As laughter erupted in the boys' changing room, Miguel finally picked himself up from the floor, feigning a look of sincere apology.
"My bad, Adam! I tripped," he said, trying to sound regretful.
The room buzzed with snickers, and Miguel added with a playful pat on Adam's back,
"Luckily, there wasn't much to expose anyway."
"Is that the mini model, or is that just a prototype?" someone called out, prompting another wave of laughter.
"It's just cold in here!" Adam protested, his face flushed a deep crimson as he hastily yanked his pants back up. Angrily, he pulled a card from his pocket, ready to swipe it against his Datavice.
Just then, a sharp knock echoed through the changing room.
"Boys, hurry up! Sir Ahmed just called and said we need to move!"
The sudden urgency sent everyone scrambling to finish changing, pulling on their uniforms and checking their Data Beast cards.
Adam's eyes narrowed, his animosity simmering as he shot a glare at Miguel.
"You better not think this is the end of it. I'll make sure you feel a hundred times the humiliation I just went through!"
Miguel, overhearing Adam, smacked the back of his head.
"What did you say, sprout? You better not think about anything bad, or else!" He cracked his knuckles threateningly, his fist smacking against his palm.
"You are not getting away with this!" Adam retreated, fear flashing across his face as he quickly dashed outside.
Miguel laughed, shooting a sneaky wink at Kris, who was just watching the scene unfold.
"Damn, Miguel, so the next target is Adam? Hehehe," one of Miguel's confident friends chimed in.
"This will be fun,"
As the group made their way to the auditorium, the lighthearted banter faded, replaced by a thick, uneasy air.
The earlier laughter felt like a distant memory, the anticipation of what awaited them heavy on their shoulders.
Turning the corner, they caught sight of Sir Ahmed standing at the entrance, his posture rigid, hands clasped tightly behind his back, his expression unreadable.
The sight of their teacher sent a wave of silence through the boys and girls alike, the earlier bravado evaporating in an instant.
"Line up!" Sir Ahmed commanded, his voice steady and authoritative. The students instinctively formed two lines—girls on the left and boys on the right. Their hearts pounded as they exchanged anxious glances.
"Follow me inside," he instructed, leading the way into the auditorium. As they stepped through the doors, the atmosphere shifted. The room buzzed with chatter, filled with other freshmen from different sections.
As the newcomers entered, curious eyes turned their way.
"Ooh, look! That's Belle Carter!" one boy from another section whispered, nudging his friend.
"Woah, she looks so pretty!" another chimed in, his voice tinged with awe.
The murmurs spread like wildfire, each boy trying to outdo the last with compliments.
Belle was indeed captivating, with her golden wavy hair cascading over her shoulders and striking emerald eyes that sparkled with confidence.
She strutted in as if she were accustomed to such attention, a playful smile dancing on her lips.
'Hear that, Kris!? You've got yourself some competition. You are lucky that the only man in my life is you!' she thought, scanning the back of the boys' line for Kris, fully expecting him to be there.
But to her surprise, when she turned her head to the right, there he was—standing right beside her, flanked by Necho and Thursday.
In that moment, the other boys faded into the background as her heart skipped a beat.
'Did he get taller?' she wondered, recalling how he had been just about her height before.
She saw the outline of his training clothes hinted at a small bulge of muscle that caught her attention.
'Did he train his body also?' A small trickle of saliva escaped her mouth as she took in the sight of him.
Kris, sensing someone's gaze, turned his head to the side. He caught Belle staring blankly at him, her mouth wide open in surprise.
With a playful smirk, he reached out and gently closed her mouth for her. "Close your mouth, Belle. Insects could fly in," he reminded her, his tone light but teasing.
Belle snapped back to reality, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she stammered an embarrassed reply.
"I was just nervous, you shameless Kris!" She quickly returned to her usual cold and fierce demeanor, as if nothing had happened.
'Kris held up my chin! That was so romantic! Kyaa!' she thought in a panic, feeling flustered by the moment.
"What's wrong with her?" Kris shook his head, bewildered by her reaction.
Just then, a girl from the other line caught sight of a boy and nudged her friend.
"Who is that boy with the orange hair? He's so my type!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.
The murmurs spread among the other girls, each one stealing glances at Kris.
"That's my boyfriend! Leave him alone!"
"Stop dreaming! He's mine!" another girl shot back,
"He looks like a hunk! I should ask for his number later," a third girl chimed in, her voice tinged with excitement.
As the girls continued to gawk at him, Kris felt the heat rise to his cheeks, awkward under the sudden influx of attention.
He shifted on his feet, using Necho as a shield to hide from their curious gazes.
"What the heck, why are they saying those stuff?" Kris muttered, flustered.
Necho, taken aback as he was used as a human shield, turned to Kris with wide eyes.
"Didn't I tell you that you changed? Starting with your hair. And then today, Thursday mentioned you seem taller."
"In my opinion, you look like one of those boy band guys we saw on the internet," Thursday added from the back, his tone playful.
Belle, listening in, couldn't help but agree in her mind,
'Yes, my Kris, who was a cute boy before, has turned into a handsome man.' She felt a mix of pride and annoyance bubbling up inside her.
'Before, I was the only one who noticed your pretty face. Now, with your new hairstyle, everyone else can see it too.' Her determination grew stronger, she got to do something about her relationship with kris.
Kris, unaware of Belle's thoughts, frowned, "Should I have keep that hairstyle? I feel like I'm getting unnecessary attention."
Thursday, still grinning, gently slapped Kris's back. "You shouldn't! If girls are flocking to you, some of them would funnel over to us!"
Necho scoffed at Thursday's statement, crossing his arms.
"What do you mean, 'us'? Even if they flock in, why would they come to you?"
Kris laughed, shaking his head at his friends' banter.
"That's not helping guys," he said, trying to sound unbothered, but he still feels awkward with the situation.
As they continued to stand in line, Kris stared at the front where he saw five people, some of them he knows of.
Just then, Sir Ahmed walked up to the stage and approached the podium. He held the mic, his voice cutting through the chatter, bringing everyone's attention back to him.
"Silence, everyone! We have important matters to discuss," he announced, his authoritative tone echoing around the auditorium, making the students quiet down.
"Today is your Data Beast Examination. You were briefed last week on what the examination will entail, from the three rounds to the preparations. I hope everyone is ready."
He paused for a moment, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before continuing. "We have here the five people who will be in charge of today's examination."
With a wave of his hand, he gestured to the first person.
"He will be in charge of everything that involves advance technology: Professor Arnav Kapoor."
A brown-skinned older man stood up, adjusting his glasses as he waved to the students, a gentle smile spreading across his face.
"Next, she is the expert on Virals and their behaviors, as well as the founder of Viral Sentience: Lea Lavigne."
Lea, wearing her lab coat, stood up, but the difference between when she was seated and standing didn't seem to differ much; her petite frame remained unwavering.
As her eyes scanned the crowd, they landed on Kris, and she waved enthusiastically at him.
"Woah, that cute teacher is waving at me!" one random student exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise.
Kris caught Lea's gaze and nodded in acknowledgment.
Belle, sensing something ominous.
'Is someone trying to take Kris away from me?' She looked around but found nothing out of the ordinary.
"Now, She the expert of teaching Basic Aura Control and the usage of Data Devices: Issa Abara."
The tall Black woman smiled and waved to the crowd without standing; she seemed to be in a wheelchair, her confidence shining through her demeanor.
"And finally," Sir Ahmed continued, his tone turning more serious,
"the Principal of South Data Training Academy: Principal Geo Smith." A caramel-skinned man raised his hand nonchalantly, a stern look on his face that commanded respect.
"And lastly, I am part of the team overseeing today's examination as your Data Beast Knowledge teacher, Ahmed Batubara," he finished, nodding at the students, his presence reassuring.
The room buzzed with nervous energy as the students felt the presence of the people on stage.