"NM!"

I nearly jumped out of my seat when Ally suddenly appeared by my side, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

"Allison Yra Themende! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I snapped at her, clutching my chest dramatically. Honestly, she had a knack for getting on my nerves and boiling my blood in ways no one else could.

"Oh, please. Isn't your heart already aching? Fuse has broken it over and over again," she retorted, smirking. Wow. What a savage. Is she even my friend?

The class soon began, and my eyes wandered to Fuse, who was seated next to me, fast asleep on his armrest. I couldn't help but glance at him, but my gaze didn't last long. He suddenly shifted in his seat and opened his eyes, catching me mid-stare.

"Can you stop staring at me? It's really annoying," he muttered, his tone flat and irritated.

My mouth twisted in annoyance as I replied, "You're so harsh."

"Pervert," he shot back, his brows furrowing.

My eyes widened. Excuse me?!

"What the heck? All I said was that you're harsh!" I defended myself, but my voice came out louder than I intended. Heads turned in my direction, the entire class now staring at me like I'd just grown a second head.

"What?" I mouthed to them, but no one said a word. What's their problem?

I was about to retort again when a knock on the door silenced me. Sir Gio opened it, and my jaw practically hit the floor.

There he was.

What was he doing here? And why was he wearing our uniform?

The entire class erupted into whispers. Everyone was shocked to see him, and who wouldn't be? Greco Pellaria—Fuse's rival—was standing at the front of our classroom. Some of the girls were giggling excitedly, clearly enamored by him. Others, particularly those who were staunch Fuse supporters, looked less than thrilled. But it was undeniable—most of them were charmed by Greco.

"The f*ck is he doing here?" I heard Fuse mutter under his breath.

Greco exchanged a few words with Sir Gio at the front before stepping forward to address the class.

"Class, starting today, Greco Pellaria will be attending classes with you," Sir Gio announced, smiling. A mix of cheers and groans filled the room. "Kindly introduce yourself, Greco."

Greco began to speak, but the moment our eyes met, he froze. Then, to my surprise, he smiled. A small laugh escaped his lips as he said, "Oh, you're here too?"

Now every pair of eyes in the room was on me. I quickly looked away, heat rising to my cheeks. Great. Just great. Now everyone's going to think we know each other. Why did Greco have to acknowledge me in front of the entire class?

Noticing my discomfort, Greco shifted his gaze back to the class and introduced himself properly.

"Kindly sit beside Ms. Allison," Sir Gio instructed once Greco was finished.

Greco glanced at the seat in question and hesitated for a moment when he saw Ally sitting there. A small, almost imperceptible frown crossed his face before he quickly recovered with a polite smile. I half-expected Ally to return the gesture, but she merely turned away, feigning disinterest.

Shrugging it off, Greco turned back to Sir Gio. "Sir, may I sit at the back instead?" he asked, his tone respectful.

Sir Gio nodded, granting him permission. Greco made his way to the empty seat behind me.

I sighed, trying to ignore the sudden awareness of him moving closer. But when he stopped right next to me, I instinctively looked up.

"Looks like we keep bumping into each other," he said with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. Go ahead. Annoy me some more. If I lose my patience, it won't be pretty.

Before I could reply, Fuse's foot shot out, kicking the leg of my chair.

"Hey! What the heck!" I exclaimed, glaring at him.

Greco's gaze shifted to Fuse, his expression darkening slightly. "Is there a problem?" he asked coolly.

Fuse didn't answer, giving him a cold, dismissive look before turning away.

The tension between them was palpable. It felt like the air around us had dropped a few degrees.

I glanced between the two of them, wondering what the real story was behind their rivalry. Whatever it was, it was clear—they couldn't stand the sight of each other.

Greco

I don't like the way Fuse treats people. Is that really his personality? Absolute garbage.

After class, I asked a few of my classmates where the cafeteria was. I still wasn't familiar with the ins and outs of this school, even though I'd occasionally visited for swim meets.

When I arrived at the cafeteria, my steps faltered as a group of guys blocked my path. I stopped and looked at each of them. My lips curled into a faint grin as I recognized who they were.

"Don't try to charm us with that smile, Greco. We're not buying it. We know who you are," said Vijorn, one of the guys, his smirk challenging.

I let out a quiet laugh. "Of course, you know me. You just called me by my name," I replied, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

Vijorn's forehead creased in irritation, and he stepped closer along with his group, shoving my shoulder. I chuckled softly and brushed off the spot where he had pushed me as if his touch had left something unpleasant.

The amused smile I'd been wearing faded, replaced by a sharper, colder grin.

"If you already know who I am, then where do you get the nerve to approach me like this?" I said, my tone low and serious as my jaw tightened.

Vijorn tilted his head slightly, as if impressed—or maybe pretending to be. "You won't fight back, Greco. We know this is as far as you go," he sneered, his grin widening.

The corners of my lips twitched as I suppressed a laugh. They were amusing, but I chose not to waste my energy. Instead, I shook my head and brought back my easy smile.

I stepped forward, intending to brush past them and end this pointless encounter. But Vijorn's voice rang out again, halting me mid-step.

"You really think you've changed, Greco? Or are you just hiding behind a mask?"

I turned my head slightly, meeting his gaze briefly, but I didn't answer. Instead, I walked past him, keeping my stride steady and my composure intact.

There was no point in arguing with them.

What would I gain by engaging in their petty games?