Break time
The hallway to Class B buzzed with movement
Students passing, voices blending, footsteps echoing.
Andre walked calmly beside Maria.
Marco trailed slightly behind, hands in his pockets, already bored.
"Remind me why we're going to Class B again?" Marco muttered.
"To see Misheal," Maria replied.
"And Hugo," Andre added.
Marco sighed. "Right… the guy I still don't like."
They turned the corner
And everything slowed.
Three girls stood ahead.
Blocking the hallway.
In the middle
Esmeralda.
Students nearby instinctively kept their distance.
"Holy shit that's her. The cold stone queen."
Andre's steps slowed.
His eyes lifted
And met hers.
For a brief moment
Everything else disappeared.
Her eyes…
There was something in them.
Something that pulled
Too strongly.
They stepped aside slightly to let them pass.
But
The girls didn't move.
They stopped.
Right in front of them.
One of the girls stepped forward, chin raised.
"Who the hell do you three think you are?"
Marco blinked slowly. "Oh… here we go."
The second girl crossed her arms.
"When the Cold Stone Queen walks, trash like you step aside. Do you understand?"
Maria's expression hardened instantly.
Marco let out a low whistle.
"Cold Stone Queen? That's dramatic."
Andre smiled faintly.
"That's not going to happen," he said calmly. "I don't see how wide you are that this entire hallway isn't enough for you to pass."
The insult landed.
"How dare you—!" the first girl snapped, raising her hand to slap him
But
Maria moved instantly.
She caught her wrist mid-air.
"Don't you dare," Maria said quietly.
The hallway went still.
Even Marco straightened slightly.
"Relax," he added lazily, stepping forward. "We're all students here. No need to turn it into a circus."
The second girl scoffed.
"You should be careful who you talk to."
Marco smirked.
"And you should be careful who you try to hit."
Tension crackled then,
Esmeralda finally spoke.
Her voice was calm.
Sharp.
"You."
Her eyes locked onto Andre.
"Do I know you?"
Andre held her gaze.
Unshaken.
"Do you?" he replied. "Or do my eyes just seem familiar. Esmeralda?"
Something in Esmeralda's expression shifted.
Just for a second.
Confusion.
Recognition?
"Explain what you mean."
"What do we have here, isn't this interesting."
Andre turned.
Carlos and his gang.
Standing a few meters away.
Still.
Silent.
But his presence alone changed everything but his gaze wasn't on Andre.
It was locked
On Esmeralda.
Esmeralda's expression hardened instantly.
"…What do you want, Carlos?"
He ignored the hostility.
Started walking forward slowly.
"You were not in class."
"I was worried about you."
" I don't remember you being my daddy," she replied coldly.
His jaw flexed.
Then
His eyes shifted.
To Andre.
"…You."
Andre didn't move.
Carlos stepped closer.
"What are you doing here?"
Esmeralda rolled her eyes.
"Oh, for God's sake."
Carlos didn't look at her.
"Did he bother you?"
Maria scoffed softly.
"She doesn't look like someone who needs help."
Marco added, "If anything, we're the ones being attacked here."
Carlos ignored them completely.
Like they didn't exist.
Esmeralda's irritation spiked.
"I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."
"That's not what I asked."
Andre finally spoke.
"We were getting to know each other and you interupted it. How rude of you."
Carlos' expression changed instantly.
"And who gave you the right to approach her?"
Andre didn't blink.
"I don't need permission to speak to someone."
Carlos stepped closer.
Close enough now.
"You do… when that someone is her."
The hallway held its breath.
This wasn't a joke anymore.
Esmeralda snapped,
"Carlos, stop."
He didn't.
His eyes burned into Andre's.
"There's something about you mate that I don't like."
Andre met him evenly.
"The feeling is mutual."
"Say that again."
Andre didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
"I said"
RING.
Carlos' phone vibrated.
The moment shattered.
He stared at Andre for a second longer
Then answered.
"What pacho? I'm in the middle of something"
His expression changed.
"Why are you crying."
A pause
"…What do you mean?"
His voice dropped.
"Maxim did what?"
Silence.
His grip tightened around the phone.
"…Where are you brother?"
His breathing shifted.
Faster.
Controlled but barely.
Esmeralda stepped forward.
"What did Maxim do?"
Carlos didn't answer.
His eyes darkened
But this time, not with anger.
With something deeper.
Hurt.
Protectiveness.
Fury building from somewhere real.
"He made him cry,"
"The bastard made him cry."
"To hell with this."
He snapped his fingers once.
His boys reacted instantly.
"Find him," Carlos ordered. "Now."
Buck nodded and moved.
Kelvin was already on his phone.
Henry didn't say a word just followed.
Carlos started walking
Fast.
Then stopped.
Turned slightly toward Andre.
Not fully.
Just enough.
"This…"
A pause.
"…is not over."
Then he walked off
Marco blinked slowly.
"…Yeah… I'm definitely not messing with that guy."
Maria exhaled quietly.
"That wasn't normal anger…"
Andre said nothing.
His eyes lingered where Carlos had disappeared.
Thinking.
Esmeralda stood still.
Watching.
Processing.
Her expression had changed.
Not annoyed.
Not cold.
But… thoughtful.
"…He's never like that but when it comes to pacho he goes crazy," she said quietly.
Maria glanced at her.
"That looked like someone who cares."
Esmeralda didn't respond immediately.
Her eyes shifted
Back to Andre.
"You…"
A pause.
"You're either very brave… or very stupid."
Andre smiled faintly.
"Im in the middle."
A very faint reaction crossed her face.
Not a smile.
But close.
"…Stay away from him," she said quietly. "That wasn't even his worst side."
Andre tilted his head slightly.
"Good to know."
She held his gaze for a second longer
Then turned.
"Let's go."
Her friends followed.
Marco leaned closer to Andre.
"…Bro," he whispered, "this school is not normal."
Andre's eyes remained forward.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"…I know."