Aarvin hardly slept that night.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Liam falling, the class staring, Zane Lockhart rising from his seat…
and the fear in his own trembling hands.
By morning, Oakridge High felt even heavier than before.
Whispers followed him the moment he stepped through the gate.
"He punched Liam yesterday."
"This is Riyan Hale's brother?"
"Maybe he's not that weak."
Aarvin walked faster, gripping the straps of his backpack.
He didn't want a reputation.
He didn't want attention.
He didn't want to be compared to Riyan.
But Oakridge High wasn't a place where you got to choose what you wanted.
A Change in Atmosphere
When he entered class, everyone went quiet.
People didn't shove him anymore.
They didn't laugh.
They simply watched him, as if calculating where this "new version" of Aarvin Hale fit in the hierarchy.
He took the same window seat hesitantly.
Liam wasn't in class that morning—
a fact that made the atmosphere even more tense
Zane Lockhart glanced at Aarvin once.
A cold, unreadable stare.
Aarvin's throat tightened.
He didn't know what it meant.
He didn't want to know.
A Message From The Wolves
During break, Aarvin went to refill his bottle.
He had barely touched the water fountain when someone leaned against the wall beside him.
Zane Lockhart.
No words.
Just presence.
Tall. Calm. Dangerous.
Aarvin turned slowly.
Zane looked him straight in the eyes.
"You surprised me yesterday," he said softly.
"Not many people make Liam fall."
Aarvin swallowed hard.
"I didn't mean to fight."
"That's the problem," Zane replied.
"In Oakridge, unintentional hits start intentional wars."
Aarvin lowered his gaze.
Zane continued,
You're Riyan Hale's brother. People expect you to be fearless."
"I'm not him," Aarvin whispered.
Zane's eyes sharpened.
"That's exactly why you're interesting."
Before Aarvin could respond, Zane walked away, leaving him with more fear than answers.
Someone Watching
After school, Aarvin stepped outside and froze.
Riyan was leaning against the wall near the gate.
Hands in pockets.
Expression blank.
Eyes too sharp.
Aarvin's heart skipped.
"Bhai… tum yahan?"
Riyan didn't move.
"What happened yesterday?"
Aarvin's blood turned cold.
Nobody told him.
But Riyan always found out.
Aarvin hesitated.
"I… just made a mistake. It won't happen again."
Riyan studied him silently.
Then he said,
"There are lines you shouldn't cross in this school, Aarvin."
Aarvin looked down.
"I didn't want to fight."
"That doesn't matter anymore."
Riyan's voice dropped lower.
"They've noticed you now. Zane. His group. Everyone."
Aarvin's chest tightened.
Riyan added one last thing before walking away—
"Stay close to people who won't let you break."
Aarvin wasn't sure who those people were.
But he knew one thing:
He was no longer invisible.
Oakridge High had finally turned its eyes on him…
…and there was no going back.