The Past

Maple High buzzed with whispers as Samuel's presence began to settle into the daily rhythm of the elite school. His arrival, already shrouded in mystery, only deepened with each passing day. Students who had once kept to their cliques now found themselves drawn to the quiet, enigmatic figure. His gaze, ever steady and calculating, made others feel as if he could see through them. And although his aloof demeanor gave nothing away, the way he moved through the halls—like someone accustomed to control—fascinated and unnerved everyone around him.