As the weeks continued to unfold, the students at Middleton High began to take more notice of Jace. It was hard not to—he had an air of mystery about him that made him stand out, even in a school as diverse as theirs. His striking appearance, with his piercing eyes and composed demeanor, coupled with his quiet confidence, only added to the intrigue.The first whispers started in the hallways. At first, they were subtle—just a few curious glances here and there, a couple of students leaning in to whisper as Jace passed by. But as time went on, the whispers grew louder, and the glances became more frequent. Jace noticed, of course, but he kept his composure, careful not to let on that he was aware of the growing attention.One day, as he and Anita walked to their history class, Jace overheard a group of students talking in hushed tones near their lockers."Did you see the new guy? He's in my math class," one girl said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's so…different. I heard he's from some remote place. That's why he doesn't talk much.""Yeah, but have you noticed how he always seems to know the answers? Like, even the stuff the teacher says is advanced," another student replied, sounding impressed."Maybe he's some kind of genius," a third student suggested, though their tone was tinged with skepticism.Anita, who had also heard the conversation, glanced at Jace with a small, amused smile. "Looks like you're becoming quite the topic of conversation," she said softly.Jace shrugged, though his eyes held a hint of amusement as well. "I suppose that was inevitable. But I'd prefer not to draw too much attention."Anita nodded in understanding. "Don't worry. People will eventually get used to you being around. The novelty will wear off."But as the day went on, it became clear that the curiosity surrounding Jace was only growing. During lunch, as they sat with Sarah, Liam, and Emily under the oak tree, Jace couldn't help but notice that more students than usual were glancing in their direction. Some were subtle, quickly looking away when Jace caught their eye, while others openly stared, clearly trying to figure him out."What's with all the looks?" Sarah asked, frowning as she noticed the stares as well. "It's like they've never seen a new student before."Liam, always quick with a quip, grinned. "Maybe they're just trying to figure out how Jace always has the right answer in class. Seriously, dude, you're making the rest of us look bad."Jace offered a small smile, but he could feel the weight of the scrutiny. "I don't mean to stand out. I'm just trying to learn."Emily, ever observant, leaned in slightly. "People are just curious. You're new, and you have this aura about you that's…different. But I wouldn't worry too much. Once they realize you're just another student, they'll move on."Anita nodded in agreement, though she couldn't help but feel a bit protective. The last thing she wanted was for Jace to feel out of place or uncomfortable because of the attention.As they continued to talk, Anita tried to steer the conversation away from Jace's newfound popularity, focusing instead on their upcoming assignments and weekend plans. But even as they laughed and joked, she couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get more complicated.