The following week, the curiosity surrounding Jace began to morph into something more tangible: rumors. In a school where gossip spread like wildfire, it didn't take long for the whispers to evolve into full-blown stories. Some were harmless—just idle speculation about where Jace had come from or why he seemed so different—but others were more outlandish.Anita first heard one of these rumors in the girls' restroom. As she was washing her hands, two girls from her English class entered, deep in conversation."Did you hear? Someone said Jace might be a child prodigy who got tired of all the attention and transferred here to live a normal life," one of the girls said, her eyes wide with excitement.The other girl scoffed. "Please, that's just one of the stories. I heard he was homeschooled by some genius scientist parents who taught him everything about everything. That's why he knows so much."Anita couldn't help but smile to herself. As far-fetched as the rumors were, she found them amusing, though she worried about how Jace might feel about being the subject of so much speculation.When she met up with Jace later that day, she decided to share what she had heard. "Jace, you're apparently a child prodigy or the son of genius scientists," she said, a playful tone in her voice.Jace raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "I wasn't aware I had such an impressive backstory."Anita laughed. "I guess people are just trying to make sense of the mystery. You're an enigma, and that makes people curious.""I suppose there are worse things they could say," Jace replied thoughtfully. "As long as these rumors don't cause too much trouble, I can live with them."But as the days passed, the rumors became more persistent. Some students claimed to have seen Jace doing impossible things—like solving complex equations with just a glance or predicting the outcomes of events with eerie accuracy. Others whispered about how he always seemed to know when something was about to happen, attributing it to some kind of sixth sense.Despite the growing rumors, Jace maintained his calm demeanor. He continued to focus on his studies and his time with Anita and her friends, doing his best to ignore the speculative chatter. But Anita could see that the attention was starting to weigh on him, even if he didn't say it out loud.One afternoon, as they walked home from school, Anita finally voiced her concern. "Jace, if the rumors are bothering you, we can figure something out. Maybe lay low for a while or—"Jace shook his head, cutting her off gently. "It's all right, Anita. I knew this would be challenging. But the rumors will die down eventually, and the truth is, I'm more concerned with protecting you and understanding the connection between us than with what people are saying."Anita felt a pang of guilt, knowing that Jace's presence at the school was largely for her benefit. "I just don't want you to feel out of place. You've already done so much for me."Jace's expression softened. "You've given me a new purpose, Anita. I don't mind the challenges that come with it. As long as you're safe and we figure out what's going on with the fox bead, I can handle a few rumors."Anita smiled, grateful for his unwavering support. "Thank you, Jace. I just want to make sure you're okay, too."As they continued walking, the sun setting in the distance, Jace glanced at the students passing by, their whispered conversations fading into the background. He knew that blending in would be difficult, but he was determined to stay by Anita's side. After all, they had more important things to worry about than the idle gossip of high school students.