Chapter 18: The First Step

Scenes of a student walking across campus, eyes glued to his phone.

He didn't have to wonder who it was.

Yes, our protagonist, Evan, was now waiting for Maps to load as he made his way to his new school. But there was a problem—his phone lagged like an ancient relic. Still, he found a workaround when he noticed a group of teenagers in school uniforms walking in the same direction.

Without missing a beat, he lied and said, "Yeah, I'm heading that way too," and merged into the group.

His improvisation worked. Kind of.

The students felt uneasy, occasionally glancing back at the quiet boy following just a bit too closely. A few even tried to shake him off or confront him, but Evan eluded them like a ghost. It was awkward, yes, but surprisingly effective.

And in the end... it worked.

Though the walk was supposed to take fifteen minutes, it took him a solid thirty. Still, Evan chalked it up as a win. A walk like this might help him remember the route in the future.

Passing through the school gates, he approached a man standing near the entrance, overseeing the flow of arriving students.

The man's brows furrowed the moment he laid eyes on Evan. The teen didn't quite look like a student.

"Hey kid, who are you? And what are you doing here in our school while wearing the uniform?" the man demanded, bombarding Evan before he could get a word in.

"Sir, I'm a new transfer student. Today's my first day. Could you please direct me to the principal's office?" Evan asked, finally finding a break in the barrage.

The man blinked, then laughed lightly. "Ah, my bad. Thought you were one of those troublemakers sneaking in for kicks. Principal's office is on the ground floor. Go down that hallway, it's the room next to the stairs."

"Thanks, sir... Uhmm…" Evan hesitated, realizing he didn't know the man's name.

"Oh. It's Robin," the teacher replied with a nod.

"Alright. Thank you, Mr. Robin. I hope you have a good day," Evan said with a polite smile before heading off.

Robin chuckled, watching him disappear down the corridor. "Nice kid. Hope he ends up in my class. Damn, forgot to ask which class he's in…"

He sighed and returned his focus to the sea of students streaming in.

Meanwhile, Evan's journey to the principal's office wasn't quite over. Even with directions, he had to stop and ask a few more students before he finally found the right room.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," came a deep, gruff voice.

Evan blinked. He had expected someone kind and warm, especially since Jason had described the principal as a friendly man. But this voice? It had the weight of a man who didn't have time for nonsense.

Evan opened the door and stepped inside.

The principal was seated behind a large desk, nearly hidden behind an open newspaper. The air felt stiff and formal. Evan stayed silent, waiting to be acknowledged.

"Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to explain why you're here?" the voice cut through the silence again.

Evan straightened. "Sir, I'm the new student. I have a letter from my Uncle Jason. He told me to hand it to you personally."

He placed the envelope on the desk.

"Oh, so you're the one," the principal muttered, setting the paper aside. "Didn't think they'd adopt a boy your age. Thought he'd go for a baby after his son passed, but here you are. Lucky kid. That man's got money stacked to the heavens."

Principal Rick was known for being brutally blunt. No filter, no care for sugarcoating things. He spoke as if everyone was just a page in his paper.

Evan, however, remained composed.

"Actually, sir, I'm only staying with them until I reach adulthood. I'm just a ward, nothing more. My parents… they're unknown. I'm not interested in their wealth—I haven't even used their money for anything if I can help it."

Rick raised a skeptical brow but didn't argue. He broke the seal and opened the letter.

"Let's see what Jason has to say..."

Hey friend,

If you're reading this, I'm writing to ask you not to say anything weird to the kid.

We all know your silver tongue has gotten you into trouble before. His name is Evan, and yes, we adopted him—but he doesn't know that yet. We did it quietly. He just thinks we're letting him stay with us.

He wanted out of the orphanage, but Wilson was hesitant until he called me. He told me everything about Evan... and his parents. After a long discussion with Rossy, we decided to adopt him.

But Evan wasn't ready for that truth. So we've kept it hidden for now.

I'm telling you this because I don't want him hurt. Don't bring up his past. Don't bring up anything that could scar him.

And if you do... not even I can protect you from Rossy. She treats him like her own son.

Anyway, I hope we can all reunite like old times someday—drink, laugh, and share stories.

And seriously, Rick, don't say anything stupid.

—Jason

"Ah, hell… I'm in trouble if this kid opens his mouth," Rick muttered under his breath, setting the letter down.

He looked up at Evan, who was calmly glancing around the office, completely unaware of the letter's contents.

"Ahem," Rick cleared his throat.

Evan turned to face him. "Yes, sir?"

Rick narrowed his eyes, then looked out the window, checking if anyone was listening in. He seemed... hesitant.

"Kid, may I ask…" he began, pausing mid-sentence, voice lowering as the air grew heavier.

To be continued…

Author's Note:Hey, everyone. I hope you're doing well! If you're enjoying the story so far, consider staying tuned, and thanks for reading!