The halls of Sweet Amoris High buzzed with the usual morning energy: students chattering away, lockers slamming shut, and the occasional shout from someone rushing to class. The air was thick with the mundane chaos that Lynn had come to expect. She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, glancing around with a mix of curiosity and caution, as she always did.

Lynn tried not to let her mind wander to the recent events with Deborah. The school had mostly returned to normal, but the scars of that ordeal lingered. Castiel and Nathaniel still couldn't stand each other, though that was nothing new. Lynn shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. It was better to focus on the present.

"Lynn! Wait up!" Alexy's voice rang out, cheerful as always.

He caught up to her in a few quick strides, his bright smile a stark contrast to the drab lockers lining the corridor. "I was thinking, how about we hit the arcade after school? I just got my hands on this new game, and I need someone to witness my inevitable high score."

Lynn smiled, her nerves calming a bit. "Sure, sounds fun. Maybe Armin can give you a run for your money."

Alexy's grin widened. "Please, he's been stuck on that RPG for weeks. This is my domain."

As they walked, Lynn's gaze drifted to the students around them. Castiel was leaning against a wall, earbuds in, looking every bit the aloof bad boy as usual. He caught her staring and raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. Lynn quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks heat up. Why did he always have to catch her at the worst moments?

They turned a corner and nearly bumped into Nathaniel, who was engrossed in a conversation with Melody. Nathaniel glanced up, his expression softening when he saw Lynn.
"Morning, Lynn. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, all good." she replied, noticing the way Melody's smile tightened ever so slightly at their interaction. "What's the student council up to today?"

"Just the usual. Paperwork, organizing the upcoming event... And trying to keep Peggy from publishing more wild stories." Nathaniel sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Peggy was always hunting for the next big scoop, but lately, her determination seemed almost frantic. Lynn had to admit she was a little curious about what might be driving her. Not that she'd ever say it out loud, she didn't need Peggy's nosiness rubbing off on her.

As they reached their classroom, the familiar faces greeted them: Rosalya chatting animatedly with Kim, Lysander lost in thought as he scribbled in his notebook, and Armin playing something on his handheld console, oblivious to the world around him. The usual crowd, the usual routine. It was comforting in a way.

But then the door opened, and Mrs. Shermansky walked in, followed by a student Lynn had never seen before. He was taller than most of the boys in the class, with a brooding expression that reminded her a little too much of Castiel on a bad day. His eyes swept over the room, lingering for a moment on each person, and Lynn felt a shiver run down her spine. Something about him was... off.

"Class, this is Mattie Madic." the principal announced, her tone as warm as her smile. "He's a new transfer student. Please make him feel welcome."

There was a murmur of curiosity as Mattie nodded to the class. He didn't smile. In fact, he seemed entirely uninterested in making a good first impression. He took a seat in the back, far from the others, and immediately pulled out a notebook, scribbling something that didn't look like notes.

Lynn exchanged a glance with Alexy, who raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Lynn just shrugged, her curiosity piqued. Who was this guy?

The rest of the class went by in a blur. Lynn couldn't stop herself from sneaking glances at Mattie. He wasn't like the other students; there was a tension in his posture, a guardedness in his eyes that made her think of someone who was used to looking over his shoulder. When the bell finally rang, she felt more on edge than before.

As the students filed out of the room, Kentin lingered near the door, watching Mattie with a wary gaze. He had changed so much since his return from military school, but Lynn still recognized the kindness in his eyes, even when he was putting on his tough-guy act. Now, though, there was something else... an unease that made Lynn's stomach knot.

"Kentin?" she called softly, walking over to him. "You okay?"

He blinked, as if snapping out of a daze. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... thinking."

"About the new guy?"

Kentin hesitated, then nodded. "There's something weird about him. I don't know what it is, but... I don't trust him."

Lynn glanced back at Mattie, who was already halfway down the hall, disappearing into the crowd. She had to admit, Kentin wasn't the only one who felt that way. But she pushed the thought aside. It was just the first day. Maybe they were overreacting.

"Come on!" she said, forcing a smile. "Let's not jump to conclusions. He's probably just nervous. I mean, it's a new school and all. Remember how it was for us when we first arrived?"

Kentin nodded slowly, but the tension didn't leave his face. As they walked to their next class, Lynn couldn't shake the feeling that today was the beginning of something much bigger than any of them could have imagined.