University Hierarchy

As Ms. Melli continued her discussion, the university bell chimed, signaling the start of break time. Koa swiftly packed her belongings, slipping them into her bag.

As she made her way to the cafeteria. There, she found Sitara waiting for her at the entrance. 

Sitara leaned in, whispering urgently to Koa, her words laden with importance.

"We need to talk. Something's not right here," she murmured, her eyes darting around the bustling cafeteria.

"We'll discuss it over food. Let's grab something first," she added, gesturing towards the buffet spread.

Reluctantly setting aside their conversation for the moment, the two joined the queue. As they approached the counter, the cafeteria attendant greeted them with a curious glance.

"What rank are you?" she inquired, her tone laced with judgment. 

Sitara proudly declared her rank as 7,998, while Koa followed suit, stating hers as 7,999.

The attendant's eyebrow arched in response, her silent assessment evident as she handed them a meager portion of bread.

"What's this? Why are we getting bread?" Sitara's indignation was palpable as she protested. 

Koa shot her a cautionary glance, but Sitara continued, her voice rising with frustration.

"This isn't fair! Why should our rank determine what we eat?"

The attendant remained impassive, not explaining as she rolled her eyes in disdain.

Sensing Sitara's growing frustration, Koa intervened, gently urging her to accept her portion of bread.

"Let's not make a scene," she whispered, casting a wary glance around the cafeteria.

Sitara hesitated, her pride wounded, but ultimately relented, taking the bread with a resentful glare at the attendant.

Together, the two retreated from the counter, their appetites dampened by the cafeteria's stark display of hierarchy.

As they settled into their seats, Sitara's frustration lingered.

"This is absurd," she grumbled, still reeling from the cafeteria encounter.

Koa glanced at her, sensing the weight of Sitara's discontent. Leaning in, Sitara confided in a hushed tone.

"You know what, my professor joked about ranking up by eliminating the top student. Can you believe that?"

"Really? My advisor said something similar about taking out other students," Koa whispered back.

Sitara leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms with a scowl.

"If that's true, then this school is seriously messed up," she declared, her frustration palpable.

"Do you think they actually mean it?" Koa asked.

Sitara rolled her eyes, dismissing the notion with a shake of her head.

"No university or school would do that. If they did, they'd be psychos," she replied.

"..."

A tense silence fell between Koa and Sitara as they watched Nyx approach with her entourage. The air seemed to thicken with unease as the group passed by, drawing curious glances from the other students.

They exuded an aura of authority that made the other students instinctively give way.

Nyx's gaze locked onto Koa's, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still as their eyes met. Koa felt a chill creep down her spine at the sight of Nyx's unsettling smile, her expression conveying an eerie sense of knowing.

As Nyx and her companions passed by, the whispers among the other students grew louder, each exchange filled with curiosity and apprehension.

Suddenly, Nyx and her entourage came to a halt in front of a freshman student who was obliviously enjoying his meal. The girl with Nyx who is wearing a friendly demeanor, approached the freshman.

"Hey there! Are you guys new here?" she asked, her voice warm and inviting.

The freshman looked up, his expression brightening at the friendly gesture.

"Yeah, we just started today," he replied.

But before anyone could respond, the girl's demeanor shifted abruptly. Her smile faded into a scowl, her eyes narrowing with disdain as she glared at the newcomers.

"How dare you sit at our table without permission?" she spat, her tone dripping with venom.

The atmosphere turned tense as the freshman's face paled in shock, his eyes widening with fear. Before he could utter a word, one of Nyx's companions lunged forward, grabbing the freshman by the collar and yanking him out of his seat with a rough force. The guy from Nyx's group moved swiftly to restrain him. 

"Sorry, sorry!" the freshman stammered, his voice trembling with fear as he scrambled to his feet.

"We didn't know! We're new here!"

But the apology fell on deaf ears as Nyx's companions continued to loom over them.

The cafeteria fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut through with a knife, as the freshmen stood trembling before Nyx and her intimidating entourage.

"Arrogant people should be punished," the girl declared, her voice dripping with malice. But before her companion could act, the man who was with them raised his hand, commanding attention with his silent presence.

"Let them go. Didn't you hear them? They said they are new. " he ordered, his gaze piercing through the girl's facade of bravado.

The group of friends who had been targeted by the girl's aggression retreated from the cafeteria.

Koa couldn't help but steal a glance at the guy who had intervened. There was something about him that commanded respect, instilling a sense of fear in those around him.

Sitara's voice broke through her thoughts, laced with a hint of amusement.

"Well, that was certainly dramatic," she remarked.

"You really do enjoy a good spectacle, don't you?" she teased, a playful spark igniting between them.

Sitara shrugged nonchalantly.

"Who doesn't?" she quipped. 

Their laughter faded as Koa and Sitara exchanged worried glances.

"What if I become her target?" Sitara whispered to Koa, her tone laced with fear.

Her brows furrowed in concern as she followed Sitara's gaze to the intense stare of the girl across the cafeteria.

"Who?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though her eyes widened in realization as she spotted the girl Sitara referred to.

"The bully girl," Sitara replied, her voice barely audible as she leaned closer to her. 

"We locked eyes. She's looking at me like I did something wrong."

"Just ignore her," she advised as observed the girl's cold demeanor from afar.

"Okay," she whispered back. 

After they finished their bread, Koa gave Sitara a look about escaping out of this university. Sitara nodded, understanding what Koa meant. The two rose and began going toward the campus gates. 

"There's supposed to be a gate here, right?" Sitara said, her voice tinged with disbelief as they approached where the gate should have been.

Koa nodded, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. But now... it's just a wall."

Their eyes scanned the towering barrier that now surrounded the school, leaving them feeling trapped within its confines.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the air, startling them both.

"Planning to get out?"

The girls whirled around to see a guy emerging from behind a tree, his easy grin belying the gravity of their situation.

"Who... who are you?" Sitara asked, her voice betraying a mix of apprehension and curiosity.

The guy shrugged nonchalantly. 

"Dusan. Same class as your friend here," he said, nodding towards Koa.

Sitara glanced at Koa, seeking confirmation, and Koa nodded in affirmation.

"I also plan to get out of this university, guess we are stuck here," he spoke again, a mixture of jest and underlying seriousness.

"Well, I don't plan on being stuck here forever." Koa asserted.

Before Dusan could reply, Nyx emerged from behind with arms crossed and a raised brow, she regarded them suspiciously.

"Why are you here?" Nyx questioned, her tone sharp and accusatory.

A tense silence enveloped them as they exchanged wary glances, unsure of how to respond to her probing inquiry.

"We were just... exploring," Koa offered tentatively. 

Nyx's lips curled into an enigmatic grin as she continued to scrutinize them, her piercing gaze leaving them feeling exposed and vulnerable.

"Exploring, huh?" she mused, her voice dripping with skepticism.

"Well, just be careful where you tread in this university. Some paths lead to unexpected places," she added as she turned on her heel and vanished into the shadows. 

"..."

"Man, she gives me the creeps," Dusan muttered, breaking the silence that followed Nyx's departure.

"Yeah, there's something about her... something off," Koa murmured.