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~Damian's pov~
The classroom was spacious, lined with rows of shiny marble desks. Dust motes danced in the sunlight streaming through the large windows. The faint hum of the air conditioners could barely be heard over the chatter of students.
The walls were adorned with posters of scientific formulas and motivational quotes, giving the room an academic air. Yet, beneath the surface, the atmosphere buzzed with curiosity and mischief, especially with the arrival of the new student.
As I stepped into the room, an unsettling silence descended upon the class. Not that I was surprised, it always happened. Silence was my domain. I thrived in it.
The stillness, the absence of sound, felt like home. It was where I belonged, where I could let the emptiness within me expand and consume.
Actually I loved it. Silence wasn't just my preference.. it's a necessity. It's where I liked to dwell it's where everything turns black and you'll just drench in it and fill my empty void of darkness, to please my hungry sides and calm my spirits, to veil the memories i couldn't erase.
I've always been left in the dark in every area and rather than being lost in it. I find peace, everything went dark when my Mother's death occurred, when my innocence was ruined and forgotten, when my dad abandoned me to life, i gave up all of it.
The world has taken everything from me, I was the definition of empty valuless barrel and in return I had taken my darkness as my solace, I had embraced it and let it sleep in every corner of my existence, i chose a new part to make everyone pay, to gracefully take what's not mine, to mark it, claim it, to take joy, hopes and liv-----
"Class, please welcome Alaric Damian. He'll be joining us and studying with you all from today." a voice echoed beside me but I didn't glance.
The silence shattered like fragile glass, replaced by excited whispers, giggles, and a few bold cheers. I sighed to myself wishing it could last a little longer.
"Is he single?"
"He's so hot!"
"Look at his jawline!"
The noise grated on my nerves. I sighed, wishing for just a few moments longer in the quiet. My eyes scanned the room, searching for an empty seat, and finally landed on one....splattered with red paint.
'Who the hell does that?' I thought, narrowing my eyes.
I glanced at the girl sitting near the painted chair. She was already staring at me. Her wide black orbs locked with mine, and I caught a flicker of recognition, or was it defiance? Vale.
I wanted to smirk at her when I suddenly remembered what she said...
'How dare she?'
My jaw tightened as I recalled her words from earlier. Words that no one else dared to say to my face.
Those words were something I couldn't tolerate, it's enough to make me grant the permission to sight the dead, but she should be grateful that it'll be weird for a student to go missing right after escorting me if not she'll be on her way to hell now, If she thought she could talk to me like that and walk away unscathed, she had another thing coming.
But for now, I had bigger concerns.
"Excuse me, Damian," a voice interrupted, I looked to my right spotting the sweet but annoying voice which kept on interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see a young woman standing and looking up at me.
Her polished appearance and nervous smile screamed teacher.
"There don't seem to be any empty seats here. We might have to move you to the class across the hall." she seemed to irritate me as she kept on staring and biting her lips hard.
Oh no don't tell me she's interested in me because hell no!, but she'd be a good appetizer to make up for today.
Her gaze lingered on me a bit too long, and I smirked, amused.
"And you are?" I asked, sidestepping her suggestion entirely. she became confused because I answered a question with another question which doesn't even seem to answer her question but nevertheless she blushed.
"I'm Miss Anderson," she replied, extending her hand, though her eyes betrayed a different kind of interest, staring directly at my lips.
'Heck no that's my job'
Ignoring her gesture, I turned to leave. Because I wasn't expecting he to be so easy to catch. The class across the hall didn't sound so bad, Less chaos, fewer distractions, i think.
But just as I reached the door, an ear-piercing high pitch voice cut through the air sounding close to a mosquito shouted.
"Heyy, Damian guy! You can come sit here!"
I turned back, and my gaze fell on a girl with overly styled hair and layers of makeup. She shoved her seatmate to the floor with a dramatic flair, earning gasps from the class.
'Woah'
She's gat some balls her seatmate immediately stood up and gasped at her and asked her why she did it.
"Brielle, what the heck? Why would you push me like that?" the other girl, Liora, exclaimed, picking herself up.
"Oh, come on, Liora. Let the new guy sit here. Show some compassion."
"Seriously? Why don't you stand up instead?"
"Because my dad personally paid for MY seat," Brielle said smugly, flipping her hair.
"Whatever, you could have at least told me to stand up rather than push me to the floor"
"Like you would ever answer"
"Okay where do I seat now"
"You could seat next to that dummy over there"
"Vale??? Whyyy?"
"Oh don't act so surprised that was your seat before right?"
"But it filled with Paint---"
The argument escalated, drawing the attention of the entire class. I couldn't help but shake my head at the pettiness.
I just sighed and turned to leave all this girls talk when that same girl called me back again but this time she yelled at the other girl.
"Liora move get out of here it's not like you're any better than she is?, your just a lowlife idiot"
"Brielle?"
"Oh shut up and get out!"
The girl who was shoved-Liora,finally gave up and moved to the painted chair, visibly upset, but little did I care.
'Well well well I have two appetizers now...hmm I'll await my meal'.
As I walked to the seat, I noticed Vale glance at me once, twice, then quickly look away.
I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand, and whispered just loud enough for her to hear:
"Keep staring, and you'll make it obvious."
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red. She ducked her head, scribbling furiously in her notebook, but I could see her hand trembling.
'This is going to be fun,' I thought.
"See you around," I said, smirking as I walked past her.
I smirked and walked to the seat next to Brielle. She beamed up at me, extending her hand eagerly.
"I'm Brielle," she said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.
I looked at her hand, then into her eyes, and smirked. She was trying too hard, and it was painfully obvious. Still, I reached out and shook her hand, leaning in slightly.
"I'm Damian," I said, letting my voice drop just enough to send a shiver down her spine. Her reaction was immediate, she froze, her cheeks reddening as she stared at me.
'Pathetic,' I thought, withdrawing my hand.
+_+
The Class Begins
Miss Anderson clapped her hands, snapping the class to attention. "Let's begin, everyone."
As the lesson started, I leaned back in my chair, my eyes drifting around the room. I could feel the stares of the other students, the whispers behind cupped hands.
"He's so mysterious."
"Do you think he has a girlfriend?"
"I heard he transferred because he got into a fight at his last school."
Their thoughts were practically written on their faces- curiosity, jealousy, admiration. It was all so predictable.., so dull.
But my gaze kept returning to Vale. She sat quietly, her shoulders tense, her hands gripping her notebook as if it were a lifeline. She didn't whisper like the others, didn't giggle or blush. Instead, she seemed... guarded.
'Intresting' I thought, smirking to myself.