The Cost of a Throne

Chapter 6: The Cost of a Throne

The silence between Don and Kyle lingered, charged with unspoken truths. Power shifts weren't just about winning or losing; they were about what came next.

Kyle's words echoed in Don's mind: The higher you climb, the farther you fall.

It wasn't just bravado. Kyle had been at the top. He knew what came with it. The whispers. The betrayals. The constant, never-ending battles to stay ahead.

But Don had no intention of falling.

He turned away from Kyle, leaving him in his self-imposed exile. The game wasn't just about taking power.

It was about keeping it.

---

By lunchtime, it was clear that things had changed.

Kyle's old circle—the ones who weren't loyal, just useful—had already started shifting their alliances. Ryan, Marcus, and Jake now sat at Don's table, talking like they'd always been there. Others watched from the sidelines, waiting to see what would happen next.

The hierarchy of the school had cracked, and Don had taken control of the pieces.

But control was never absolute.

And not everyone accepted the new order.

---

"Yo, Don."

A new voice. Sharp. Confident.

Don turned to see a senior, towering over him. Nick Jansen.

Nick wasn't just big. He was respected. He wasn't a loudmouth like Kyle—he was smart, strong, and strategic. He'd never needed to make a show of power because everyone knew he had it.

And right now, he was staring Don down.

"I hear you've been making moves," Nick said. His voice was casual, but the weight behind it was undeniable.

Don didn't blink. "People talk."

Nick smirked. "They do." He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. "You think taking out Kyle means you run things now?"

Don met his gaze, calm. "I think it means things change."

Nick nodded slowly. "Fair enough."

Then, without warning, he grabbed Don's drink and poured it onto the table.

Silence.

The entire cafeteria seemed to freeze.

Ryan, Marcus, and Jake stiffened, waiting for Don's reaction. Others stopped their conversations, eyes flicking toward them.

Nick was testing him.

If Don let this slide, he'd lose everything he'd just gained.

---

Don didn't react immediately. He let the tension build, let the weight of Nick's action settle into the room.

Then he smiled.

"You know, Nick," he said, voice steady, "I get it."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

Don nodded. "You were comfortable. You had things figured out. And now someone shakes the table, and you feel like you have to remind people who you are."

Nick's smirk faded just slightly.

"You don't like that I took Kyle out," Don continued. "Not because you cared about him—but because it messed with the balance."

Nick didn't confirm or deny it. But Don could see it in his eyes.

He wasn't wrong.

Don leaned back. "The thing is… you don't actually want to fight me."

Nick tilted his head. "No?"

"No." Don gestured to the cafeteria. "Because if you did, you wouldn't be making a scene. You'd be doing something quiet. Something smart."

Nick's expression didn't change. But Don saw the flicker of acknowledgment.

He had called Nick's bluff.

"You just want to see if I'll back down," Don continued. "But here's the thing—"

He stood up, slow and deliberate, stepping close until they were eye to eye.

"I don't."

The tension was suffocating.

For a moment, Nick said nothing. Then—

He chuckled.

"Alright, Don," Nick said, stepping back. "You've got guts."

He patted Don on the shoulder. Not aggressively—approvingly.

Then he turned and walked away.

Conversation returned in hesitant whispers.

Don sat back down, heartbeat steady.

He had passed the test.

But he had also learned something important.

Kyle was never the real problem.

Nick was.

---

That night, Don lay awake in bed, replaying the day's events.

Nick hadn't just been testing him.

He had been studying him.

Kyle had ruled through fear and force.

Nick? Nick was different. He didn't need to throw punches to stay on top.

He understood the game.

And that made him dangerous.

If Don wanted to stay in control, he had to think ahead. He had to be smarter.

Because Nick wasn't just another challenger.

He was the first real enemy.

And in this game?

Only one of them could win.