Lies, deceit and manipulations.

Chapter song: Young And Beautiful - Lana Del Rey 

"Oh, you're back! I thought I'd been abandoned," Serene remarked with a thinly veiled smile, her gaze unwavering as she assessed Agares.

I would've under different circumstances, he thought to himself. 

"Apologies for the wait; I had an urgent matter to attend to," Agares said coolly. 

"No worries," Serene responded, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Who was that person you were with? I don't think I've seen him before."

Agares momentarily stiffened before regaining his composure. "No one you need to concern yourself with." He said quickly. 

Serene was stunned, her gaze lingered on him for a beat before she slowly nodded. "Understood. Shall we proceed with our discussion?" Her enthusiasm was unmistakable, but her eyes carried a certain glint.

"Yes," Agares said, as he walked down the hall. "We can find an empty classroom for privacy."

Once they were seated, Serene cleared her throat and started to explain her proposal. 

"Now, about organizing a friendly game between our schools," Serene began, her voice smooth and deliberate.

"I'm aware. How will we go about doing this?" Agares inquired, his tone polite yet slightly dismissive.

His tone didn't seem to face Serene as her smile widened. She gracefully pulled out her tablet. "We plan to host it here at East Laurence since your campus is larger. We'll have our top teams compete, with the winning team receiving a wish granted by the school," she explained. 

Agares frowned slightly. "Why a wish? Isn't that excessive for a friendly match?"

Serene chuckled softly, her eyes never leaving his face. "Offering an incentive ensures the students take the game seriously. Even in a friendly match, we want them to be motivated."

"I see. I'll present this to the Headmaster. Once he approves, we can finalize the teams," Agares said, standing up, his impatience wearing thin.

"Right. It's an opportunity to mend relations between our schools, especially after the incident two years ago," Serene said, her tone casual but her gaze sharp, assessing Agares with subtle scrutiny.

Agares didn't seem to notice her gaze as he glanced at his watch, his irritation growing more. The thought of missing lunch was aggravating him. He was eager to leave and grab a quick snack before his next class.

"Well then, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave—"

"Just a moment," Serene interjected smoothly, halting Agares in his tracks.

Agares raised an eyebrow, his eyes coldly questioning her interruption. Serene, noticing his indifference, sighed inwardly. Despite her efforts, his demeanor remained unchanged. Yet, her determination to pursue her agenda was undeterred—one of her traits she prided herself on.

"I wanted to revisit my proposal from last time," Serene said, her voice edged with a practiced casualness.

Agares' gaze hardened as he regarded her. His patience was already reaching its limits, and her question, though seemingly out of place, only intensified his irritation. He was well-acquainted with her manipulative tendencies from the start. 

Agares was no stranger to attention and had developed a keen sense for discerning ulterior motives. Serene's persistent advances were transparent; she viewed him as a trophy to enhance her own status. Her interest in a relationship was a strategic move rather than genuine affection. 

Despite his refusal and continued coldness, Serene's determination to win him over persisted. She argued that a partnership between their families could be advantageous, especially as he might one day take over his father's company—a role he had no intention of assuming, preferring to leave it to his brother Aenaes.

Agares, already annoyed and hungry, had little patience for her scheming. "I will update you on the progress after speaking with the Headmaster. Until then, I suggest you focus on other matters," he said curtly before exiting the room, leaving Serene with a lingering, frustrated look.

*

 Back in the dorms, Julius was currently in a state of panic as he wondered what he would do this coming weekend. He couldn't help but think back to Silas' words. 

"What are your plans for this weekend?" He asked as he laid on his bed, his hands busying himself with his game console. 

"My mom just told me our house is being renovated so I'll need to stay here for the weekend." He sighed. 

Silas dropped his game console as he looked up at Julius, eyes wide with surprise. 

"Hey, do you not remember what I told you on your first day here?" He asked incredulously. 

"…" 

"I think I remember telling you to go home during the weekend right?" 

"…" 

He let out a snort, "Dude. You're screwed." 

Julius flopped on his bed while letting out an exasperated sigh. "I know," 

"Maybe I can just act like I'm not here? I could just stay cooped up in my room?" He smiled, liking the idea more and more. 

"That's not gonna work. Agares checks every single room. He's a germaphobic, mysophobic, OCD, clean freak. He has a total boner for cleanliness so he'll check every single room and make sure everything is in order." 

Julius scrunched his nose. "Language man, you don't have to be so crass." He complained. 

"Whatever. Hiding isn't going to help you. You might as well accept your fate." He shrugged as he went back to playing his game. 

"This is gonna be a long weekend." He thought to himself.