First Day Back
The first day back after a long summer holiday, and of course, Vi, Mylo, Claggor, and Jinx were already running late.
“Hurry up, or you're gonna be late!” Vander called from the bottom of the stairs, barely glancing up from his newspaper.
“Ugh, this is Jinx’s fault,” Mylo groaned, shooting her an annoyed look. “Did you really have to break apart the alarm clock?”. Jinx placed her hands on her hips, powder-blue braids swaying as she huffed. “I was using it for parts,” she said matter-of-factly. “Besides, why do you care? You hate school.”. Vi, still brushing her teeth, chimed in from the bathroom. “I mean, she’s got a point. Since when have you ever cared about school?”
Mylo just rolled his eyes and grabbed his bag, making a break for the stairs. “Dibs on the front seat!”
That was all it took. The others exchanged a single glance before chaos erupted, each of them scrambling to be anywhere but the middle seat. Because, in Vander’s tiny, ancient car, the middle seat was a death sentence. Unfortunately for Claggor, he wasn’t fast enough. “Vi, move over, you're crushing me,” Claggor grumbled, squished between her and Jinx. “Ha! Should’ve thought about that before you lost, dumbass,” Vi smirked, making absolutely no effort to budge.
By the time Vander pulled up to the school gates in their battered old car, he turned to face them with that signature dad look. “Alright, new year, new start. No detentions this time, got it?”. “Yes, Vander,” they all muttered in unison, already halfway out the door.
As they stepped onto school grounds, they spotted Caitlyn, Jayce, and Mel waiting for them near the entrance. Their real summer break was officially over.
Vi practically bounced up to their waiting group, grinning as she fist-bumped Jayce. “Hey, guys!”
“You’re late,” Mel deadpanned, arms crossed.
Vi just shrugged, all mock remorse. “Yeah, yeah, tragic. Anyway—how was everyone’s summer? I spent mine helping Vander run the bar. Got paid enough to fund an entire month of Greggs, so, you know—pretty productive.” She turned to Caitlyn, shooting her a flirty wink. “Maybe I could take you there later. Treat you to a sausage roll. What d’you say, cupcake?”
Caitlyn rolled her eyes but fought back a smile. Before she could respond, Mylo let out an exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest. “Oh my god, how romantic,” he crooned in a painfully high-pitched voice, dramatically batting his eyelashes at Claggor, who immediately joined in by making the most over-the-top gagging noises he could muster.
Vi flipped them both off.
Jinx, meanwhile, had already lost interest in the conversation. She was halfway across the schoolyard, waving lazily over her shoulder. “Alright, losers, see ya later—I’m gonna go find Ekko.” And just like that, she was gone, slipping through the crowd.
Jinx found Ekko in their new form class—E03, an old English classroom that always smelled faintly of chalk dust and burnt coffee. The room was run by none other than Silco, the man who insisted his students call him by name, no sir, no mister—just Silco, and he just happened to also be Jinx’s step-dad.
Grinning, Jinx sauntered over to Ekko’s desk, then dropped into a dramatic bow, arms spread wide. “Look who it is—the Boy Savior himself,” she announced, her voice dripping with mock reverence. Ekko rolled his eyes, but the warmth in them was undeniable. “Hey, Pow-Pow.”
For a split second, Jinx’s expression faltered. Her smile flickered—like a blown-out match—before she caught herself and slid into her seat beside him. She turned, fixing him with a pointed look. “Ekko,” she said, voice quiet but firm. “You know I go by Jinx now.” He hesitated, shifting in his chair, his easy smile slipping. “Yeah, I know,” he muttered, looking at her like he wanted to say something more. Then, after a beat, he sighed. “I just… I don’t get why you’d want to go by a name like that.”
Jinx tilted her head, her lips curling into a smirk that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Because,” she said, voice deceptively light, “now other people can’t say it behind my back like it’s an insult.”
Ekko opened his mouth, but before he could respond, Jinx perked up, suddenly grinning again. “Oh! That reminds me—I wanted to show you something.”
She swung her bag onto her lap, rummaging through it before pulling out—
A paint bomb.
Ekko’s eyes went huge. “Jeez, Pow—Jinx,” he corrected hastily, practically scrambling in his seat. “Put that away before you get us both expelled!” He cast a nervous glance toward the front of the room, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Do you want Silco to kill you?” Jinx just giggled, twirling the small explosive between her fingers like it was no big deal. “Relax,” she whispered, winking. “I’m not that reckless.”
Ekko didn’t look convinced.
As Vi, Caitlyn, Mel, Jayce, Claggor, and Mylo stepped into their new form room, a collective realization struck them all at once.
It was an ICT room.
Vi and Jayce locked eyes, their grins spreading in perfect synchronization. “Oh, hell yes!” Vi practically cheered, pumping a fist in the air. “This is gonna be the best year ever!” Jayce shouted back, already buzzing with excitement. “Games. Every morning,” Vi added, eyes gleaming. “Every. Single. Morning,” Jayce echoed, both of them vibrating with barely contained energy.
Their tutor—a middle-aged man who looked far too tired for the first day back—rolled his eyes, exhaled sharply through his nose, and went right back to whatever work he was doing on his computer. Clearly, he had already accepted his fate.
Meanwhile, Mylo took the lead, weaving through the rows of desks toward the very back of the room, where the least amount of supervision was guaranteed. The rest of the group followed without question, already claiming their seats like a well-rehearsed routine.
Mel, however, was less than thrilled. She leaned slightly toward Caitlyn, lowering her voice as they walked. “Form is officially going to be the worst part of my day. I can already feel it.” Caitlyn sighed, sparing a glance toward Vi, Jayce, and Mylo, who were frantically booting up their laptops, practically vibrating in their chairs as they tried to see who could get a game running first. Claggor, ever the enabler, was grinning as he egged them on. She turned back to Mel and simply muttered, “Agreed.” With that, she slid into her seat between Mel and Vi, already bracing herself for whatever chaos was about to unfold.
Barely ten minutes after settling in, the classroom was interrupted by the sharp sound of someone clearing their throat—a high-pitched, deliberate noise that instantly commanded attention. The group turned in unison to see Professor Heimerdinger standing in the doorway, his small stature doing nothing to diminish his presence. Beside him stood a boy, leaning lightly on a cane, his sharp eyes scanning the room with a mix of discomfort and quiet determination.
Jayce leaned toward Mel, whispering, "Who’s that?"
Mel barely spared him a glance, simply shrugging. "No idea."
Heimerdinger, ever the formal one, adjusted his glasses before addressing the class. “This is Viktor. He’s new this year and will be joining your class. I trust you’ll all make him feel welcome.” Viktor stiffened slightly under the attention, his fingers tightening briefly around the handle of his cane as his gaze flickered across the room. Heimerdinger, ever efficient, wasted no time. "Ah, yes, there’s an empty seat in the back—next to Jayce. That will be your spot from now on.”
At that, Viktor’s eyes met Jayce’s. For a moment, Jayce swore time slowed. There was something about the way Viktor looked at him—like he was studying him, measuring him, sizing him up in a way Jayce couldn’t quite place. The stare lasted just long enough to make Jayce shift slightly in his seat before Viktor finally moved, making his way toward the back.
Snapping out of it, Jayce quickly pulled out the chair for him, offering a polite smile as Viktor sat down.
Before the awkward silence could settle, Vi, being Vi, immediately scooted her chair over, elbowing Jayce out of the way as she leaned in.
“Wassup,” she greeted, as casually as if they had known each other for years. “I’m Vi. This is Caitlyn—my girlfriend.” She pointed at Caitlyn, who offered a small, polite nod. “Those two idiots over there?” She jerked a thumb at Mylo and Claggor, who were already mid-whispered argument about something. “They're kinda my brothers. Ish.”
She cupped a hand around her mouth, leaning conspiratorially closer to Viktor. "It’s complicated.”
Viktor blinked, intrigued. Vi continued, gesturing around the group. “That’s Mel. And this guy right here?” She slapped Jayce’s shoulder way too hard, making him lurch forward slightly. “This is Jayce. My best bro.” Jayce shot her a look but recovered quickly, giving Viktor an easy smile.
Viktor’s gaze swept over the group again before he offered a small, polite nod. His voice, when he spoke, was smooth and accented. “It’s nice to meet you all,” he said, voice thick with his natural cadence. “I am Viktor.” As he settled into his seat, Vi turned back to the group, exaggeratedly mouthing, "What accent is that? Scottish?" Caitlyn, without missing a beat, groaned and immediately facepalmed, shaking her head.