The classroom was filled with the usual morning chatter—whispers of weekend plans, hurried last-minute homework, and, of course, endless talk about Brian Makori.
Ochieng entered without a word, heading straight for his seat in the back corner, next to the window. It was the perfect spot—away from prying eyes, away from the chaos.
As he sat down, he pulled out his notebook and pen, more out of habit than necessity. He had long since realized that school wasn't a place for knowledge, but a battlefield for power.
And in this battlefield, he was invisible.
For now.
--
Just as Ochieng was settling in, the classroom door swung open.
Mr. Omari, their history teacher, walked in, carrying a stack of papers. His sharp eyes scanned the room, silencing any lingering murmurs.
"Settle down," he said. "Before we begin, I need a volunteer to take these books to the staffroom."
Silence.
Nobody liked running errands.
Mr. Omari's gaze landed on Ochieng.
"You. Take them."
Ochieng didn't argue. He simply stood up, walked to the front, and took the books. He had learned long ago that drawing attention by refusing was more trouble than it was worth.
As he stepped out into the hallway, the noise of the classroom faded behind him.
He walked with his usual calm demeanor, but deep inside, his mind was always calculating, always observing.
As he turned a corner toward the staffroom, he suddenly stopped.
His sharp senses, honed through years of survival, detected something—a presence.
Someone was watching him.
He continued walking, but his posture shifted ever so slightly, preparing for the unexpected.
Then—
A shadow moved.
Ochieng barely had time to react before a hand grabbed his wrist.
Fast. Precise. The grip of someone trained.
But to Ochieng, it was too slow.
In one fluid motion, he twisted his wrist, breaking free, and grabbed the attacker's arm, spinning them around and slamming them against the wall.
A gasp escaped the person's lips.
It was a girl.
Not just any girl.
Akinyi.
Ochieng narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing?"
Akinyi looked up at him, her expression a mix of shock and something else—something unreadable.
"You…" she whispered. "You're not just an ordinary student, are you?"
For the first time in a long while, Ochieng felt a flicker of danger.
This girl… she had noticed.
And that was a problem.
---