Mark's POV
I couldn't stop thinking about it.
Which was irritating.
Because I was Mark Keifer Watson.
President of the senior council.
Top student.
Future heir of the Watson clan.
I was trained to notice threats.
Patterns.
Secrets.
Not obsess over a masked fighter from an underground boxing ring.
And definitely not compare them to a fourteen-year-old girl who blushed every time her friends teased her.
Yet somehow—
Both of them occupied my thoughts at the exact same time.
Lucas walked beside me through the school corridor sipping iced coffee with unnecessary confidence.
"You look mentally unstable."
"I look tired."
"No," Lucas corrected. "You look like a man losing a fight against curiosity."
"That sounds dramatic."
"You attract drama naturally."
Unfortunately…
He wasn't wrong.
Monday morning at Holy Saint Academy was complete chaos.
Students ran through hallways carrying unfinished assignments.
Someone screamed because they forgot their project at home.
A first-year student sat on the floor questioning life choices.
Lucas observed the disaster calmly.
"Nature is beautiful."
"This is not nature."
"This," Lucas said wisely, "is survival of the academically fittest."
Meanwhile—
Class 8-A looked like a battlefield disguised as a classroom.
Jay pov
"Noah, give me my notebook back before I report you to society."
"It's our notebook now," Noah Fernandez replied lazily from the back seat.
Noah was tall, pale, handsome in a sleep-deprived way, and permanently looked like school emotionally damaged him.
Which honestly?
Fair.
Raf pointed dramatically at him.
"He's our class raccoon."
"I heard that," Noah muttered.
"You were supposed to."
I laughed quietly while fixing my glasses.
Aileen smiled beside me.
"You're getting comfortable here."
"Is that good or dangerous?"
"With this class? Both."
Accurate.
Very accurate.
Then the classroom door opened.
Instant silence..
Even Noah sat properly.
Terrifying.
Mrs. Beatrice Salonga entered holding a stack of papers and the disappointment of several generations.
Elegant black skirt.
Sharp glasses.
Cold expression.
Our homeroom teacher looked like she could end wars peacefully by glaring at people.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, Mrs. Salonga."
Her eyes slowly scanned the room.
"Mr. Mendoza."
Raf froze instantly.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Why are there three iced coffees on your desk?"
Raf looked down.
"…Emotional support?"
The class burst into laughter.
Mrs. Salonga closed her eyes briefly.
"It is eight in the morning and already I regret becoming an educator."
By second period, the classroom somehow became louder.
A paper airplane flew accross the room.
Someone gasped dramatically.
Aileen was trying to study.
The suddenly teacher turned and ask " who threw that. "
Complete silence...
Then Raf pointed at Noah immediately.
" His spirit looked suspicious. "
" I hate this class. " Noah looked really spiritually exhausted. And whole class erupted in laughter and make different noises whole seen become chaotic.
After that Raf was apparently conducting interviews.
"Jay Jay," he whispered dramatically, "important question."
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm asking."
"I'm protecting my peace."
Aileen leaned over.
"He wants to know if you have a crush on President Watson."
I inhaled oxygen incorrectly.
Raf pointed proudly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we got a reaction."
"I hate this class."
"We love you too," Noah replied without opening his eyes.
Then mathematics began.
Which meant suffering.
Mr. Damian Cruz entered the classroom carrying books and unrealistic levels of attractiveness.
Half the girls sat straighter immediately.
Noah stared at the ceiling.
"This school is academically unserious."
"Focus," I whispered.
"I'm trying," he whispered back.
"Unfortunately he has cheekbones."
I nearly laughed.
Mr. Cruz wrote equations across the board.
"Who can solve this?"
Complete silence.
Then Noah slowly raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Fernandez?"
"I can solve it," Noah said tiredly, "but emotionally I don't want to."
Even Mr. Cruz looked offended.
"Unfortunately your emotions are not part of the grading system."
The class exploded laughing.
I quietly solved the equation in my notebook.
Bad decision.
Because Mr. Cruz noticed immediately.
"Miss Mariano."
I froze.
"Yes, sir?"
"Since you appear spiritually connected to the answer, would you like to solve it on the board?"
Raf whispered dramatically, "She's entering her academic warrior era."
I walked to the board and solved the equation quickly.
When I finished, Mr. Cruz nodded once.
"Correct."
Raf clutched his chest.
"She's smart and violent. Terrifying combination."
Aileen nodded solemnly.
"She could ruin lives academically and physically."
Honestly?
That sounded fair.
Mark's POV
I was supposed to be heading toward the council office.
Instead—
I found myself standing outside Class 8-A again. Loud arguing echoed through the room.
And paused instinctively.
Lucas noticed immediately..
"Oh, this is getting serious."
"Don't start 'I'm supervising."
" I have not said anything. Well,,, You're emotionally supervising." he said in dramatic way like whole worlds burden on his shoulder..
" That's what concerning me. " Muttering to myself and ignored him.
Inside the classroom, Jay Jay sat near the window laughing softly while Raf annoyed everyone around him.
And suddenly—
My mind flashed back to Phoenix Fight Club.
To the masked fighter tilting their head after dodging a punch.
The same movement.
The same calm sarcasm.
The same hidden confidence beneath quiet eyes.
My chest tightened slightly.
Impossible.
…Right?
Lucas followed my stare.
Then slowly grinned.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"You're connecting dots."
"I'm observing."
"Mark," Lucas said carefully, "you look one suspicious coincidence away from
becoming a detective."
I looked away from the classroom.
But the feeling stayed.
Something about Jay Jay felt different now.
Like there was another version of her hidden beneath oversized sweaters, soft smiles, and shy silence.
And somehow—
I wanted to know that version too.
Dangerous thought.
Very dangerous.
Lunch Break
The cafeteria was complete chaos.
Students shouted across tables.
Someone dropped juice.
A couple near the vending machine looked seconds away from a breakup.
Holy Saint Academy truly had range.
Raf sat across from me dramatically.
"Important announcement."
"No."
"You are emotionally attached to a senior."
"I am emotionally attached to violence."
"That's not a denial."
Aileen laughed into her drink.
Across the cafeteria—
Lucas watched us like a man enjoying premium entertainment.
"Oh this is tragic," he told Mark.
"What now?"
"She looked at you and immediately forgot basic human functions."
"I think you need hobbies," Mark replied calmly.
"I have hobbies. One of them is observing emotional disasters."
Unfortunately—
That was the exact moment Mark looked toward our table.
Our eyes met instantly.
And just like always—
Everything around me faded.
Raf noticed immediately.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The eye contact of doom."
"I am going to throw this spoon at you."
"That sounds romantic."
"It's a threat."
"Same energy."
Then suddenly—
The cafeteria lights flickered.
Just once.
A strange coldness swept through the room.
The silver bracelet around my wrist suddenly became warm.
Too warm.
My breathing stopped.
Across the cafeteria—
Mark's expression changed instantly.
Sharp.
Alert.
Dangerous.
Lucas frowned slightly beside him.
"You felt that too?"
Mark didn't answer.
Because at that exact moment—
I accidentally looked terrified.
And somehow—
Seeing fear in Jay Jay Mariano's eyes disturbed him more than anything else.
Because deep inside—
Mark Keifer Watson was beginning to realize something impossible.
The shy girl he wanted to protect…
Might be hiding a darkness even he couldn't understand.