The next morning, Broken Falls High was louder than usual.
Mayson noticed it the moment he stepped through the front doors.
Conversations stopped.
Heads turned.
Then the whispers started again.
"That's him."
"The football guy."
"I heard he outran Tyler during practice."
"No way."
"Coach was watching the whole time."
Mayson walked down the hallway like nothing was happening. His backpack hung loosely over one shoulder, and his expression remained calm, almost bored.
Inside, though, his senses were alive.
Every heartbeat.
Every voice.
Every nervous laugh.
Humans were terrible at hiding things.
A locker slammed nearby.
"Hey!"
Mayson glanced to the side.
Three guys leaned against a row of lockers. One of them—broad-shouldered with messy blond hair—pushed away from the wall and walked over.
"You're Winchester, right?"
"Mayson."
The guy nodded.
"I'm Tyler. Quarterback."
Mayson recognized the voice from practice.
"You throw decent passes," Mayson said.
Tyler blinked.
"Decent?"
The two guys behind him laughed.
"Careful, Tyler. New guy's already roasting you."
Tyler smirked.
"You talk like that to everyone?"
"Only the ones who throw the ball at my face."
"That was one time."
"It was accurate though."
The group laughed again.
Tyler held out his hand.
"Welcome to the team."
Mayson shook it.
His grip was firm—but careful.
Always careful.
The other two stepped forward.
"Chris," one said.
"Jordan," the other added.
Mayson nodded to both.
"You played before?" Chris asked.
"Sometimes."
"That wasn't 'sometimes' yesterday," Jordan muttered.
Tyler leaned against a locker again.
"Coach already said you're starting receiver."
A few nearby students overheard and started whispering again.
"That fast?"
"He just got here."
"That's crazy."
Mayson shrugged.
"I just run."
Tyler studied him for a second.
"You ever get tired?"
"Occasionally."
"Yesterday you didn't even breathe hard."
"I pace myself."
Tyler laughed.
"You're weird."
"I've heard that."
By lunchtime the rumors had evolved.
Now people weren't just whispering about the new guy.
They were debating him.
"Apparently he solved the hardest math problem instantly."
"My sister said the teacher looked shocked."
"He joined football and destroyed everyone."
"I heard he reads books during lunch."
"Who reads during lunch?"
Mayson sat at the same table near the windows as yesterday.
A thick book rested in his hands.
He flipped a page.
Then another.
A few minutes later he burst out laughing.
A loud, sudden laugh that made two students nearby jump.
He slapped his hand against his leg.
"That's ridiculous!"
Several heads turned.
One girl giggled.
Another whispered to her friend.
"He's actually kinda funny."
Mayson didn't notice them.
He was already turning another page.
A tray dropped onto the table across from him.
Lily sat down.
"You're laughing again."
"This book is stupid."
"Then why are you reading it?"
"Because it's entertaining."
She leaned forward slightly.
"What's it about?"
"A hunter who thinks garlic stops vampires."
She blinked.
"That's actually funny."
"Exactly."
She glanced around the cafeteria.
"You realize half the school is talking about you now."
"I heard."
"Does that bother you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
He closed the book slowly.
"People talk."
"That's your explanation?"
"Pretty much."
She studied him for a moment.
"You're either extremely confident or extremely weird."
"Why not both?"
She laughed quietly.
"I like that answer."
Across the cafeteria a group of girls watched them.
One leaned closer to her friend.
"Is Lily sitting with him?"
"Looks like it."
"She moves fast."
Lily noticed their staring and rolled her eyes.
"High school is ridiculous."
"Agreed."
"You ever date anyone?"
The question came suddenly.
Mayson blinked.
"Not really."
"Not really?"
"It wasn't something I focused on."
"Why?"
He shrugged.
"I had other things going on."
That was technically true.
Destroying entire villages tended to take up a lot of time.
Lily leaned back in her chair.
"Well, prepare yourself."
"For what?"
"Half the girls here are going to try asking you out."
"Why?"
She stared at him.
"Seriously?"
"I'm asking."
"You're tall, mysterious, athletic, and new."
"That's the criteria?"
"Basically."
He thought about that.
"That sounds exhausting."
Lily laughed.
"You're going to survive."
"I hope so."
After lunch the hallway buzz returned.
Students moved between classes.
More whispers followed Mayson as he walked.
Some friendly.
Some curious.
Some less welcoming.
Near the science lab two guys blocked his path.
One of them crossed his arms.
"You're the new guy."
Mayson stopped walking.
"Yes."
"You think you're impressive?"
"I haven't thought about it."
The second guy scoffed.
"Coach already made you starter."
"That's what he said."
"You didn't even earn it."
Mayson tilted his head slightly.
"You were at practice."
"Yeah."
"Then you saw me earn it."
The first guy stepped closer.
"Don't get cocky."
"I'm not."
"You sound like it."
Mayson studied both of them calmly.
Two heartbeats.
Both elevated.
Angry.
Insecure.
He had seen that pattern before.
Thousands of times.
"You're defensive," Mayson said quietly.
The guy frowned.
"What?"
"You think I'm replacing you."
Silence.
That had hit the mark.
"You don't know anything about us," the second guy muttered.
"Maybe not."
He stepped around them.
"But if you want the position, run faster."
Then he kept walking.
Behind him one of them muttered,
"I don't like that guy."
The final bell rang late in the afternoon.
Students poured out of the building toward buses, cars, and sidewalks.
Mayson walked toward the town center again.
The coffee shop lights were already on.
The warm smell of coffee drifted through the air.
He pushed the door open.
The bell chimed.
The same woman from yesterday stood behind the counter.
She smiled when she saw him.
"Well, hot chocolate guy returns."
Mayson sighed.
"That name is spreading."
"Small town."
"I noticed."
She slid a mug across the counter.
"This one's on the house."
"Why?"
"You helped my daughter carry boxes yesterday."
Mayson blinked.
"Your daughter?"
She pointed toward the corner table.
Lily looked up from her book.
"Oh."
Mayson stared at her.
"You never mentioned that."
Lily shrugged.
"You never asked."
The woman laughed.
"Sit down before your drink gets cold."
Mayson took the mug and walked to the table.
Lily watched him carefully.
"You're helping my mom tomorrow."
"I am?"
"She needs help with some stuff around the yard."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Your mom already volunteered me?"
"Pretty much."
He took a sip of the hot chocolate.
Still terrible.
But he didn't complain this time.
"Alright," he said.
Lily smiled slightly.
"Good."
Outside the sun dipped lower behind Broken Falls.
The town looked peaceful.
Normal.
But Mayson's senses picked up something strange again.
A scent.
Faint.
Sharp.
Not human.
His eyes shifted toward the window.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Broken Falls might not be as normal as it looked.