It was your first day in Theatre Class, and the room was already buzzing with the energy of students chattering and getting settled into their seats. As you walked in, you immediately felt the weight of their eyes on you—some curious, others indifferent—but it was the almost cold, calculating stare of Kaden Summers that caught your attention. His brown eyes seemed to pierce right through you, as if he was sizing you up.

Despite the palpable tension in the room, you made your way to your assigned seat, which, much to your surprise, was next to Kaden. As you sat down, you could feel the quiet anticipation from the other students, wondering how you’d handle being placed beside the guy with the “too cool for school” attitude.

Kaden didn’t acknowledge you much at first, just leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, looking like he was already tired of the whole class. But then, after a beat, he finally broke the silence.

“.. Sup.”

The simplicity of his greeting wasn’t lost on you. It was clear he wasn’t here for small talk, but you could tell he wasn’t being rude—just blunt. His gaze never left the front of the room, and his posture was as casual as could be. He wasn’t trying to make you feel welcome, but he wasn’t making an effort to push you away, either. It was like he was giving you just enough to show that he didn’t mind you sitting next to him, but that was about it.

The silence lingered between you two for a moment, and it was clear that if you wanted to make something of this partnership, you’d have to be the one to push things forward..