Chapter 2: A Seat Among Kings
As Alex took his seat with the Backmen, the cafeteria buzzed with excitement.
Jessica leaned in closer, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the table. "So, Alex," she said smoothly, "tell us—why did you choose to come here? With your family's money, you could've gone anywhere in the world."
Alex glanced around, aware that every pair of eyes in the cafeteria was locked onto him. He leaned back, flashing a small smirk.
"My parents wanted me to have a... 'normal' experience," he replied.
Dylan chuckled, sipping his drink. "Normal? Starlight Academy is anything but normal."
The group laughed, and Jessica tilted her head. "And yet, you're sitting with us."
Alex didn't reply, but the look in his eyes was sharp—calculating.
Across the room, Luv and Marie sat at their usual table, watching the scene unfold.
Marie sighed. "Well, that didn't take long. I knew he wouldn't last a day with us 'nobodies.'"
Luv didn't answer. Instead, she focused on Alex.
Something about the way he held himself, the way he observed more than he spoke, felt… different.
Like he wasn't just another spoiled rich kid.
Like he was studying everything.
After School: An Unlikely Meeting
Luv walked alone through the school courtyard, her bag slung over one shoulder. SHe never stayed late—she had no reason to.
But today, something made her pause.
Near the entrance gate, Alex was standing alone.
No Jessica. No Dylan. No Backmen.
Just him.
Luv hesitated, then sighed. SHe wasn't the type to care, but curiosity got the better of her.
SHe walked over. "You lost?"
Alex looked up, his blue eyes flashing with amusement. "No. Just thinking."
Luv raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think guys like you did that."
Alex smirked. "Guys like me?"
Luv shrugged. "Rich. Popular. Surrounded by people who worship them."
Alex chuckled. "You mean fake people?"
Luv didn't answer, but Alex's smirk faded.
"You don't like me, do you?" he asked.
Luv crossed her arms. "I don't know you."
Alex nodded, as if considering something. "Good. Then don't judge me yet."
For the first time that day, Luv was surprised.
Maybe Alex Lumien wasn't what he seemed.
Maybe—just maybe—he wasn't like them after all.
As soon as Marie called her, Luv left Alex standing alone and hurried toward her friend.
Whatever that conversation was—it could wait.
At Home: A Quiet Dinner Turns Loud
Luv entered her house, dropping her bag near the door. The smell of her mother's cooking filled the air, a familiar comfort after a long day at school.
Her parents were already seated at the dinner table, her younger sister across from them.
"Welcome home, sweetheart," her mother said with a warm smile.
Her father barely glanced up from his newspaper. "How was school?"
"Fine," Luv replied, sitting down. SHe didn't feel like explaining the whole Alex Lumien situation.
As they ate, the conversation was light—until her sister spoke up.
"Mom, Dad," she started hesitantly. "I want to transfer schools."
The words immediately changed the atmosphere.
Luv paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. Her mother blinked in surprise. Her father slowly set down his newspaper.
"Transfer?" their father repeated, his voice calm but firm. "Why?"
Her sister's grip on her spoon tightened. "I don't like it there anymore."
"That's not a reason," her father said, his expression unreadable.
She clenched her jaw, frustration flashing in her eyes. "It is a reason. I hate it there! You wouldn't understand."
Luv watched as her father's patience thinned. "That school is one of the best. You should be grateful to be there, their father said, his voice carrying authority.
Luv's sister pushed her plate away, her hands clenched into fists. "Grateful?" she echoed, her voice rising. "You don't even care how I feel! You just want to control everything I do!"
Their mother, sensing the tension, tried to intervene. "Sweetheart, your father just wants what's best for you."
But she wasn't listening. She shot up from her chair, her face red with frustration. "No, he wants what's best for her!"
With that, she stormed away from the table, leaving her food untouched.
The room fell into silence. Luv stared at her plate, suddenly losing her appetite.
Her father let out a heavy sigh but didn't say anything more. Her mother exchanged a worried glance with Luv before getting up to check on her sister.
Luv knew that tonight, no one would finish their dinner peacefully.