Chapter 4: Don't drag me into your trouble

He remembered his first day in the body back after the incident in the bathroom. Everyone had laughed at him for being Level 0, the lowest possible level. His face tightened as he recalled the insults, the mocking faces, and how helpless he felt. It was clear to him now: this world was harsh.

"I need to find a way to get stronger," he muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing in determination. He wasn't about to stay at the bottom.

The teacher's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Caius, please pay attention," she said, her tone firm but with a hint of pity.

Caius snapped back to reality and nodded, trying to focus on the lesson. He didn't want any more trouble today. He looked around the room. Some students were whispering, still glancing his way.

"Is that really Caius?" one girl whispered to her friend. "I still can't get over how he's not crossdressing anymore."

"Yeah, and no more wigs or makeup," another murmured. "He actually looks like... a pretty boy now."

"He looks so different without all that stuff. I didn't even recognize him at first," someone else added, sounding bewildered.

A group of boys snickered quietly. "Look at him, though. He always has his chin up now, like he's some kind of royalty," one said mockingly.

"And he moves so... elegantly," another commented, almost in disbelief. "It's like he thinks he's better than all of us now."

Caius ignored their murmurs, his face calm and unreadable. He kept his posture straight, his movements controlled and graceful. In his mind, he wasn't going to let them see any weakness. His pride demanded it.

Others were pretending to listen to the teacher. Derek, his main bully, sat a few seats away, smirking and whispering something to his friends.

Caius clenched his jaw. 'One day, I'll show them. I'll show them all.'

A loud bell echoed through the classroom, signaling the end of the lesson. The students began packing up their things, chatting about their plans for the day. Just as Caius was about to stand up and leave, the intercom crackled to life.

"Attention, students," a deep voice announced. "All classes are to gather in the auditorium immediately for an important announcement."

The room filled with murmurs of curiosity and confusion. Caius raised an eyebrow, feeling a mix of annoyance and curiosity himself. What now? he thought.

As the students filed out, Caius followed, keeping a low profile. He wasn't interested in more attention today. He joined the crowd moving towards the auditorium, where teachers were directing students to take their seats.

Inside, the large auditorium was packed with students. The principal stood on the stage, a serious expression on his face. Caius found a seat near the back, away from Derek and his friends, and waited for the announcement.

"Students," the principal began, "as some of you may know, there was an unusual event that occurred recently—the meteor strike in our school grounds. Since then, there have been strange developments, including the appearance of what many of you have called 'status windows.'"

The auditorium buzzed with excitement and fear. Caius noticed some students exchanging excited glances, while others seemed worried.

The principal raised his hand to silence the room. "To understand these changes, the school will conduct a series of evaluations to determine everyone's abilities. This will help us prepare for whatever may come. Participation is mandatory."

Caius's eyes widened. Evaluations? He thought back to his own status window. Level 0. No class. Weak stats. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

"Evaluations will begin tomorrow," the principal continued. "You are dismissed for today. Prepare yourselves."

When the announcement came that class was ending early, Caius decided to wait until everyone had left the auditorium to avoid being shoved around. Leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets, he kept his gaze down, watching the ground as students shuffled past him.

Then, he saw a pair of shoes stop right in front of him. Caius lifted his head and frowned when he saw who it was.

"Derek," he muttered, his voice calm but wary.

"The one and only," Derek replied with a smirk. Caius could see the amusement in his eyes, the way he always seemed to enjoy picking on him. Caius took a deep breath, deciding it was best to leave. As he moved to step away, Derek blocked his path, slamming his hands on the wall beside him and cornering him against it.

"Where are you going?" Derek sneered. "We need to have a little chat."

Caius remained composed, not showing any sign of fear. "What do you want, Derek?" he asked, his voice low and steady. "Haven't you had enough for today?"

Derek leaned in closer, his breath hot against Caius's face. "You've been acting different, Harper. No more wigs, no more makeup. You even carry yourself like you think you're better than us now. What's the deal?"

Caius looked at him directly, his expression neutral but his eyes cold. "I'm not interested in explaining myself to you," he said. "And I don't care what you think."

Derek's smirk widened, but there was a hint of irritation in his eyes. "Think you've grown some guts now, huh? Just because you're not playing dress-up doesn't mean you're any less pathetic."

Caius kept his composure, his voice calm. "Maybe you should find a better way to spend your time, Derek, rather than trying to prove something that isn't there."

Derek's face twisted slightly, his confidence wavering. "Watch your mouth," he warned, pressing closer.

Caius held his ground, meeting Derek's gaze without flinching. "Or what? You'll keep proving how scared you are of someone different?"

For a moment, Derek seemed thrown off, the smirk on his face slipping into a scowl. Derek's scowl deepened, and he spat out his words with venom. "You're just a pathetic little gay freak, Harper. Always have been, always will be."

Caius didn't react. His expression remained indifferent, almost bored. Without a word, he calmly slipped under Derek's arm that was blocking him, dodging the attempt to corner him. Derek's hand missed its mark, leaving him standing there awkwardly as Caius walked away.

Derek's face twisted with frustration, but he didn't dare hit him, not with so many students still lingering around the auditorium. Caius could hear some of Derek's friends murmuring as he walked away.

"Did he just slip out like it was nothing?" one of them whispered, sounding impressed.

"Damn, that's Caius? He doesn't even seem bothered," another muttered.

"He roasted you, Derek," a friend teased, barely hiding a laugh.

Derek's face reddened, but he kept his mouth shut, knowing any move would only make him look worse. Caius didn't look back, keeping his steps steady and his head high.

He was nearly out of the auditorium when someone suddenly appeared by his side. Aiden, with his ever-present grin, fell in step beside him, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Well, that was a show," Aiden laughed, giving Caius a playful nudge. "I almost thought you were going to knock his teeth out, but I guess a few words were enough, huh?"

Caius glanced at him, his expression still calm, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "No need to waste energy on someone like him. Besides, there's no point in fighting a losing battle." Aiden chuckled, clearly enjoying the scene.

Caius glanced at him, his expression still calm, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "No need to waste energy on someone like him."

Aiden chuckled, clearly enjoying the scene. "I gotta say, this new you? It's kind of refreshing. Never thought I'd see the day when you'd actually stand up to that jerk." Caius shrugged, looking ahead as they walked.

"People like Derek only know how to bully others. I just chose not to play his game anymore."

"Smart move," Aiden said with a grin.

Caius suddenly stopped walking, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face Aiden. The easygoing expression he'd had just moments before was gone, replaced with a cold, calculating stare.

"Why are you acting like we're friends?" Caius said, his tone sharp. "Feeling close all of a sudden?"

Aiden chuckled, not taking the hint. He reached out, trying to casually throw an arm around Caius's shoulder, but Caius stepped back, keeping his distance. Aiden's grin faltered for a moment, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face.

"Come on, Caius," Aiden said, forcing a smile. "Don't be like that. I'm just messing around. We're all good now, right?"

Caius's eyes stayed on him, unblinking. "We're not friends, Aiden," he said coolly. "Don't think I've forgotten how you used to treat me. Just because I'm not putting up with it anymore doesn't mean I'm suddenly on your side."

Aiden's smile became strained, but he tried to keep up his carefree act. "Alright, alright, I get it. No hard feelings, right?"

Caius didn't bother responding to that. "Just don't drag me into your business or trouble," he said, voice firm and steady. "I have no interest in whatever you're planning or trying to do."

Aiden raised his hands in mock surrender, chuckling nervously. "Fine, fine, I'll back off. No need to be so harsh."

Caius turned away, resuming his walk with an air of disinterest. He didn't need fake friends or old enemies pretending to be friendly. His past might have been filled with betrayal and deceit, but he wasn't going to let history repeat itself—not in this new life.

Aiden trailed behind for a moment, watching Caius with a curious glint in his eyes, as if weighing his options. "You've changed, Caius," he said softly, more to himself than to anyone else. "Guess I'll have to see where this goes."

Caius kept walking, not bothering to look back. He had more important things to worry about than whatever schemes Aiden was cooking up.