At the Academic Block of Westfield Academy
Liam sat in class beside Edwin, one of his oldest friends. They'd been in the same class since Class 0, as well as the same hostel. After arriving at the classroom, Liam immediately went to his locker to check his books. When he saw the dates and topics written inside, he sighed in relief.
Third semester, second half. That meant over 30% of Class 5 students were absent—many had probably decided not to return. More importantly, it meant there were fewer people with authority over him now.
A smile crept across his face as a particular memory surfaced. Something he could never forget. Something that had clung to his very soul. It hadn't happened yet.
His fight with Franklyn.
Today was Thursday, which meant it would happen tomorrow. He'd already checked the date, and his plans for tomorrow aligned perfectly with what had happened when the fight began the first time around.
The Seven Hostels of Westfield
There were seven hostels at Westfield Academy. The first was Vale House. To its left was Cedarhill House, then Ashdod House to the left of that, and finally College House—those were the four houses on the hillside.
Walking down toward the valley, you'd find Silverwood House, with Foxglove House behind it, and lastly Stonebridge House.
The one thing all the houses had in common was hierarchy. There had to be some sort of order among classmates within a house—whether based on respect, strength, or both. For some students, both factors gave them their position. For others, it was just one.
Liam was not a fighter, nor was he the most respected. But he had earned his place among the top students of Ashdod House through various means. The most important? His hidden strength.
Although he wasn't known as a fighter, people speculated that he was one of the strongest in Ashdod House—and possibly in all of Class 4A, maybe even Class 4 in general. He hadn't fought any major battles, but the few fights he had been in ended in devastating losses for his opponents. It wasn't public knowledge, but those close to him knew how strong he really was.
The people he associated with also played a role in his reputation. Most of them were either regarded as some of the strongest students or known fighters. Take Noah, for example—another close friend who had been in the same class since Class 0. They'd been seatmates up until Class 4. Though they were in different hostels now—Noah was in Silverwood House—their friendship remained one of Liam's truest.
Noah was a fighter. Not particularly the strongest, but apart from the top-tier fighters, he was widely respected and feared for his aggressive nature. People always compared him to Liam, claiming Liam was stronger. As a result, anyone who had lost to Noah wouldn't even dream of picking a fight with Liam. On top of that, even the strongest students in Ashdod House respected him.
All of this combined with the calm, confident way Liam carried himself meant people rarely sought trouble with him. Even the strong acknowledged him.
The Fight That Changed Everything
Now, Franklyn and Liam were on good terms—not necessarily close, but not strangers either. Franklyn was the strongest Class 4 student in Vale House and the most respected, even by other Class 4 students there.
In a few hours, Liam and Franklyn would fight. And the outcome would not be what anyone expected.
Franklyn probably imagined an overwhelming win. The rest of their classmates likely thought the same. Liam, on the other hand, expected either a draw or a narrow defeat.
But the fight's true outcome would never really be known—because of one critical variable.
Liam had been pressed. Desperately.
Only when the fight actually started did Liam remember he was at an overwhelming disadvantage. More than half his focus and strength went toward preventing himself from shitting himself rather than actually fighting. The fight didn't last long, but it was clear the result was more of a draw. Franklyn shoved him around three times, and Liam fell between chairs. But Liam managed to trap Franklyn's head in his armpit, attempting to fling him toward the lockers.
Midway through the move, though, Liam stopped immediately. If he'd continued, he would have shit himself right there. He quickly calculated that not winning a fight was far better than winning—or even drawing—but ending up with eternal shame.
The outcome was uncertain. The fight lasted only ten seconds, and both of them were still standing when it ended. No decisive victor.
But after that fight, Liam had come to one important conclusion: he'd underestimated himself the entire time.
Franklyn was easily top ten in all of Class 4. Liam knew that if he'd been in peak condition, he would have won decisively. Unfortunately, they never got a chance to fight a second time, and the feeling of losing to someone weaker than him had gnawed at his throat ever since.
Still, the fight had been enough to solidify his position as one of the strongest—possibly top twenty in Class 4. Most people viewed it as a draw. They didn't know he'd been pressed, but even so, it was a feat worth recognizing.
Only a few of Liam's friends knew the full story.