hello school

The purr of the Bentley's engine was a familiar, deep hum against the crisp Monday morning air. Emka stared out the tinted window, the manicured lawns and identical, sprawling houses of the suburbs blurring into a monotonous green and beige smear. At eighteen, he was legally a man, a fact that felt both monumental and utterly irrelevant. His mind, a relentless engine of complex equations and scientific theories, was already calculating the social trigonometry of the day ahead. Last year of school. The final lap.

He was tall, with a frame packed with dense muscle earned from grueling hours in the gym, a stark contrast to the genius-level intellect that was his true power. He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture smooth, practiced. He could solve quantum physics problems in his sleep, but navigating the social minefield of high school? That was a different kind of challenge.

His mom, a woman whose elegance was as sharp as her business acumen, glanced over from the driver's seat. "Ready for the last first day, honey?"

"As I'll ever be," Emka replied, his voice a low baritone.

The Bentley glided to a stop in front of the grand, brick facade of Northwood High. As Emka stepped out, the sun glinted off the car's flawless black paint, a beacon of wealth that might as well have been a target on his back. And right on cue, there was baldie.

baldie, with his perpetually sneering face and posse of dull-eyed followers, was a predictable variable. As Emka walked towards the entrance, a foot shot out, deliberately tripping him. He stumbled, catching himself with the reflexive grace of an athlete before he could hit the pavement. He didn't even flinch. Didn't look at Joris. He simply stood up, adjusted the strap of his backpack on his broad shoulder, and continued walking, leaving baldie looking like a fool who'd just tried to trip a statue.

"Emka! Bro!"

A cannonball of energy slammed into his side in a friendly hug. Benji. Shorter than Emka by a good head, but built like a fire hydrant, all compact muscle and boundless enthusiasm. His blond hair was a chaotic mess, and his grin was infectious.

"Benji," Emka said, a rare, genuine smile touching his lips. "Didn't think you'd make it on time."

"Please, I've been up for hours! Drank two Monsters, ran five miles, and already aced a pop quiz in my head. So, what's the plan? After we dominate this place, are we hitting the gym? I've got a new protein shake recipe I wanna try."

Before Emka could answer, a new voice cut in, dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, great. The science bros are having a moment."

Lukne. She was leaning against a locker, one eyebrow arched, her expression a perfect blend of amusement and annoyance. She and Benji had a rapport that was 90% argument, 10% grudging respect.

"And hello to you too, sunshine," Benji shot back. "Jealous you can't keep up with our intellectual and physical prowess?"

"As if," Lukne scoffed, pushing off the locker to join them. "I'd rather watch paint dry. Emka, tell your boy to tone it down. It's too early for... all of that."

"You guys started already?" Emka sighed, stepping between them like a seasoned referee. "It's been five minutes."

The day passed in a blur of classes and forced social interactions. When the final bell rang, Emka's mom was already waiting in the Bentley, the engine a low thrum. Benji and Lukne piled into the back, their daily bickering providing a familiar soundtrack.

As they pulled away, Joris stood by the curb with his girlfriend, also named Lukne—a confusing but ultimately irrelevant detail. She watched the Bentley disappear down the street. "Damn," she said, nudging baldie. "Did you see Emka? He totally beefed up over the summer. He's huge." Joris just scowled, his earlier failure stinging his pride.

"Hey, Mrs. K," Benji said, leaning forward. "My mom and you are having that girls' night tonight, right? Any chance I can crash at your place? Save me from a night of boredom."

"Of course, Benji," Emka's mom said with a warm smile.

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