Chapter song: Tainted Love - Soft Cell
"Agares." Epaphras called out as soon as the tall boy was within earshot. Agares looked up, his expression neutral as he walked towards him.
"What's wrong?" Agares inquired, noticing the serious look on Epaphras' face, which was unusual for him.
Epaphras hesitated, clearly weighing whether or not to deliver the news. Agares' patience was visibly wearing thin, so Epaphras decided to proceed.
"We're getting a transfer student," Epaphras said, his expression a touch somber.
Agares' brow furrowed. "A student is transferring this time of year?"
Epaphras nodded. "Yes, and he'll be assigned to our house for now since admissions haven't had a chance to assess his skills."
"I see," Agares said, his tone flat. "And?"
"The Headmaster wants to see us immediately to discuss it. I was looking for you since our meeting is about to start."
Without delay, the two boys made their way to the Headmaster's office, where they were greeted by Ania, the secretary. They entered to find a handsome man with tousled black hair and piercing blue eyes. Mr. Rhealis looked up and motioned for them to sit.
"I trust Kane has already briefed you on the situation, Montgomery?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Yes, I've heard about the new student," Agares replied politely, though his tone remained detached.
"This situation is somewhat unconventional," he continued. "Mr. Loriana requested that his son be admitted despite not being assessed beforehand."
Agares' expression hardened slightly. Another rich kid trying to leverage his way in through connections, no doubt.
"We reviewed his transcripts and found that Julius Loriana is more than qualified. He's excelled academically despite frequent moves and seems promising in sports as well. We'll evaluate his performance this semester and decide his house placement accordingly."
The Headmaster studied Agares, but his neutral demeanor revealed little. "Since you are the leader and student council president, we thought it best for you to take charge of him for the time being."
Agares nodded, though his discontent was clear. He had no choice but to accommodate the new student, despite the disruption to his meticulously organized system.
"Yes, sir," Agares replied curtly.
"Thank you, gentlemen. Think of it this way: East Laurence will be gaining another talented individual. Let's make his transition as smooth as possible," he said with a smile.
As the two boys left the office and headed back to their house, Agares remained silent, deep in thought. Epaphras, sensing his mood, chose not to intrude. Their quiet was soon interrupted.
"Hey, I heard you're taking in some random transfer," Narcus said, approaching them with a smirk.
"Seems like the supposedly exclusive House Ares isn't so selective after all," he sneered.
Agares didn't acknowledge him, walking past with an indifferent air.
"Hey, Montgomery! I'm talking to you!" Narcus shouted, his smile twisting into a scowl.
Narcus Birch, the leader of House Hades, had always been a thorn in Agares' side. His rivalry with Agares had started in middle school, driven by a bitter desire to surpass him. Narcus' attempts to ingratiate himself with Agares' brother, Aenaes in order to spite him, only deepened the supposed rivalry. Despite his own leadership role, Narcus' obsession with Agares remained obvious to everyone.
Epaphras watched Narcus with a mixture of pity and exasperation. Narcus' need for attention from someone who clearly didn't care was evident.
Before Narcus could escalate further, Nathanael, another house leader, intervened, guiding him away. Epaphras shot Nathanael a grateful look before catching up with Agares, who had already moved on.
That was two weeks ago. Now, Agares sat at his desk, absorbed in a book. His admirers gazed at him wistfully.
"Our prince of ice looks even more enchanting today," they murmured.
Epaphras rolled his eyes at their fawning. "So, what do you think of Julius?"
Agares barely looked up from his book. "I have no opinion of him."
"I see," Epaphras said, noting the lack of disdain in Agares' tone. If Agares had an issue with someone, he would have been more explicit. His current indifference suggested a neutral stance.
This was a positive sign. "It seems Julius Loriana might have a chance at a peaceful stay at East Laurence for now."
He thought.
Agares on the other hand, thought back to his first time seeing Julius. He wasn't at all what he was expecting to see when meeting the boy. He believed he'd see another rich struck up prince who was self entitled and thought the word revolved around him. Instead what he saw was a shy but very warm boy who seemed out of place in this school.
What stood out to Agares the most was his honey blond hair, light golden brown eyes and ethnically ambiguous features that made Julius stand out. Though he didn't seem like a troublemaker, it was still too early for Agares to rule him out as a nuisance or neutral character.
Though he didn't have any reservations for Julius now, there was still a chance for his opinion to change.