“That’s probably all for today’s lesson. The day after tomorrow, we’ll have a daily test. Have a good rest, and don’t forget to do your homework for me.”
The entire class immediately erupted in cheers the moment their “beloved” math teacher left the room. Iwan was the loudest of them all.
“Finally, this hell on earth is leaving too, thank God!!!!”
Saka merely shook his head before replying, “There’s a test the day after tomorrow, dumbass.”
The moment Iwan realized that hell would be coming back for him in two days, he let out a frustrated scream. His expression even looked like that of the protagonist in a movie who had just lost someone close to him.
Bela took out the french fries she had stashed in her desk drawer. “Whatever, worry about that later. Eat first.”
“All you ever do is eat, you soooon of a—!!!” Iwan snapped, but in the end, he still grabbed the fries in Bela’s hand.
Bela’s eyes instantly widened when she realized her fries had been robbed.
“DON’T TAKE THAT MANY, YOU SON OF A—!!”
Ares sighed, though he had no idea how many times he had done so already. Watching all this, Rajawali became even more convinced that the class he had entered was filled with weirdos whose behavior made no sense.
“Yo, Raja.”
Rajawali felt someone give his shoulder a hard pat. He turned and found the two people sitting in the desks behind him. Rajawali’s eyes widened slightly.
The person who had just patted his shoulder had an absurdly muscular build. Rajawali even winced when he saw the mass of muscle on his biceps.
“We haven’t introduced ourselves yet. I’m Bram, and this is my childhood friend, Haidar.”
Rajawali shifted his gaze behind Bram. Haidar immediately gave him a faint smile. Rajawali was left dumbfounded again because Haidar’s height was completely ridiculous. If he had to guess, Haidar was probably close to two hundred centimeters tall.
Rajawali shook his head, then smiled back. “Raja.”
Bram grinned. “You look seriously shocked. I’ve never exercised in my life. I don’t even know where these muscles came from. Haidar looks like he ate a utility pole once.”
Rajawali burst out laughing. At first, he had assumed the two people who had approached him would be tough and quick-tempered. As it turned out, they had pretty corny senses of humor too.
“By the way, we’re heading to the cafeteria. Want us to pick you up something?” Bram asked, glancing at the wall clock as its hands continued to move.
For the record, Utopia High School only gave students fifteen minutes to rest.
Rajawali shook his head. “I’m good. Maybe next time, Bram.”
Bram nodded repeatedly. “Oh, right. Take off your hoodie before you go in if you don’t want to sing in front of the class.”
After saying that, Bram and Haidar walked out of the classroom. Rajawali was still confused by Bram’s final remark. Ares quickly explained.
“We have chemistry next. The teacher’s terrifying. You’re not allowed to wear a jacket in class. If you break the rule, you have to sing in front of everyone. Iwan got caught yesterday. He sang ‘My Five Balloons,’ but every vowel was replaced with O.”
Iwan, who had heard the story, immediately grumbled irritably. “Ares, you bastard! Don’t expose my shame in front of the new kid!”
Ares grinned. “Sorry.”
Iwan merely clicked his tongue while rubbing his bald head.
Rajawali’s gaze then accidentally fell on two girls sitting in the farthest back corner.
“Raya! How many times have I told you to stop smoking all the time?”
The petite, blonde-haired girl pouted. The girl called Raya then stroked her head.
“Oh my God, sweet Kasandra. You care so much about me. You’re making me like you even more.”
Rajawali stared at the two of them in bewilderment, making Ares chuckle softly.
“Raya and Kasandra. They’ve been really close for a long time. Even though their personalities are total opposites, right?”
Rajawali slowly nodded, agreeing with Ares. Indeed, when he looked at the two of them, the first thing that came to mind was how they could possibly be so close.
Kasandra looked like the adorable girl of everyone’s dreams, with a personality as warm as the sun. Raya, on the other hand, looked like a market thug who loved extorting people and smoking, despite being a girl herself.
Rajawali had been confused because Raya looked incredibly tall, yet her chest still protruded. Wait, Rajawali didn’t mean to be disrespectful. He just wanted to make sure whether Raya was actually a girl or a boy.
“Res, can I borrow your ruler?”
Rajawali was startled and shifted his gaze to a flat-faced girl who had tied her jacket around her waist.
Ares immediately grew nervous and handed her an eraser instead.
The flat-faced girl’s expression became even flatter. “The ruler, Res.”
Asa shook her head at Ares’s awkward fumbling. She then quickly handed over the ruler.
“Ares is such an idiot,” Asa remarked.
That comment made Rajawali suspect that Ares might have feelings for the girl.
“Who is she, Res?”
“Oh. That’s Stefani.”
Rajawali nodded repeatedly. “Why are there so many scary girls here…”
Rajawali’s comment made Ares choke on air.
“Yeah, now that you mention it…”
Rajawali shook his head before taking a drink of water from his bag. His eyes then flicked toward Asa, who was sitting beside him and busy working through her book.
“Do you like studying?” Rajawali asked, wiping his mouth.
Asa shook her head. “No. It’s just boring.”
Rajawali smiled faintly. “Want to go to the cafeteria together tomorrow?”
Asa was stunned. She immediately lowered her head again.
“Sure…”
Rajawali didn’t get a chance to hear Asa’s answer. His eyes caught something flying outside the window, right beside where Asa was sitting. He narrowed his eyes.
It wasn’t a bird, but its shape resembled one. It had wings, only they were far too large for a bird.
Rajawali swept his gaze across the entire classroom. Not a single person had noticed the flying creature.
Rajawali rose from his seat and walked toward the window.
Asa watched him in silence. Ares, who had been writing something in his thick book, turned to look as well. “What are you doing, Ja?”
Rajawali didn’t answer. He kept approaching the window until he was standing right beside it, both hands gripping the edge of the frame.
Asa’s eyes widened when she finally saw something flying back and forth outside.
Asa stood up too. Ares and Koko, who were growing curious, also got up and stood near Rajawali. The other students, previously occupied with their own activities, began turning their attention toward Rajawali and the others. They were curious about what everyone was looking at outside the window.
The strange object continued drifting back and forth as if searching for something. A few moments later, the flying object turned to face the window.
Rajawali froze. Ares had already hidden behind Koko, who had apparently begun to panic as well. Suddenly, the flying object dove sharply and shot toward the window.
Rajawali was seized by panic. His body seemed to freeze, unable to move even slightly. The other students began screaming in fear.
Just before the thing could reach Rajawali’s face and claw him, Asa yanked hard on his hoodie. The pull sent Rajawali falling onto his butt, his body slamming into a desk.
A deafening commotion instantly filled the classroom, making everyone panic even more. Rajawali groaned as every inch of his body throbbed with excruciating pain.
But when Rajawali turned back toward the window, the flying object was already perched majestically on the edge of the frame.