Prologue – The Calm Before the Stupid
I've moved houses ten times in my life, been tutored by old men with swords, and had coffee with people who technically don't exist on government records. I've memorized negotiation tactics, read dossiers thicker than a textbook, and was once trained to vanish from a room in less than twelve seconds.
But tomorrow... I start high school.
And that might be the scariest thing I've ever done.
I lay on my bed—shirtless, arms behind my head, staring at the ceiling fan spin like it had the answers I didn't. My room in the capital still smelled new. Or maybe it was the faint chemical scent of whatever cleaner Amaya insisted on using before she left yesterday. She and Tyler were the only people I knew here. Not counting the discreet bodyguards in sunglasses parked somewhere outside.
They think I don't know, but I know.
The Markov family doesn't exactly let their heir roam free in public. Even if that heir begged, argued, threatened, and, eventually, smiled charmingly until they gave in. Technically, they gave me permission to enroll in "normal" school. Realistically, they're just watching how long I can pretend to be normal.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Tyler: u prepped for tomorrow???
Tyler: pls don't wear a suit again
Tyler: you're not James Bond, it's going to be first day of our high school life
I laughed softly. I wore a suit once, and I'll never live it down. To be fair, I didn't realize back then that "casual Friday" wasn't code for "look like a CEO."
Jay: no promises
Jay: I might bring a briefcase just to mess with you
He replied with a skull emoji and something about bribing the soccer coach already. Classic Tyler. Guy makes everything into a game and somehow wins anyway. Loud, messy, overly confident—but he's one of the realest people I know. Probably the only person who treats me like a person and not... whatever title my last name comes with.
Same goes for Amaya. She's quieter. The kind of quiet that lets your guard down without even trying. She still calls me "Jay," not "Jay Markov," not "heir," not "future CEO of the world." Just Jay.
But none of them know who I really am. They treat me like I'm just like them and I thinking I want things to stay like that
If I'm honest, I think I chose this high school just because it was close to them.
Tomorrow, I walk into a classroom full of strangers pretending not to care who's cool and who's not. There'll be overachievers and underachievers, hidden crushes, loud laughs, silent stares. People trying to figure out who they're going to be for the next three years.
And me?
I'll make some new friends and be happy with all of them
I don't want the crown. Nor I wanted this family power I just want to be normal high school kid enjoying his life
Besides, how hard can high school be?
...
Right?
If I had to summarize my new school in three words, it would be:
Big. Shiny. Overcompensating.
St. Ivy High School for Excellence—yeah, that's the real name—sits right in the heart of the capital, all tall windows, polished floors, and very intimidating architecture. It's the kind of place where the staircases don't even creak and every teacher has a degree in something with a hyphen.
They say it's one of the best schools in the country. I say it's a fancy zoo, and I've just been dropped into a new enclosure.
I did some exploring last month with Tyler and Amaya. Well—I explored. Tyler kicked a vending machine. Amaya took notes like she was prepping for a heist.
Here's what I've figured out so far:
Main Building Layout
First Floor: Admin office, homerooms, English and History classrooms
Also the place where people definitely pretend not to be staring at you while 100% staring at you.Second Floor: Science labs, Math department, Student Council Room
well I doesn't get chance to meet current president but it would be fun interaction I hope soThird Floor: Library, Art Room, Music RoomRooftop: Officially off-limits. Unofficially? Probably where half the confessions and emotional meltdowns happen.
The Courtyard
Big, open, has exactly two cherry blossom trees because someone watched anime once and took it personally.
This is where Tyler plans to "accidentally" show off his soccer skills during lunch break.
The Cafeteria
Three food stations:
Budget-friendly (popular with people like Amaya)Mid-tier meal plan (where I'll be pretending, I belong)Executive-tier VIP corner (where the richest kids eat truffle fries and talk about investments)
Guess which one I'm trying to avoid.
Clubs & Extracurriculars Hall
Where students gather to aggressively recruit you like it's a cult fair.
Noah's already planned to audition for Drama Club. I didn't even know auditions were a thing yet.
Class 1-A – My Homeroom
Room 1-A is where the chaos officially begins. We saw the class roster on a clipboard stuck to the wall:
Me (Jay Markov, professional "try not to be noticed" guy)Tyler (walking noise machine)Amaya (my emotional anchor)
Also—my other classmate which I will meet on first day and try to befriend them and Mr. Theodore Brooks, our homeroom teacher.
He walked past us during the tour. He had a beard, aviator shades, and a coffee in one hand like he was late for a band rehearsal. I think he sighed when he saw us. That feels... promising?
So yeah. That's the school.
It's big. It's fancy. It's probably haunted by the ghost of someone who took exam prep too seriously.
But for the first time in my life, this place doesn't come with bodyguards and suits and whispered agendas.
It just has people.
Maybe... friends?
If I can survive the first week.