Rich Heart,poor souls

Uneasy Neighbors

The classroom buzzed with the energy of new beginnings. Students were chatting, laughing, and finding their seats, while Zyran slipped in quietly, scanning the room for an empty spot. His stomach churned, the memory of his ruined lunch still fresh in his mind. The last person he wanted to sit near was Kai.

He spotted an empty table near the back and made his way over, hoping to blend into the background. As he pulled out his chair, his breath caught when he noticed Kai already sitting on the opposite side, reclining casually like he owned the place.

You’ve got to be kidding me…” Zyran muttered under his breath.

Kai glanced up, a smirk creeping across his face. “Looks like we’re stuck together, loser.”

Zyran narrowed his eyes, biting his tongue. He could feel the weight of the entire school year pressing down on him. Sharing a table with Kai for a whole year? He didn’t know if he could survive it.

Just then, the classroom doors swung open, and a few more students filed in. Some had already taken their seats, chatting loudly.

Across the room, a girl named Amara leaned over to her friend Jaden, whispering, “Hey, isn’t that Zyran, the guy who moved here in middle school?”

Jaden shrugged. “Yeah, but look who he’s sitting with… Kai. Those two never got along, right? There’s, like, bad blood between them.”

Amara raised her eyebrows. “You think they still hate each other?”

“Oh, I know they do,” Jaden said with a grin. “Remember how Kai used to mess with Zyran back then? I bet this is going to be interesting.”

As more students noticed Kai and Zyran sitting together, murmurs filled the room. It didn’t take long for the tension between them to become the center of attention.

Zyran’s hands clenched into fists under the table, hearing the whispers spread. He glanced at Kai, who seemed completely unbothered, his legs casually crossed as if the rumors were just part of his daily routine.

One student, Riku, couldn’t help but poke fun. “Yo, Kai, what’s up with you sitting next to your old punching bag?”

The class erupted in laughter, but Zyran didn’t flinch. He could feel the heat rising in his chest, but he refused to let them get to him. Instead, he turned to Kai, locking eyes with him.

“We’re not kids anymore,” Zyran said, voice steady, though the weight of the words hung in the air.

Kai’s smirk faded for just a second, his eyes narrowing. “Doesn’t mean I’m done with you.”