Liam walked through the bustling corridors of West Woods High, with his thoughts drifting back to how it all began.
He remembered the dark alley where he had first met Xian.
Back then, he had been found bullied by the neighborhood students. And then Xian had appeared out of nowhere.
With a mix of brute strength and unmatched agility, Xian had sent the bullies running. Liam had been in awe. From that moment on, he had been indebted to Xian, looking up to him with a mix of admiration and gratitude. Despite the fact that Liam had grown taller over the years, the image of that smaller, fierce protector had never faded from his mind.
---
Liam chuckled to himself as he thought about how he now towered over Xian. "It's funny how things turn out," he mused. "Here I am, taller, but still looking up to the guy who saved me." It was a small joke he often told himself, a reminder of how much he valued their friendship.
The more time Liam spent with Xian, the more he understood his friend's complex personality. Xian had a short temper and was easily provoked, a fact that often led to amusing and explosive situations.
Liam had to admit, he enjoyed watching Xian get fired up. It was also clear to him that Vios took a perverse pleasure in teasing Xian, and Liam couldn't help but find the whole dynamic baffling.
---
The sound of the school bell brought Liam back to the present. He spotted Xian and Mei ahead of him, walking towards the corridor where the room arrangements for the merged classes were posted.
He quickly caught up with them, eager to see what the new school would bring.
As they approached the school bulletin board, Liam noticed a girl standing nearby, whispering excitedly, but then dismissing her with a quick glance.
The girl, Ava, was talking about Vios being assigned to Room Class 01M.
Liam scanned the list, quickly finding his and Xian's names. "Room Class 01M," he muttered to himself. "Looks like we're together, Xian."
When looking at the room classifications, a number like '01' indicates the specific room number.
If you see the letter 'M' attached to it, this means it is a mixed class. Mixed class means both students in the East and West Woods High. On the other hand, if it has an 'O,' it signifies an ordinary class.
For instance, '01M' would be room 01 with a mixed class, while '02O' would be room 02 with an ordinary class.
Mei, however, looked crestfallen. "I'm in Room Class 04M," she said sadly. "I guess I'll be on my own."
Liam put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Mei. We'll still see each other during breaks. Plus, it's just classes. We can handle this."
"Hm..." Xian response approvingly.
Mei nodded, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Liam understood her disappointment. The merger had thrown everyone into a whirlwind of change, and being separated from friends made it even harder.
---
As the bell rang for lunch, the three friends headed to the cafeteria. Liam found a table at the back. They were just settling in when Vios walked in, heading straight for them.
"You're sitting in our spot," Vios said, his voice calm but authoritative.
Liam's heart sank. He knew Xian's temper, and this was a recipe for disaster.
Xian's face immediately flushed with anger. "What do you want, Vios?" he snapped.
Xian leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Your spot? Didn't know the cafeteria had assigned seating."
Liam watched the exchange nervously, glancing between Xian and Vios. 'Ow...Here we go.' he thought, wishing he could diffuse the tension. He knew Xian was easily provoked, and this man named Vios had a knack for pushing the right buttons.
---
The argument escalated quickly, with Xian standing up and leaning across the table, his fists clenched.
Liam tried to intervene, stepping between them. But his words were lost in the shouting match.
Eventually, a teacher intervened, leaving Xian fuming at the table. Liam sighed, sinking back into his seat. 'That could have gone better' he muttered.
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur. By the time the final bell rang, Liam was exhausted. The merger, the pranks, the constant tension between Xian and Vios – it was all taking a toll on him. He walked out of the school, feeling drained and ready to collapse.
As he approached the gate, a sleek, expensive car pulled up. Liam stopped, a man in a suit stepped out and opened the door for him. "Young master, your car is here," the man said, bowing slightly.
He frowned. He looked around, and see if there were students who saw this scene.
"Please, get in. Your father is waiting," the man continued, gesturing to the car.
Liam hesitated for a moment, after sensing that there are no other people, he then shrugged. "This day just got a lot more interesting" he thought and sighed, climbing into the car.