town ghost story."
Naomi nodded. "People say no one's lived there in like… forever." Adrian grinned slightly. "That's not entirely true." Lyra examined him closely. "So you're saying you live there?" "I do." This caused the gathering to fall silent for a little moment. The mansion was well-known throughout Rothswood.Old. Huge. Hidden between iron gates and towering trees. But no one ever saw anyone enter or leave. Cassidy tilted her head again. "Well… welcome to Rothswood, I guess." Adrian offered a slight nod. "Thank you." Then his attention wandered back to Lena. It lingered a little longer this time. Like he was looking for something.
Lena had that weird chill again. "Nice to meet you," Adrian replied gently. Then he turned and began heading towards the school building.Naomi instantly leaned forwards. "Okay." Cassidy nodded. "Okay." Lyra folded her arms. "Yeah, something's weird about that guy." Adrian vanished behind the school's doors, as Lena watched. Her stomach twists slightly. She had not seen him before. She was certain about it.Nonetheless, somehow... It felt as if their encounter had been planned long before today.Because Adrian Vale had not just returned to Rothswood. He returned to her. The village is surrounded by tranquil forests.
The wind murmured through the trees, like an old memory reawakening. Because the past was finally catching up with the present. Under the moonlight... Nothing remained buried forever. 🌙