The silence inside Section E didn't fade. If anything, it grew heavier as the minutes passed. Nobody dared move. Nobody breathed too loudly. Lia's words still echoed in the room like a threat, a warning, and a promise all at once.
Angelo sat down slowly, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor.
He—who always acted confident, calm, impossible to shake—looked shaken.
Jay leaned back in her chair, staring at Lia like she was trying to read her mind. "Lia… why now? Why suddenly ask for DNA tests?"
Lia didn't answer. Not right away. She just sat on the edge of the teacher's desk, fingers intertwined, gaze locked on nothing—like she was thinking ten steps ahead, solving a puzzle none of them understood.
Kairav stood beside her, silent. Supportive. Watchful.
Aries cleared his throat nervously. "Lia… you okay?"
"I'm fine," she said softly, but her voice was ice. Controlled. Cold.
Everyone felt the chill run across their skin.
Mica whispered to Rakki, "Bro… she's not fine. That's the 'don't mess with me' voice."
Rakki nodded slowly. "Yeah… something big happened outside. Something she's not telling us."
Kit exhaled, rubbing his temples. "DNA tests… like we're about to uncover some twisted family tree."
Mayo tapped his foot anxiously. "I bet this is about Kiara. It has to be. No one else shakes Lia like that."
Eren swallowed hard. "If Kiara's involved… this won't be normal. It's gonna be messy."
Cindy whispered, "Lia doesn't break. So if she's like this… whatever Lara told her must've been serious."
The mention of Lara made Angelo finally lift his head.
"She wouldn't ask for a DNA test unless she had a reason," Angelo murmured. "Lia doesn't jump to conclusions… she calculates. She thinks. She decides."
Jay glanced between him and Lia. "So what do you think happened?"
Angelo shook his head. "I don't know… but Kiara and Lara leaving before Lia returned… that means the truth wasn't something light."
Kiefer rubbed the back of his neck. "And Lia didn't yell. She didn't cry. She didn't react. She just came straight here and demanded a DNA test."
Freya whispered, "It's like she's scared of her own answer."
Ella nodded. "Or preparing herself before she hears it."
Section E fell silent again.
Finally, Lia stood up.
Her voice was calm, steady, and frighteningly emotionless.
"The DNA tests will be tomorrow," she said. "No arguments. Angelo, talk to your mother. Jay… Aries… you two talk to yours."
Nobody objected.
Nobody dared.
She walked toward the door, but before she stepped out, she paused—just for a moment—her hand tightening around the knob.
Kairav noticed. "Lia…?"
She didn't turn around.
"Some truths," she whispered, "don't wait forever. And I'm done running from them."
The door closed behind her.
Section E stared at the empty doorway, shivers running down their spines.
Jay whispered, "This is going to break her… isn't it?"
Angelo clenched his jaw. "Or change everything forever."
Aries looked toward the hallway, eyes dark. "Whatever it is… tomorrow won't be normal."
Eren murmured, "No… tomorrow decides everything."
And as the last murmurs faded, the classroom lights flickered—just once—almost like the universe giving a warning.
Whatever truth Lia was about to uncover…
was not something any of them were ready for.
Not even her.