Rebirth: Love me Again

[EVE]

The moment I stepped out of the car, I felt the shift in the air. It was palpable, like the atmosphere had thickened with tension.

Experience more on empire

Whispers seemed to ripple through the crowd, and eyes that once barely acknowledged me now lingered with a strange intensity.

Something was different. It wasn't just the usual school buzz—it felt heavier, charged with gossip and speculation.

The fall of the Aldridge family had sent shockwaves through the entire campus, and somehow, I was caught in the middle of it.

Unlike before, no one dared to make eye contact with me, and the loud gossip that usually filled the hallways had quieted down to little more than whispers. It was almost like they were afraid I'd hear them.

Wow. Cole really did a number on everyone. No wonder he was so confident.

Though, they didn't know he was my bodyguard, they probably assumed it was Sinclair's doing, not his. I wasn't about to correct them.

When I reached my classroom, Cole stayed behind on one of the benches outside, working on his laptop with his usual patience.

I had to admire his focus—sitting there day after day without a complaint.

Didn't he get bored? Or uncomfortable?

I ignored the twinge of guilt, telling myself he'd chosen to be here. It wasn't like I'd asked him to.

Inside the classroom, the atmosphere was much the same as it was in the hallway. No one wanted to make eye contact, and their whispers were cautious, almost secretive.

Sophie was chatting away with her new friends, while Jessica's old friends seemed to have distanced themselves completely.

They looked perfectly happy, too, like a weight had been lifted. It was clear Jessica's absence wasn't bothering them one bit.

Not that it surprised me.

As I walked to my seat, people gave me space, pretending to be absorbed in their own conversations. I couldn't help but notice a guy with dark hair and glasses sitting beside me.

It took me a second, but I realized it was Michael—well, a student named Michael who had the same name as Michael Blair, the head of QuantumLyfe.

Curious, I asked, "Is your name really Michael?" It was the first time I'd initiated a conversation with him, even though we'd been classmates for months.

He glanced up, adjusting his glasses and setting his books in order. "Isn't that how I introduced myself yesterday?" he replied, a bit taken aback by my sudden interest. "And we've been classmates for months now, and you still don't know the name of your seatmate?"

"Sorry, I'm not really paying attention. What's your full name, then?" I asked, feeling a little awkward but still curious.

He paused, giving me a long, appraising look. His dark eyes were piercing, and the way he held his stoic expression was almost unsettling.

"My full name is Michael Daniel Foster," he said finally.

"I see . . . I'll call you Daniel, then," I said with a small smile, as not to confuse his name with Michael.

I wasn't even sure why I'd struck up a conversation with him, but there was something intriguing about how he'd went out from the room yesterday. He didn't seem like someone who'd normally go out of his way to witness the drama outside while Jessica was dragged to the infirmary and I went to the guidance.

"Looks like Cole took care of Jessica for you. Not that he'd need my help to find out her last name," Daniel said smoothly, a slight glint of interest in his eyes. "I'm sure he would have known about it in the end."

My jaw dropped. "Wait . . . you knew that guy with the mask and shades was Cole?"

He raised an eyebrow. "He might fool the other students, but he didn't fool me. I recognized him right away as Cole Fay. I am curious why he suddenly became your bodyguard, but that's none of my business."

I glanced around, making sure no one had overheard. "Don't tell anyone, alright? It's supposed to be a secret."

Without batting an eye, Daniel went back to organizing his notes, his voice casual. "Don't worry, I'm not interested in your personal life—or why Cole's taken on that role."

I let out a sigh of relief. Despite his stoic, unapproachable vibe, Daniel seemed decent enough. "Thanks."

He shrugged, as if my gratitude was unnecessary. "No need to thank me. I'm just not interested in other people's lives."

I chuckled at his bluntness. "That's rare, especially in our circles. Most people around here love knowing everyone else's business."

He gave me a dry smile, as if he knew exactly what I meant. "Well, if you're happy with your own life and focus on your goals, you don't need to find validation in others' opinions. When you know what you want, other people's voices and judgments start to fade away. They're just noise."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I found myself nodding, oddly inspired by his words. "That's a good way to look at it."

Daniel gave a small shrug, his attention already shifting back to his notes. "Not that rare. There's freedom in choosing what matters to you, and when you stop seeking others' approval, it's easier to stay on your path without getting distracted. Then other people's live simply didn't matter since you're focus on your own."

Haa . . .

I couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto my face. Who would've thought that talking to Daniel would be this . . .

refreshing

?

I was surprised at how much I was actually enjoying our conversation.

"Alright everyone, it's time to discuss our play for Christmas," the teacher announced as soon as she entered the room. "Our class has been designated to perform Cinderella, so let's assign the roles, shall we?"

Oh, right . . . I'd almost forgotten about that part. There were always shows around Christmas, just before the holidays started.

In the past, I had always managed to stay in the background. My role was usually . . . the

sponsor

.

I'd just donate some money and come up with excuses to avoid participating in rehearsals or prop-making.

This time, I thought it would be the same.

But when the teacher called my name and assigned me the role of one of the evil stepsisters, I knew things were going to be different.