Monday.
Emirates academy.
The school gates buzzed like always, students flooding in, gossip flying, status games already in motion.
A sleek car pulled up.
Then.
Followed whispers.
"She's here."
"Today is the day I try my luck."
"I come to school just to see her face and go back home."
Doors opened.
And Esmeralda stepped out.
With a big smile compared to the morning sun.
"Is it just me or she's in a hell of a good mood."
"She really looks… different today."
And truly something was different.
Her eyes weren't scanning the crowd.
They were searching.
Quickly.
Almost impatiently.
At the same time
Andre walked through the gates.
Hands in his pockets.
" Vampire boy is here."
Some group of girls said as they laughed
Then
She saw him.
Their eyes met.
For a second…
Everything else disappeared.
Then
Esmeralda broke.
And without thinking
Without calculating
Without caring
She ran.
Radiant. Effortless.
Students froze.
Confused.
Watching.
"…Wait… is she?"
Before Andre could even react
She jumped.
Straight into him.
He caught her instinctively.
Arms wrapping around her without thought.
Her arms around his neck.
A moment suspended in time.
Gasps exploded across the courtyard.
Marco (from a distance): "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—"
Maria's jaw dropped. Misheal blinked twice. Hugo just whispered: "…No way."
Her face buried briefly against his shoulder.
"…You actually came to school today," she laughed softly.
Relief.
Excitement.
Andre blinked.
Processing.
"…I always do."
Then
Reality hit her.
Silence spread around them.
Eyes everywhere.
Judgment.
Shock.
Whispers exploding.
"Oh my God."
"Are they a couple."
Esmeralda froze.
Slowly
She turned her head.
Saw them.
All of them.
Watching.
Her expression changed instantly.
She pulled away from Andre like she had just made a mistake.
A big one.
Cleared her throat.
Adjusted her posture.
Back to the "Cold Stone Queen."
"…Good morning," she said, composed.
Like nothing had happened.
But it was too late.
Everyone had seen.
Marco's jaw dropped.
"…Nah… I'm dreaming."
Misheal blinked. "…Did she just?"
Hugo crossed his arms slowly. "…I thought I was sharp but Andre got the girl in just hours alone."
Andre just stood there.
Calm.
But
There was the smallest shift in his eyes.
Esmeralda avoided looking at him now.
"…You didn't call me as promised," she said quickly, trying to recover.
Andre tilted his head slightly.
"…Yh... my phone had a small issue."
A pause.
Their eyes met again.
Brief.
Charged.
Then
Marco sprinted in like a reporter chasing scandal.
"WHAT WAS THAT??!" "WHAT DID I JUST SEE??!" "IS THIS A DREAM?? SOMEONE SLAP ME—"
Misheal smacked him instantly.
"OW, okay it's real."
Maria stared at Esmeralda.
"…You jumped on him."
Esmeralda coughed lightly. "I tripped."
Hugo: "…Forward?"
Marco: "…Onto his body??"
Misheal grinned
"Really, convincing."
Andre looked away slightly.
Almost… hiding a smile.
Class E
Andre sat across from Maria, talking with Hugo about something.
But
Every now and then
His eyes drifted.
To Esmeralda.
Who had just entered the class.
And how she keeps starring at Andre.
Then.
Marco stretched, cracked his neck, and with the confidence of someone about to commit a social crime, he said:
"You know… I've finally figured girls out."
Hugo sighed immediately. "…Here we go."
Maria narrowed her eyes. "Marco, don't."
But it was too late.
Marco grinned. "Girls are like Wi-Fi signals."
Andre slowly turned his head. Already disappointed.
Marco continued proudly: "When you're close, everything works perfectly…" A dramatic pause.
"But the moment you step away" He snapped his fingers.
"They start connecting to somebody else."
Silence.
Dead.
Even the air stopped moving.
Misheal blinked slowly. "…You didn't just say that."
Maria's expression darkened. "Marco…"
Hugo covered his face. "I don't know him. I've never seen him."
Andre closed his eyes briefly. "…You're on your own."
Then
A voice from behind.
"So… we're Wi-Fi now?"
Everyone froze.
Slowly…
Marco turned.
Sonia.
Standing there.
Marco smiled nervously. "…Ah. Sonia. You see this is actually a scientific--"
"Finish that sentence."
"I won't."
"Why won't you."
Marco swallowed. "Because I value my life."
Sonia stepped forward.
One step.
Marco stepped back.
One step.
"You think girls switch like signals?" she asked calmly.
Marco raised his hands defensively. "No no no, that's not what I meant"
"What did you mean?"
"I meant" He panicked.
"loyal Wi-Fi?"
Hugo burst out laughing. "HE'S DEAD."
Sonia tilted her head slightly. "…So now we're loyal routers?"
Marco nodded quickly. "Yes! Exactly! Strong connection! Unlimited data"
Hugo stood up laughing.
"Marco."
"…Yes?"
"Run if you value your life."
Marco blinked.
"…Run?"
"Run."
He didn't think twice.
He ran.
Immediately.
Full speed.
"OH GOD"
Sonia took off after him.
The entire class erupted.
"CATCH HIM!"
"HE DESERVES IT!"
"DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!"
Marco dodged chairs. Jumped over a desk.
"I WAS MISUNDERSTOOD!"
Sonia grabbed a book
And launched it.
Direct hit.
"AHHHH MY BACK!"
He kept running anyway.
"VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER!"
"IT IS TODAY!" Sonia fired back.
He slipped.
Recovered.
Almost made it to the door
Then she caught his collar.
Dragged him back.
Slowly.
Like a captured criminal.
"…Any last words?" she asked calmly.
Marco looked at Andre.
"Brother… help me."
Andre smiled faintly.
"…You chose this path."
Hugo wiped tears from laughing. "I've never seen someone dig their own grave this fast."
Misheal smirked. "Serves you right."
Sonia raised her hand.
Marco shut his eyes.
"I TAKE IT BACK! GIRLS ARE"
SLAP.
Clean.
Loud.
Echoing.
The class went wild.
"OOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!"
Marco held his cheek.
Stunned.
"…Worth it," he whispered.
Sonia blinked.
"…What?"
He grinned weakly.
"At least… I got your attention."
Silence.
Then
Misheal threw a book at him.
" I'm proud of my brother!"
Even Sonia couldn't hold it anymore.
She turned away
Trying not to smile.
Andre leaned back again.
A faint smirk forming.
Chaos.
Noise.
Laughter.
And somehow…
This ridiculous moment felt just as intense as any fight.
Because here
This was their peace.
Then Hugo noticed Maria eyes were lost looking at someone.
He followed her gaze.
Esmeralda.
He didn't say anything.
Just leaned slightly closer.
"…You okay?"
Maria nodded instantly.
"Yeah."
Too fast.
Hugo didn't push.
But his eyes softened.
"…You don't have to pretend with me."
"If you like him tell him already."
That almost broke her.
Almost.
She looked away quickly.
Still smiling.
"…I'm not pretending."
"And moreover we are just friends."
Late evening.
Joint boards meeting
Pacho represented his father Mr Williams while Maxim represented his Mr Dimitri.
The meeting took about two hours and then they were done.
Outside.
Pacho was walking calmly.
Mind somewhere else.
Probably Rihanna.
Then
A voice.
Cold.
Sharp.
"Pacho."
He stopped.
Didn't turn immediately.
"…Maxim."
Maxim stepped out from the shadows.
Alone.
Then he came face to face with pacho.
Silence.
Heavy.
Maxim smiled.
But it wasn't friendly.
"If it isn't my best friend in the world, Pacho."
Pacho shrugged. "What do you want Maxim."
Maxim stepped closer.
Slow.
Measured.
"You're playing a dangerous game."
Pacho didn't move.
"…By loving someone?"
Maxim's jaw tightened slightly.
"Don't twist it."
A pause.
Then
Maxim's voice dropped.
Low.
Threatening.
"Stay away from Rihanna."
Silence.
Pacho chuckled.
Not loud.
But enough.
"…Or what?"
That
Was new.
Maxim noticed it immediately.
His eyes darkened.
"…You think this is a joke?"
Pacho finally stepped forward.
Closing the gap.
Now they were face to face.
Equal height.
Equal presence.
"For a long time," Pacho said quietly, "I stayed quiet."
A pause.
"I watched you talk down on me."
Another step.
"I watched you act like you owned everything."
His eyes locked with Maxim's.
"But not her."
Maxim's expression hardened.
"She's not for you."
Pacho smiled.
Not playful.
Not soft.
Confident.
"She already chose the better man."
That hit.
Hard.
Maxim grabbed Pacho's collar instantly.
Fast.
Aggressive.
But
Pacho didn't flinch.
Didn't resist.
Didn't step back.
Instead
He leaned in slightly.
"…You can threaten me."
A pause.
"…But don't ever try to scare me."
Maxim tightened his grip.
"…You don't know what I'm capable of."
Pacho's voice dropped lower.
Colder.
"…Then show me."
Silence.
Electric.
For a moment
Then
Maxim released him.
Slowly.
Straightened his clothes.
Stepped back.
"…You just made a mistake."
Pacho adjusted his collar calmly.
"…No."
A pause.
"I corrected one."
Maxim turned.
Walked away.
But his voice lingered behind him
"…This won't end well for you."
Pacho smiled widely.
"Maxim."
He stopped and turned.
"My wedding is coming up and I was wondering if you would like to be the man by my side as I walk my bride to the priest."
Maxim frowned as his fists tightened.
"By bride I mean Rihanna."
Maxim started walking toward pacho
"I will kill you, I swear."
Then pacho backed off as he continuously laughed hard.
Maxim muttered quietly to himself
"…You started this."
"You started this."