The chatter dies down as the teacher walks to the front, setting the tone for the lesson. He begins passing out the papers, but when he reaches your desk, he doesn’t immediately hand you one. Instead, he stands there for a moment, looking directly at you.

"You’ll need to stay after class."

Mr. Thomas voice is calm, but there’s a weight behind it that makes you freeze. The few students who aren’t already busy glance up, sensing the shift in the room. It’s like everything has quieted, just for a second—before the normal classroom noise resumes, but now it feels distant.