"How'd I do?"
Anderson spread his arms dramatically, as though awaiting the judgment of a royal audience.
Across the dining table, Kacy lowered her fork and looked at him.
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"You know," she said thoughtfully, "I've always wondered how you managed to marry Mom."
Anderson pressed a hand against his chest.
"Ouch."
"No, seriously." Her smile widened. "Your acting skills must be award-worthy."
The wounded expression vanished instantly.
Anderson barked out a laugh.
"There she is."
Kacy shook her head and returned to her meal.
A comfortable silence settled between them.
After a moment, Anderson rested an elbow on the table.
"What do you want me to do about the MacKenzies?"
Kacy paused.
The spoon in her hand tapped lightly against the bowl.
"Nothing."
Her voice was calm.
"Everything will fall into place when it's supposed to."
Anderson studied her for a few seconds before nodding.
Neither of them spoke about it again.
---
The following morning, the story had already spread through Aurikon Academy.
News traveled faster than official announcements.
Kim discovered that before she'd even reached her classroom.
Whispers followed her through every corridor.
Students glanced her way before quickly looking elsewhere.
Others stared openly.
Some with curiosity.
Some with admiration.
A few with disbelief.
Kim kept her eyes forward and tried not to think about it.
It became increasingly difficult.
Then a hand slipped into hers.
Warm.
Steady.
She looked up.
Kacy smiled.
"You'll survive."
The knot in Kim's chest loosened slightly.
A reluctant smile appeared on her face.
"Thanks."
Together, they continued through the day.
Mathematics.
Science.
Literature.
The attention never stopped.
Most of it eventually faded into background noise.
Most.
Kim's eyes drifted across the classroom.
And found Lynn.
Again.
The blonde immediately lowered her gaze.
Almost guiltily.
Kim blinked.
That was the fifth time today.
The sixth came ten minutes later.
The seventh after lunch.
By the eighth, Kim stopped counting.
What exactly is wrong with her?
Yesterday, Lynn had looked ready to start a war.
Today she looked like she wanted to apologize and didn't know how.
It made no sense.
Eventually Kim gave up trying to understand it.
As long as Lynn wasn't causing trouble.
That was enough.
---
The Student Council room was unusually quiet.
The door opened.
Kim and Kacy stepped inside.
As council members, staying after classes had become routine.
Paperwork waited.
Reports waited.
Deadlines waited.
None of them cared.
As Kim settled into her chair and began organizing documents, Kacy leaned back and watched her.
"Lynn couldn't stop staring at you today."
Kim didn't even look up.
"I noticed."
"Maybe she's in love with you."
Kim froze.
Then slowly raised her head.
"Absolutely not."
A snort echoed through the room.
The girls turned.
The door had opened again.
Colton entered first.
Kaiden followed behind him.
As always, Kaiden acknowledged the room with a single nod before moving toward his desk.
No wasted words.
No wasted movements.
Meanwhile, Colton's grin appeared the second his eyes landed on Kim.
Dangerous.
Bright.
Entirely too pleased.
Kacy immediately noticed the way Kim unconsciously sat straighter.
Interesting.
"Don't be ridiculous," Kim said, returning her attention to her paperwork.
"Lynn's background alone wouldn't allow something like that."
"Backgrounds don't stop feelings."
Kim pretended not to hear her.
A moment later, the door opened once more.
Silence followed.
Lynn had arrived.
The room's atmosphere shifted almost immediately.
Kacy watched from the corner of her eye.
Lynn sat down.
Opened her files.
Then looked at Kim.
Five minutes later.
Still looking.
Twenty minutes later.
Still looking.
An hour later.
Still looking.
Across the room, Colton's smile gradually disappeared.
His pen snapped.
No one commented.
Kacy hid a grin behind her hand.
Good thing I stayed.
This was becoming entertaining.
---
"How long are you planning to keep doing that?"
Colton looked up.
Across the room, Kaiden had finally acknowledged his existence.
A rare achievement.
"Doing what?"
Kaiden closed his book.
"You've been glaring at her for twenty minutes."
"I'm not glaring."
"You are."
"Am not."
Kaiden stared.
Colton sighed.
"Fine. Maybe a little."
A faint smirk appeared on Kaiden's face.
Dangerous.
Rare.
The kind that only appeared around Colton.
"But think about it," Kaiden said casually. "What if Lynn becomes your greatest rival?"
Colton frowned.
"For what?"
Kaiden turned a page.
"Hate-to-love stories are very popular."
Silence.
Then—
"KAIDEN FOX!"
The shout echoed through the dormitory.
Kaiden's shoulders shook once.
A laugh.
An actual laugh.
Short.
Quiet.
But real.
Colton pointed at him accusingly.
"That's not funny."
"It is."
"It isn't."
"It really is."
Colton groaned and collapsed backward onto his bed.
Traitor.
The room gradually fell silent.
Then Colton glanced toward his friend.
Something softened in his expression.
"Still," he said quietly, "you should laugh more."
Kaiden raised an eyebrow.
Click.
The flash went off.
Kaiden froze.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He turned.
Colton examined the photo on his phone proudly.
"Perfect."
"Delete it."
"No."
"Colton."
"No."
Kaiden pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Tsk."
Colton grinned.
"You know, if you smiled like this more often, finding a wife would be much easier."
Kaiden rolled his eyes.
Then Colton added—
"Imagine Kacy seeing this side of you every day."
The grin vanished from Kaiden's face.
For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across his eyes.
Gone almost immediately.
Like it had never existed.
Colton noticed.
Of course he did.
But he said nothing.
After a long pause, Kaiden spoke.
"We still have work to do."
"Yeah."
Neither of them mentioned Kacy again.
But the silence that followed carried her name anyway.