The morning's events played on a loop in my mind as Sky and I navigated the crowded hallways. Carmilla Devereux. The name had an almost poetic quality to it, like it belonged to a character from one of those classic novels Ms. Harper probably adored. I couldn't deny it: she had a presence that was hard to ignore.
Sky, ever the chatterbox, kept up a running commentary about the school as we headed to our next class. "So, what'd you think of Harper's style? She's not your average English teacher, right?"
"Definitely not," I replied, still mulling over the envelope exercise. "It's refreshing, though. Makes you think about words differently."
"Exactly. Plus, it's way better than death by PowerPoint," Sky quipped, grinning. "And hey, you made a solid impression. 'Hate'? Nice choice. Deep without being pretentious."
"Thanks," I said, though my thoughts were still elsewhere. Specifically, on a pair of dark eyes and a mysterious smile.
Sky noticed my distraction and smirked. "Still thinking about her, huh?"
I sighed. "You know, for someone I just met, you sure have a knack for reading my mind."
He shrugged. "It's a gift. But seriously, Marx, you're new here. People are going to notice you. Especially someone like Carmilla."
"Someone like her?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know," Sky said, gesturing vaguely. "She's... well, let's just say she's in a league of her own. Top grades, captain of the debate team, all-around perfection. Not exactly the type to give new guys the time of day."
"And yet, here you are, hyping me up," I said, half-laughing.
"Hey, I call it like I see it," he replied, grinning. "Besides, a little encouragement never hurt anyone."
Before I could respond, the bell rang, signaling the start of our next class. Sky groaned. "Ugh, chemistry. Hopefully, your luck carries over to this one.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of introductions, lectures, and quick observations of my new classmates. Sky's prediction proved correct: most people were curious but polite, and I managed to avoid any awkward mishaps. Still, my thoughts kept drifting back to English class.
When the final bell rang, I decided to explore the campus a bit before heading home. The school was big, with sprawling courtyards and tree-lined walkways that made it feel more like a small college. I found myself gravitating toward a quiet corner near the library, where a shaded bench offered a brief reprieve from the day's chaos.
I was lost in thought when a voice broke the silence.
"Marx Cartez, right?"
I looked up, startled, to find Carmilla standing a few feet away. She held a leather-bound notebook against her side, her posture relaxed yet poised. Up close, she was even more striking, her features sharp and elegant, like they'd been carefully sculpted by some impossibly skilled artist.
"Uh, yeah," I said, standing up awkwardly. "That's me."
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Interesting choice in class today. 'Hate.' Not what I expected."
"Good interesting or bad interesting?" I asked, managing a small smile of my own.
"Good," she said simply. "It's rare for someone to bring that level of nuance to a first-day exercise."
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Thanks. I guess I just got lucky with the question."
"Maybe," she said, tilting her head slightly. "Or maybe you're just someone who thinks before they speak. That's not as common as it should be."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I nodded, feeling an awkward silence creeping in. To my surprise, Carmilla stepped closer.
"You should come to the debate club sometime," she said, her tone casual but inviting. "It's not for everyone, but something tells me you'd do well there."
"Debate club?" I repeated, caught off guard. "I don't know. I've never really—"
"Think about it," she said, cutting me off gently. "We meet Wednesdays after school in the library. No pressure."
Before I could say anything else, she turned and walked away, her notebook tucked under her arm. I watched her go, still processing what had just happened.
Sky was going to have a field day with this one.
As I stood there, trying to piece together the odd mix of curiosity and nerves buzzing in my chest, I couldn't help but replay the interaction. Carmilla's confidence was disarming—like she had this innate ability to pull people into her orbit without even trying. And she'd asked me to consider the debate club? That wasn't exactly where I pictured myself fitting in. But then again, today had been full of surprises.
The shaded bench suddenly felt a little too quiet, so I grabbed my bag and started walking back toward the main gate. The walk was peaceful, the soft rustle of leaves overhead a stark contrast to the hum of voices and the occasional burst of laughter from lingering students nearby.
When I reached the courtyard near the front of the school, I spotted Sky sitting cross-legged on a low wall, their phone glowing in their hands. They looked up as I approached, their expression shifting from boredom to barely restrained glee.
"Well, well, if it isn't the campus heartthrob," Sky teased, slipping their phone into their pocket. "What took you so long? Did you get lost, or were you busy basking in the attention of you-know-who?"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't quite hide my smirk. "I was exploring. And no, I wasn't 'basking.'"
Sky raised a brow, clearly not buying it. "Right. So the reason you're smiling like you just won the lottery has nothing to do with Carmilla?"
I groaned. "She just… stopped by. Invited me to the debate club. It's not a big deal."
Sky gasped dramatically, clutching their chest. "The debate club? Oh, Marx, this is serious. She doesn't just invite random people to that—you've been chosen."
"Chosen?" I snorted. "It's not like she handed me a golden ticket."
Sky wagged a finger at me. "Not yet. But trust me, this is her way of testing the waters. First, it's debate club. Next thing you know, she's dragging you into some kind of intellectual duel where you have to defend the meaning of life or something."
"Sounds exhausting," I muttered, though I couldn't help but laugh. "But seriously, it's just an invite. I'm not even sure I'm going."
Sky's grin widened. "Oh, you're going. You wouldn't want to disappoint her, would you?"
I shoved their shoulder lightly, but the playful jab didn't deter them. If anything, it only fueled their teasing. As we started walking down the sidewalk toward home, Sky continued to weave increasingly elaborate theories about Carmilla's intentions, each one more ridiculous than the last.
And though I rolled my eyes at every word, I couldn't stop the lingering thought in the back of my mind.
What if Sky was right?