Chapter 3: Face the Game

Rio kept running his mouth about the next classes as we strolled through the second floor, acting like some damn tour guide. Not that I was really paying attention. My mind was still stuck on that glass-shattering mess back at 2-F1.

"2-F2," Rio gestured lazily at the next class we passed, "buncha freaks who treat breaking bones like a damn sport. And they good at it too. 2-F3? Supposedly the all-rounders, but that just means they're jack-of-all-trades, master of jackshit." He smirked. "'Cept me, obviously."

I rolled my eyes, barely holding back a scoff. One thing had been bugging me since this whole tour started—where the hell were the teachers? Not a single one in sight. No lectures. No supervision. This is a school, right?

Curiosity finally got the best of me, so I glanced up at the snake beside me. "Where the hell are the teachers? They too scared to set foot on this floor or what?"

Rio paused, then let out a short chuckle. "Right. Each major, class, junior-senior, got completely diff schedules n' study totally diff shit. Some general subjects, yeah, like history, math, phys ed, language—"

Okay, for once, he wasn't spewing nonsense. But that list? Ugh. History? Snoozefest. Language? Meh. Phys ed? Hell yeah. Math? Fuck math. Just thinking about it made my head hurt. I mean, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division—ain't that enough? Who the hell decided to throw in all those weird-ass formulas and expect us to just deal with it?

Just as I was starting to spiral into mathematical despair, Rio waved his tattooed hand in front of my face like he was testing if I'd gone blind. "Oi, Collin. Spacin' out on me, huh?"

I swatted his hand away. "Nah. Just thinking."

Rio raised a brow. "Hah. Maybe we just met, but y'know, I'm a damn good listener~" He licked his lip, and I swear, I almost flinched. If I so much as let my guard down for a second, I knew he'd get me wrapped around his damn finger. Dangerous.

Seeing my lack of response, Rio just grinned like the menace he was. "Anyway, this here's 2-F4. Fresh meat in the fightin' scene."

Ah. So every class had their own level of expertise. That got me curious about the other majors. Before I could ask, Rio stepped closer to the window, peering inside. "Look at 'em. All calm n' shit. Not like the other hellspawn runnin' loose out here." He snorted. "Guess ya could say they still got their dignity."

Yeah, unlike a certain loudmouth snake I know.

"But I still don't get why—"

I stopped mid-sentence, my attention snapping to something—or rather, someone—inside the class.

Juno.

Oh, now this was interesting.

He'd grown, sure, but still looked a little too much like the past for me to ignore. And just like that, memories came rushing back—good ones, for me, anyway. That little bastard had stepped on me first, so I just made sure he got what was coming to him.

I almost laughed at the thought.

Then he saw me.

Juno's whole body locked up, his pupils shaking like he was staring straight into his worst nightmare. Then—

BAM!

He shot up so fast his chair crashed to the floor with a loud bang. The entire class turned to look at him.

Rio frowned. "Yo, the fuck's wrong with that kid?" I casually looked away, pretending I hadn't noticed a thing.

Juno squared up like he had something to prove, shoulders stiff, chin lifted like he was already standing on a damn podium. My eyes flicked over him, scanning for weaknesses. Old habits die hard, huh? The way his hands twitched, the subtle shift of his weight from foot to foot—yeah, he was faking it. Hard.

"Heh. What? Ain't gonna talk?" Juno sneered, arms crossing over his chest like he owned the place. "Or are you too scared, Princess? Didn't expect to see me here, huh? Thought I'd stay some weak little bastard forever?"

Rio let out a low whistle beside me. "Ohoho. Bold words, kid. You grow a spine, or just borrow one?"

I ignored Rio. My eyes stayed locked on Juno, reading him like a damn textbook. He wanted to rattle me. To turn the tables, flip the power dynamic we used to have. Cute. But also pathetic. The strong don't announce their strength—they just are. And Juno? He was all bark, no bite.

"Nah," I drawled, cracking my neck. "Just didn't expect you to be dumb enough to walk right back into my line of sight. You got a death wish, Juno? 'Cause last time I checked, I don't take kindly to people stepping on me."

Juno flinched—just barely—but he covered it up quick. "Tch. That was then. I ain't scared of you anymore, Collin. You ain't shit. What, you think just 'cause you're in some prissy beauty class now, people should still fear you? You're weak."

I let out a slow breath through my nose. So that's his game. Drag me down, make me second-guess myself. Too bad for him, I don't play that way.

"Weak?" I echoed, tilting my head. "That so? 'Cause last I checked, you're the one who nearly pissed himself just now. What's the matter, Juno? Flashbacks hitting too hard? You seeing middle school again? That cafeteria? Those lockers? That moment you realized running your mouth had real consequences?"

Juno's jaw tightened. He wanted to act unfazed, but I could see it—the flicker of something ugly in his eyes. Humiliation. Resentment.

"Shut the hell up," he snapped. "You think you're so untouchable just 'cause you got lucky back then? Well, guess what? I ain't the same as before! I trained! I built myself up while you were busy playing dress-up!"

Rio cackled at that. "Oh man, you got no idea who you're talking to. Keep goin', though, this is quality entertainment."

I took a step closer, closing the space between us. Juno stiffened but didn't back up. Good. I liked my prey standing still.

"Alright then," I said, voice smooth, calculated. "If you're so damn strong now, prove it. Let's see if you're more than just a loudmouth with a victim complex."

Juno smirked, but it was shaky. "You're on. After school. Arena. No excuses."

I exhaled, bored already. "You won't last five minutes. But sure, if you really wanna embarrass yourself in front of everyone, who am I to stop you?"

A ripple of murmurs spread through the gathered students. Juno's face burned, but he held his ground. I turned on my heel, already done with this conversation.

Rio fell in step beside me, still grinning. "You know, I think you just made his funeral arrangements. Should we send flowers?"

I didn't answer. My mind was already shifting gears, planning my next move. Juno thought this was about proving something. He thought he was reclaiming power. Cute. But this was a game I'd already won before it even started.

All that was left was to watch him fall—again.

I should've seen it coming. The moment Rio got that shit-eating grin, I knew he was about to run his mouth again.

"You know what, sweetheart?" He tilted his head, eyes glinting like a snake about to strike. "I think you're gonna lose."

I raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Yeah. he's been lifting, y'know? Training with the fighter kids. Guy's bulked up. Got himself a little fan club, too. Probably thinks he's a damn warlord by now." He smirked. "So yeah, I'm bettin' on him."

I crossed my arms. Interesting. "And what do you want if you win?"

His smirk widened. "Simple. You gotta date me for a month."

I stared at him. Blinked. Processed. Then scoffed. "You sure you wanna play this game, snake boy?"

Rio just grinned like I'd already lost.

Fine. Two can play dirty.

"If I win," I said, stepping closer, "you shut the hell up for a month. No flirting. No dumb nicknames. No running that damn mouth unless I say so. You do what I say, no questions asked."

The grin twitched, just a little.

Oh, he hated that.

For the first time, Rio actually hesitated. He liked talking more than breathing. Taking that away? Worse than death.

"…Deal," he finally said, forcing that smugness back. "But don't go crying when you're my girlfriend, sweetheart."

I rolled my eyes and walked away.

Like hell I'm losing to Juno.

I was halfway down the damn hall when it hit me—Felix had my favorite snack. That smug bastard had casually tossed it out like some bait, and I, like the idiot I was, completely missed it.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, stopping in my tracks.

Rio had already disappeared somewhere, probably off to find another poor soul to terrorize with his smooth-talking nonsense. I didn't have time to deal with him right now. My brain was locked onto one thing: that snack.

The cafeteria was too far, and I wasn't about to run into Felix again just to snatch it from him. Knowing him, he'd probably dangle it in front of my face, enjoying every second of my frustration before finally handing it over with that damn smirk.

Nope. Not happening.

Which meant I had no choice but to go back to class.

A class I had walked out of.

A class I had technically been punished in.

A class where the teacher was definitely going to rip me a new one for just strolling back in like I owned the place.

"Goddamn it," I hissed, dragging a hand down my face.

I could already imagine the look on their faces—some of them probably thought I had bailed for good. I wasn't exactly the quiet type, and my absence had definitely not gone unnoticed. Not to mention, walking back in now meant dealing with that strict-ass teacher.

Still, the thought of that contest I overheard—something about being the 'face of the school'—made me curious. Not that I cared about some popularity nonsense, but I needed to know who the hell thought they were the prettiest or the most handsome around here. That kind of confidence? Bold. I respected it, even if it was bullshit.

With a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and turned on my heel, heading back to 1-B like I hadn't just stormed out over an hour ago. The second I reached the classroom door, I hesitated. Maybe if I played it cool, I could slip in unnoticed.

Yeah, right.

I pushed the door open just enough to peek inside.

And—yup.

All eyes snapped to me the second I stepped in.

The teacher, Miss Hara, was mid-sentence when she spotted me. Her sharp eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Collin."

I braced myself. "Ma'am."

The class collectively sucked in a breath. Even the ones who usually didn't give a damn were watching, intrigued.

Miss Hara set down her tablet with a deliberate motion. "Would you like to explain where you've been?"

I cleared my throat. "Exploring."

Her nostrils flared. "Exploring."

"Yup."

The silence stretched so tight I swore I could hear someone's heartbeat pounding in the back.

"Get to your seat," she finally said, voice tight, controlled. "And we'll deal with your 'exploration' after class."

Fair enough. I didn't argue, just made my way to my seat like I totally belonged there.

It wasn't until I actually sat down that I noticed the whiteboard.

FACE OF THE SCHOOL NOMINATIONS.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

I leaned over to the girl next to me, whispering, "What's this?"

She glanced at me, then at the board, before sighing like I was the dumbest person alive. "A contest. Whoever gets the most votes becomes the 'face of the school.' They get to collaborate with senior models in a special project."

I stared at her. "Why?"

She blinked. "Because it's an honor?"

"Sounds like a pain in the ass."

"That's because you're not in the running."

Oh, I was about to say something real nice about that when the girl in front of me turned around, smirking. "Actually… you are."

I frowned. "The hell are you talking about?"

She pointed at the whiteboard.

And there it was.

My name.

Scrawled in big, bold letters right under the nominations list.

I whipped my head around. "Who the fuck put my name up there?!"

A few people looked away, suddenly finding their desks interesting as hell. Others snickered.

The girl smirked wider. "Felix."

I froze.

That little—but-

That explained the snack, the smirk, the entire damn thing. He was messing with me. Again.

"I'm withdrawing," I said flatly, raising a hand like I was in some legal hearing. "Immediately."

"You can't," Miss Hara cut in. "All nominations are final. And we're about to begin voting."

I slowly turned to face her. "What."

She adjusted her glasses, clearly enjoying my suffering. "You heard me. Sit back and watch democracy at work."

"Seriously? On the first damn day? And why the hell are other majors allowed—"

"The voting isn't just for our class," some girl cut in, sounding way too smug for my liking. "It's for the entire grade. Becoming the face of the school isn't easy, you know."

And then—because apparently, my suffering wasn't over—Mrs. Hara chimed in.

"And Collin," she said, real slow, like she was about to say something I really wasn't gonna like.

I braced myself. "yes?"

"At first, I wasn't going to allow your nomination."

I almost grinned. Exactly, lady. That's the right decision.

"But," she continued, tilting her head, "despite everything… your beauty is decent enough."

Crack.

That was the sound of my last shred of hope shattering.

My jaw clenched. My hands itched to grab Felix and shake the life out of him. Who the hell let other people suggest candidates anyway? I had an actual fight after school—did I really need this nonsense too?

"Man… my challenges just keep piling up, huh?" I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

"Mrs. Hara, this isn't right," I said, forcing my voice to stay calm. "This is basically forced participation. Shouldn't I have a say in this?"

Mrs. Hara arched a brow. "Alright. I'm listening. Why don't you want to participate? Someone nominated you, and that someone happens to be quite popular. That's not something that happens every day, now is it?"

Ah. So it was Felix, really him. That damn bastard.

I took a breath, working through my options. No way in hell was I just walking into this setup without a fight.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "Mrs. Hara, with all due respect, isn't this whole thing supposed to be about school representation?"

"Yes."

"Right. So, shouldn't the nominee be someone with a pristine reputation?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Go on."

"I mean, think about it." I shrugged, feigning innocence. "Felix is popular, sure. But he's also controversial. If someone like him is throwing names into the ring, don't you think it might—oh, I don't know—raise some eyebrows?"

The class stirred. A few people exchanged glances.

Mrs. Hara pursed her lips. "Popularity isn't inherently a bad thing, Collin."

"No, but drama is." I leaned forward, dropping my voice just enough to sound conspiratorial. "You really wanna risk this contest turning into a circus just because Felix decided to throw a wild card into the mix?"

That made her pause.

For a second, I thought I had her.

But then she sighed, adjusting her glasses with a look that screamed Nice try, kid.

"The nominations are final, Collin."

I clenched my teeth.

Of course they were.

"You don't have to win," she continued, her tone almost amused. "If you really don't want to be the face of the school, all you have to do is… lose."

I stared at her.

Oh, she knew what she was doing.

If I did lose, Felix was never letting me hear the end of it. I could already see his smug face, that damn knowing smirk, the way he'd definitely bring it up at the worst possible moments—

I was so gonna kill him.

Mrs. Hara gave me a knowing smile. "Take your seat, Collin. Let's see how this plays out."

I gritted my teeth, plopping down in my chair with a scowl.

Fine.

Let's see how this plays out, indeed.

Because if I was going down, I was taking someone with me.

I lost. Big time.

Well, whatever. New experiences bring new lessons or some crap like that. My eyes drifted to the board, scanning the names of the so-called 'candidates.' Out of thirty-nine students in the first-year beauty class, only ten had been picked. And, of course, my name was there. Ugh.

There was Mira L., Hana C., Keira V., Aria K., Sabrina H., Tasha S., Viona A., Rika F., and Lea B. Just looking at those names, I could already tell—they were the pretty, proper types. The kind of girls who actually cared about this competition. Unlike me.

Mrs. Hara stood at the front, looking way too pleased with herself. "I know it's only your first day," she started, her voice dripping with forced encouragement, "but this has been a long-standing tradition at Nexus. I hope all of you can adapt and tackle these challenges to the best of your ability."

Right. More like, 'Get ready to suffer for school pride.'

"The voting won't be over in just a day," she continued. "And after the lunch break, there will be an announcement."

A student raised her hand, hesitating just a little before asking, "How many will pass from the ten candidates, ma'am?"

Mrs. Hara's lips curled into a smirk. Like she had been waiting for this exact question. "Good question," she said, pausing for effect. Oh, it's probably three or—

"One."

Wait. What?

"Only one will make it through," she repeated. "So, I expect all of you to take this seriously. Why? Because being the face of the school comes with many advantages. I won't list them all—whoever wins will experience them firsthand."

I blinked. Damn, was this competition really that cutthroat?

"Yup," she went on, as if reading my mind. "The first round will cut the candidates down to five. Then, only two will survive the second round. And finally—the last stage."

This was insane. Absolutely insane. And the worst part? Felix probably knew all this when he threw my name in. Oh, that bastard was so dead.