Chapter 3 The Cafeteria Encounter

A heavy silence followed. Professor Langley blinked, clearly caught off guard.

"Senior Miklan, please," she said, voice steady but firm. "This isn't the time or place for... "

Miklan's eyes locked briefly on Eira, then he turned and walked out without another word. The students sat frozen, whispers breaking out like a sudden storm.

"What does he mean?" one student murmured.

"Is he serious? What's coming?" another whispered back.

Talia shrugged but looked uneasy. "I don't know. But Killian is not someone you ignore."

Eira sat back, her mind racing. There was something about the way Killian looked at her that didn't fit with the usual coldness. It was almost... a warning.

After the class ended, students poured out into the hallway, buzzing with speculation. Eira and Talia walked slowly, trying to make sense of it all.

"Do you think Killian knows something?" Eira asked.

Talia shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe he's just fed up. Either way, Ashmoor isn't as perfect as it looks."

Eira nodded, feeling the truth of those words settle deep inside her.

After the class, Talia and Eira found their way to the Cafeteria.

Ashmoor Academy's cafeteria looked more like a fancy dining hall from a historic manor than a school mess. The buzz of conversation, the clinking of cutlery, and the aroma of spiced chicken and fresh bread filled the air.

Eira held her tray tightly, eyes scanning the crowd. Her stomach growled, but her nerves made the idea of eating almost impossible.

"What do you feel like?" Talia asked, eyeing the dessert corner. "Please say cake."

Eira gave a tight smile. "Cake sounds good."

They found a spot near the edge of the room, not too crowded, just enough to blend in. But it was hard to blend in when your morning had started with a classroom cold war.

"I still can't believe that happened," Talia said, tearing into a butter roll. "Killian shows up like a scene out of a movie, and Miklan acts like he wants to eat him alive."

Eira nodded slowly. "It felt personal."

Talia snorted. "Everything's personal with Miklan. He doesn't like people stealing his spotlight. Or his... whatever he thinks he owns."

Eira's fork hovered over her cake. "Did you see the way he looked at me before leaving?"

"Jealousy," Talia said instantly. "Not even subtle. And trust me, it wasn't about you. It was about Killian sitting behind you."

Before Eira could respond, the noise around them shifted.

Heads turned again.

And like clockwork, Killian Blake entered the cafeteria.

He didn't look around, didn't search for anyone. He walked like someone who knew exactly where he was going or who didn't care where he ended up.

The same girls from earlier nudged each other, giggling, adjusting their posture, running fingers through their hair.

Killian ignored them.

Instead, his eyes swept the room once... then landed on Eira.

Talia noticed. "He's coming this way," she whispered, eyes wide. "He's literally walking over here. Oh my stars."

Eira's grip tightened on her fork.

Killian reached their table. "Mind if I sit here?"

Eira blinked. "Uh... sure."

Talia instantly shifted to give him space, her expression the definition of intrigued. Killian sat down across from Eira, placing his tray calmly and beginning to eat like this was completely normal.

It wasn't.

Eira was acutely aware of every single student now staring at them.

"You caused a bit of chaos this morning," Eira said after a pause.

Killian looked up, chewing thoughtfully. "That wasn't me. That was your boy, Miklan."

"He's not my boy."

Killian arched a brow but didn't press. "He doesn't like new faces."

"I noticed."

Their eyes met, and for a moment, it was as if the chaos of the room melted away. There was something strange in Killian's eyes like he could see through people, past their masks, down to the thoughts they hadn't voiced yet.

Before Eira could ask anything else, a tray slammed onto their table.

Miklan.

He didn't sit. Just stood there, glaring down at Killian like he was a stain on his uniform.

"This seat's taken," Miklan growled.

Killian didn't look up. "Didn't see your name on it."

"I don't care what you saw," Miklan snapped. "You're new. You don't know the rules."

Killian's gaze finally lifted. "Then maybe you should explain them. Politely."

Talia gulped audibly. Eira froze.

For a moment, the two boys stared at each other, the cold storm of Miklan's fury crashing against the calm sea of Killian's defiance.

"Careful, Blake," Miklan said, voice low. "You're playing with fire."

Killian's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Fire's only dangerous if you're afraid of burning."

A beat of silence.

Then Miklan turned sharply, his eyes cutting to Eira. "Watch who you talk to," he hissed before storming away.

The cafeteria exploded in murmurs. Whispers followed Miklan's exit like a trail of gasoline.

Talia exhaled. "Holy crap. You're either the bravest guy I've ever met or totally insane."

Killian calmly returned to his food. "Neither. Just tired of egos."

Eira stared at him. "You're not normal, are you?"

Killian paused. Then gave her a half-smile. "Neither are you."

Eira shrugged feeling unbothered.

Killian's gaze flicked between Eira and Talia, his expression unreadable as he asked, "So, what made you choose Ashmoor?"

Talia leaned back in her seat, arms crossed. "Honestly? The scholarship. I wasn't about to let my talents rot in some community college."

Eira gave a small laugh. "Same. I just wanted a fresh start... away from everything else."

Killian nodded, considering that for a moment. Then Eira tilted her head slightly.

"What about you?" she asked. "I mean... you're a freshman too, right? Why transfer? Couldn't you have chosen Ashmoor from the start?"

There was a brief pause.

Killian opened his mouth to answer and then someone pulled out the empty seat beside him.

All three turned at once.

It was Mira.

Eira stared, stunned.

Talia blinked, her fork halfway to her mouth. "Wait.. what?"

Mira, their silent roommate, the same girl who had said absolutely nothing since move-in day, who always wore headphones and avoided eye contact now calmly settled into the seat like it was the most natural thing in the world.

She tucked her long dark braids behind her ears and glanced at them with an unreadable expression. "Hope you don't mind me joining."

Talia was the first to recover. "Mind? Girl, you have been living in our room for over a week and haven't said a word. Now you want to sit and talk?"

Mira shrugged. "I didn't feel like talking then."

"I find it hard talking to people I'm just getting to know."

Eira leaned in slightly. "So... now you do?"

For a second, Mira didn't answer. Her gaze flicked toward Killian.

Something unspoken passed between them. Something sharp and subtle. He looked away first.

Then Mira turned back to Eira, her tone casual but cool. "Let's just say things are getting interesting."

Talia frowned. "What does that mean?"

Before Mira could respond, Killian stood up abruptly. "I have to go."

Eira looked up at him. "Wait... you never answered my question."

He paused. "I didn't transfer."

She frowned. "But you said.. "

"I said this wasn't my first choice. Doesn't mean I went anywhere else before." His lips curled into the barest trace of a smile. "Let's just say I was... invited."

With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Eira looked back at Mira. "Do you know him?"

Mira's eyes followed Killian's path until he was out of sight. Then she finally spoke, voice calm,

"No, I don't but I find him interesting."