Piltover high

The walk home from school was the same every day. Cracked pavement beneath your shoes, the hum of distant traffic, and that strange feeling in your chest—like something was lurking just beyond the edges of your sight. It was a feeling that followed you everywhere lately, one you couldn’t shake.

When you walked through the door, Isha was already there, her voice carrying from the living room. She was talking to her stuffed bear, narrating some grand adventure where the bear was the hero. You could hear her laughing, a sound so light and full of joy it almost made everything feel normal again.

“Hey!” you called out as you dropped your bag by the door. “I’m home.”

Isha’s head popped up from behind the couch. She looked up at you with wide, excited eyes, holding a half-eaten cookie in one hand and a teddy bear in the other. “Hi! How was school? Did you learn anything cool today?” she asked, her words tumbling out in a rush, her energy infectious.

You smiled faintly. “School was… okay. But I think something weird is going on.”

Isha’s eyes lit up, her mouth forming an exaggerated “O” of excitement. “Weird? Like monsters? Or magic? That sounds so fun!” She hopped up, nearly dropping her cookie in her enthusiasm. “Can I help? I’m really good at solving mysteries!”

You crouched down, ruffling her hair gently. “It’s not quite like monsters or magic. But… people are acting strange. Like they’re part of some kind of game I don’t understand.”

Isha paused, frowning for a moment as she chewed her cookie thoughtfully. “A game? Hmm…” She put her finger to her chin, squinting up at you like a tiny detective. “You just have to figure out the rules, right? Like when we play hide-and-seek! If you win the game, you can make everyone stop being weird.”

You chuckled at her solution, but there was a weight to your words when you responded. “I wish it was that easy, kiddo. But yeah… maybe that’s part of it.”

Isha beamed at you, satisfied with her own reasoning. “Yeah! And if you need help, I’ll be right here! I’m really good at finding clues!”

You couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Isha. I’ll keep that in mind.”

With that, she dashed off to her cartoons, humming happily to herself as she disappeared into the living room. You stood there for a moment, her innocent confidence oddly comforting. Whatever was happening, at least you had her in your corner.

The Dark Corner of Piltover High

The next day, school felt… off. You had spent the last few days trying to lay low, observing more than interacting, trying to figure out who was behind the strange shifts in behavior, the way everyone seemed to be playing some game you weren’t invited to.

At lunch, you sat alone in the cafeteria, picking at your food, distracted by your thoughts. Caitlyn was nowhere to be seen, and you wondered if she had anything to do with the weirdness. Vi and Jinx were in their usual spot, talking loudly, seemingly in their own world.

But you weren’t really paying attention to them. You were trying to make sense of your conversation with Mel, trying to piece together the cryptic things she’d said to you. As much as you wanted to believe it was all coincidence, something told you it wasn’t.

Suddenly, you felt a presence near your table. You looked up and saw Jayce standing there, his usual confident air in place. He glanced around for a second before meeting your eyes.

“Oh, hey,” he said, sounding almost casual, as if it hadn’t been days since the last time you’d spoken.

“Hey,” you replied, raising an eyebrow. You had met Jayce on your first day at Piltover High. He wasn’t exactly someone you’d call a friend, but he had helped you when you first arrived, showing you around and introducing you to the basics of the school. Since then, you hadn’t really spoken much. You knew he was one of the more popular students—smart, confident, and always surrounded by a certain level of influence.

Jayce slid into the seat across from you, his gaze wandering around the cafeteria briefly before settling on you. “Mind if I sit?”

You shrugged, more out of habit than anything else. “Sure. What’s up?”

He leaned back in his seat, his tone easygoing but with that underlying sharpness that made it clear he wasn’t just making small talk. “Nothing much. Just thought I’d check in. You’ve been keeping to yourself lately. Something on your mind?”

You paused, unsure how to answer. The last thing you wanted was to get into anything deep with Jayce, but his words—casual as they seemed—made you wonder. How much did he know?

“It’s nothing,” you said, trying to sound dismissive, though you weren’t quite convinced yourself. “Just trying to figure some stuff out.”

Jayce raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Yeah? You’ve been acting a little… off. Like you’ve got a lot on your plate.”

You didn’t respond immediately, instead choosing to take a bite of your lunch. Jayce was the kind of guy who always seemed like he knew more than he let on. You’d only spoken a few times since your first day, but it was clear he didn’t miss much. He was always observing, always calculating.

“I’m just getting used to everything here,” you said finally, offering him a half-smile. “This place is… a lot to take in.”

Jayce nodded thoughtfully, though he didn’t look all that convinced. “Yeah, Piltover High isn’t exactly easy to navigate. But you’ll figure it out. It’s all about understanding the game. People here—well, they all play it.”

“Game?” you echoed, confused. “What do you mean?”

Jayce’s smile was faint, more knowing than friendly. “You’ll see. It’s about power, influence, and making the right moves at the right time. It’s all a game. And you either play it, or you get played.”

You frowned. “And what if I don’t want to play?”

He shrugged. “Then you’ll be left behind. Simple as that.”

The way he said it made you shiver slightly. He spoke with such certainty, like he knew exactly how the pieces of the game would fall.

“But you don’t have to worry about that,” he added, his voice softening just a little. “You’ve got potential. You just have to know how to use it.”

Before you could respond, Jayce stood up and pushed his chair back with a smooth motion. “Think about it,” he said, his eyes scanning the room one more time. “You don’t have to be a pawn in someone else’s game. You could be the one calling the shots.”

With that, he walked away, leaving you sitting there, thoughts swirling. You weren’t sure whether his words were a warning or an invitation, but they stuck with you—heavy and unsettling.

A Phone Call in the Dark

That evening, you were in your room, staring at the glowing screen of your phone. It buzzed suddenly, and when you checked, you saw an unfamiliar name flashing on the screen. It was Mel.

Your heart skipped. Why was she contacting you now? You hadn’t heard from her in a while, and you couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.

You hesitated before opening the message.

We need to talk.

A second message came almost immediately, sending a small chill down your spine.

Don’t keep me waiting.

You stared at the words, your mind racing. What did she want now? Why did it feel like you were being pulled deeper into something, something you didn’t fully understand? You hadn’t expected to get involved in whatever game was unfolding at Piltover High, but it seemed like there was no way out.

Not anymore.