THE CALM EYE IN THE STORM

The morning bell had just finished ringing, and the hallways were still buzzing with sleepy students making their way to class.

Sylvester strolled alongside Lilana, his hands tucked deep into his coat pockets, moving with his usual calm and steady pace.

“So,” Lilana started, her voice bright yet inquisitive, “what’s the next step for our little mission?”

Sylvester’s eyes darted ahead, his expression as unreadable as ever. “We need to find a way to undermine Amara’s influence. It has to be subtle and precise—no unnecessary exposure.”

Lilana nodded enthusiastically, bouncing a bit on her heels. “Got it! So, maybe we can—”

Before she could finish, Sylvester’s brow furrowed slightly, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. He slowed down, staring at the floor tiles, lost in contemplation.

Lilana tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. “Hey… what’s on your mind?”

“…Something financial,” he replied curtly, his tone flat, eyes still unfocused.

Lilana blinked, tilting her head even more, clearly baffled. “Financial… what does that even mean?”

Sylvester didn’t respond.

Lilana huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. “Hey! You can’t just throw out random thoughts and not explain! That’s… rude.”

Sylvester remained silent, his face as blank as a winter sky. The pout deepened as Lilana’s cheeks flushed slightly, a mix of frustration and playful annoyance.

She poked his side lightly. “Come on, Sylvie! I’m serious!”

“…I’ll think about it,” he finally said, the corner of his mouth twitching just enough to suggest amusement, though his eyes gave nothing away.

Lilana groaned dramatically. “Think about it? That’s not an answer! That’s… that’s—ugh, fine, you’re impossible.”

They continued down the corridor, their voices low enough to avoid drawing attention, yet filled with the familiar banter that had come to define their partnership. Meanwhile, Sylvester’s mind remained half-focused on the conversation, but the other half was somewhere else entirely.

At the far end of the school, Amara was sprawled across her desk, arms crossed and a deep frown on her face. Sophie and Riley were sitting on the floor beside her, nodding along as Amara let off some steam.

“That girl…” Amara hissed, her eyes narrowing like a predator. “Lilana. She’s everywhere. Always showing up where she’s not wanted. Just… so annoying.”

Sophie sighed, rolling her eyes. “She’s like a constant headache. You know, like a mosquito that just won’t buzz off.”

Riley leaned in, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. “I’ll give her credit for being bold… but honestly, she’s making life miserable for everyone. She has no idea how lucky she is to be in this school without someone putting her in her place.”

Amara’s glare sharpened. “I don’t care what it takes. That little nuisance thinks she can just waltz in here and stir up trouble. She’s asking for it. I swear… if she keeps this up, I’ll make her regret ever stepping foot in my class.”

Sophie and Riley exchanged worried looks but nodded, sharing the same mix of fear and annoyance toward Lilana.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Lilana was humming happily, completely oblivious to the watchful eyes tracking her every move. She skipped lightly toward her classroom, with Sylvester walking quietly beside her, his mind set on the mission at hand, ignoring the usual high school drama.

A piercing scream echoed down the hallway.

“Oh my gosh!!”

Amara, Sophie, and Riley froze mid-conversation. Their annoyance with Lilana instantly shifted to curiosity and disbelief.

Without a moment's hesitation, they jumped to their feet and hurried toward the sound, weaving through groups of students.

As they rounded the corner, the source of the ruckus became clear.

Lilana was skipping into 10-E, with Sylvester quietly by her side, his hands tucked into his pockets, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Sylvester’s gaze swept over the classroom, landing on them immediately. Phones shot up left and right, flashes going off as cameras captured every little move. Whispers turned into excited murmurs, and the atmosphere buzzed with the energy of hundreds of curious students.

Great… just great, Sylvester thought, his jaw tightening. This is exactly why I can’t stand attention. All eyes on us, every little thing we do under a microscope. I didn’t sign up for this…

Lilana, however, seemed completely unfazed by the chaos, her grin as wide as ever. She skipped a bit closer to Sylvester, lightly holding onto his arm as she beamed at the class.

One bold girl near the front raised her hand, her voice trembling with excitement. “I-I have to ask… is it true? Are you two… dating?”

All eyes immediately turned to Sylvester, waiting for a response. He opened his mouth, then thought better of it. His silence hung in the air, sharp and commanding, as if daring anyone to ask again.

But Lilana tilted her head toward him, her mischievous eyes sparkling. Slowly, she gave a confident nod.

“Yes~,” she said, her voice light and playful.

The classroom erupted. Cheers, screams of joy, and excited chatter bounced off the walls. Phones waved frantically in the air, capturing videos and photos.

Amara, Sophie, and Riley stood frozen, mouths agape. They stared at the two newcomers, their minds racing. Only one day… It’s only been a day since she transferred here… And she’s already…

Their faces went from confusion to disbelief, and then morphed into a blend of irritation and stunned admiration.

Sylvester felt his jaw tighten. Great, this is going to be a nightmare. Just my luck… He tugged at his sleeve, trying to find some calm. I didn’t want this. I never asked for this kind of attention. And now? Phones are everywhere, rumors are flying… this was a huge mistake.

Lilana, still gripping his arm, leaned in close and whispered softly in his ear, “Don’t worry, Sylvie. Just relax. It’s all part of the plan, remember?”

He didn’t say a word, just let out the faintest sigh. Inside, he was already plotting how to get through the rest of the day without completely losing his mind.

Lilana shot him a cheeky grin, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. Out of nowhere, she rose up on her tiptoes and planted a quick, playful kiss on his cheek.

Sylvester paused for a split second, his face as unreadable as ever. But inside, he was thinking…

Really? She’s totally doing this on purpose, isn’t she?

“Catch you later, Sylvie~,” she sang, giving him a little wave before twirling around and striding down the hallway.

He simply nodded once, his face a blank slate, and adjusted the strap of his bag. Cameras were still clicking, whispers buzzing through the classroom, but Sylvester’s gaze was locked straight ahead, tuning out everything else.

Just another day…

He turned and made his way back to 10-D, keeping his pace steady, shoulders back, and his mind already wandering to whatever chaos awaited him in his own class.

The excited chatter from the 10-E students trailed behind him, but he didn’t glance back. He didn’t need to.

Yet, Lilana’s grin lingered in his mind longer than he cared to admit.

Sylvester stepped into 10-D, the sound of his shoes echoing against the polished floor, almost louder than he expected. The chaotic buzz of 10-E still played in his mind, the flashes of cameras and phones aimed at him making his jaw tighten just a bit.

As he approached the doorway, he paused for a heartbeat. Every single pair of eyes in the classroom was fixed on him.

What now…?

His voice, steady yet sharp, sliced through the stillness. “What’s wrong?”

Silence. Just a sea of stares—some curious, others… something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Sylvester’s face remained impassive, but a flicker of unease danced within him. He was all too aware of how perilous attention could be. And right now… he wasn’t a fan of it.

With a casual shrug, as if the stares didn’t faze him, he strolled past the desks and settled into his usual seat. Books flew open, pens floated in mid-air, and whispers began to ripple through the room, but Sylvester tuned it all out.

He didn’t need to respond. He never did.

Leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, he let the silence wrap around him while his mind kicked into gear, calculating, planning, and… simmering.

Sylvester slid into his seat, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares pressing down on him. He leaned back a bit, arms crossed, and let his mind wander, the earlier chaos fading into a calculated fog.

Financial leverage… debt… the perfect way to trap someone without ever getting your hands dirty, he thought to himself. He ran through different scenarios, each one more cunning than the last, figuring out how to exploit weaknesses, credit lines, and the smallest mistakes. A faint smirk crept onto his lips as he envisioned the outcomes.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that the sudden voices jolted him back to reality.

“Syl—hey! Syl!”

He looked up to see Luca, Coby, and Hudson practically bouncing over to him. Their faces were a mix of excitement and suspicion, their eyes sharp and unyielding.

“What’s up?” Sylvester asked, keeping his tone steady but a bit cautious.

Luca leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. “You… you and Lilana… is it true?”

Sylvester let out a slow, deliberate sigh. “…Yeah. It’s true.”

For a brief moment, the three of them froze, as if the ground had shifted beneath them.

Hudson’s jaw dropped in shock.

Coby’s hand hung in the air, as if he were frozen in time, his mind struggling to catch up.

Luca, usually quick on the uptake, stood there slack-jawed, his thoughts a jumbled mess of disbelief.

They all knew Lilana had transferred just yesterday, but Sylvester had shown no interest at all. No hints, no signs—nothing. And yet, somehow, he had managed to get her to say yes.

Even now, they couldn’t wrap their heads around the audacity of it all. They looked at Sylvester as if he had just shattered everything they thought they knew about him.

As always, Sylvester remained calm, his poker face flawless. But inside, a small smile curled at the corner of his lips. Mission accomplished.

Hudson slammed his fist down on the desk with such force that the pencil case jumped. “No… no way… you can’t just do that! You—YOU! With Lilana?!”

Coby stumbled back a bit, almost tipping over his chair. “Dude… I trusted you! We were supposed to be… I don’t even know! You—she—what the hell happened?!”

Luca, who usually kept his cool, ran a hand down his face, muttering through clenched teeth. “You’ve officially betrayed us… this is… this is unbelievable.”

All three of them stared at Sylvester as if he had transformed into some mythical creature that had stolen their very souls. The atmosphere around the desk felt thick, almost electric, as if their disbelief could physically crush him.

Sylvester, completely unfazed, leaned back in his chair, his eyes scanning them with a cool detachment. “You guys really know how to overreact.”

Hudson’s face flushed—not with anger, but with sheer, chaotic frustration. “Overreact? OVERREACT?! She’s… she’s… your girlfriend, Sylv! And it hasn’t even been a full day! How?! How does that even—”

“—work?” Coby chimed in, his voice trembling.

Sylvester tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “Simple. I asked. She said yes. Problem?”

The three of them froze again. This was worse than anything they could’ve imagined. It wasn’t just that he was dating Lilana—it was the calmness with which he handled it. No panic, no embarrassment, just cold, hard logic.

Luca let out a dramatic groan, pressing a hand to his forehead. “We were friends… kind of… sort of… and you just… took her? Out of nowhere?!”

Hudson stomped his foot in frustration, muttering incoherent threats under his breath. “This… this is betrayal of the highest order! I… I can’t even!”

Coby’s wide eyes flicked between Sylvester and the others. “Wait… does this mean… do we… have to… fight him? Like, formally challenge him or something?!”

Sylvester sighed, finally raising an eyebrow. “You’re welcome to try. Just don’t embarrass yourselves.”

Before anyone could get another word out, Lilana bounced back into the doorway, practically dancing on her heels.

“Sylvie~! Don’t forget about lunch today! I’ll save you a seat, okay?” she called out, her smile so bright it could light up the whole room.

Sylvester didn’t say a word—just nodded once, his eyes glued to the floor.

The three boys exchanged glances, looking as if their brains had just short-circuited.

Hudson’s jaw dropped. “She… just… calls him Sylvie like it’s no big deal?! And he’s totally cool with it?!”

Coby was shaking, gripping the edge of the desk. “I… I can’t. I just… how is he not freaking out?!”

Luca pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, “We have officially lost. Every bit of dignity is gone.”

Lilana waved cheerfully over her shoulder as she skipped down the hallway, leaving a trail of whispers and wide-eyed students in her wake.

Sylvester finally leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking calm and detached, as if the chaos in the hallway didn’t even register.

Hudson groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I… I think… I think I hate him a little… maybe a lot…”

Coby staggered back, mumbling, “I trusted him! And now… he’s dating Lilana… what even—”

Luca just sat down slowly, staring at Sylvester like he was some kind of mythical creature. “We’ve been completely outplayed… in one day… by him… and her.”

Sylvester tilted his head slightly, letting his gaze wander over the three of them. “Don’t look so shocked. You’re going to get wrinkles if you keep making that face.”

The boys blinked, frozen, their mouths hanging open.

Unfazed by the chaos, Sylvester opened his notebook and started writing quietly, the tiniest hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth, as if he found their reactions mildly entertaining.

The classroom buzzed around him, phones flashing, whispers swirling, and every eye secretly glued to the new “couple.” Yet he remained utterly, chillingly calm.

And amidst it all, Lilana’s laughter echoed softly.