Chapitre 4: Chap 4: Revelations

The next day, as Thomas walked into the school, he couldn't help but feel the same mixture of anticipation and agitation he'd felt the day before. Despite his attempts to push away thoughts of her, he found himself looking for her. He told himself it was because of their project, but a small part of him knew it was more than that. He tried to keep his composure and focus on the upcoming classes, but the memory of her carefree smirk and her chaotic yet intriguing demeanor were stubbornly present in his mind.

As he walked down the hallway, Thomas suddenly came across a nerdy-looking boy, sporting oversized glasses. He knew the boy as the typical shy and slightly intimidated type.

"Hey," Thomas said to the boy, stopping for a moment. "Have you seen Victoria around?"

The boy, looking a little startled, quickly shook his head, his eyes widening. "I-I don't know where she is," he stuttered, clearly nervous.

Thomas raised an eyebrow, noticing the boy's skittishness. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked, slightly amused.

The boy fidgeted with his glasses, clearly uncomfortable. "W-well, it's Victoria," he said, almost wincing at the mention of her name.

Thomas chuckled slightly. "You're scared of her?" he asked.

The boy nodded vigorously, his eyes darting around as if expecting her to appear out of nowhere. "Y-yeah," he said, "She's...intimidating."

Thomas suppressed a smile, somewhat surprised by the boy's reaction. He thanked the boy and continued towards his class, thinking about the nerdy boy's fear of Victoria. He entered the classroom and immediately noticed her sitting alone at her desk.

Thomas entered the classroom and noticed Victoria sitting alone, a confident smirk already on her lips. The surrounding students gave her a wide berth, appearing almost intimidated by her presence. She was different from them, standing out in her uniqueness. Thomas couldn't help but notice the contrast.

As he approached her, their eyes met and she smiled, her expression carrying that same sense of carefree confidence he noticed yesterday. "Hey," she said, her voice a soft, nonchalant greeting.

"Hey" he said but as Thomas sat down next to Victoria, he couldn't help but notice the looks they were getting from others. The other students in the class were giving them odd glances, clearly surprised and curious about the fact that she was willingly sitting next to someone.

He could feel the atmosphere in the room change as whispers and murmurs filled the air. It seemed like Victoria was rarely seen interacting with anyone, and their sudden pairing seemed to intrigue the majority.

(His thoughts)

***Why they all are acting so strange n why the hell they look scared of victoria...I need to know what's going on here after the school.***

As the class continued, Thomas continued to discreetly observe the reactions of the other students. They seemed almost afraid to talk to her, and it puzzled him. He began to wonder what her deal was. Throughout the lesson, he kept sneaking glances in her direction, the intrigue growing stronger with each look.

During lunch, as they sat by themselves, Thomas found himself unable to shake off his earlier observations. "Hey," he said finally. "Why does everyone seem so... afraid of you?"

Victoria's smirk returned at his words, though her expression remained aloof. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Afraid? I wouldn't call it fear, necessarily. Maybe they just don't quite understand me," she replied. "I don't exactly conform to the usual norms, you know?"

Thomas raised an eyebrow at her response. Her casual attitude towards the situation only intrigued him more, and he couldn't help but feel like there was more to her than she was letting on.

"And what does that mean exactly?" he asked. "It's not like you're that different from everyone else here."

Victoria leaned back in her chair, her smirk growing slightly.

"Oh, but I am different," she said, her gaze steady on him. "I don't care about conforming to the status quo. People here are all about being safe and blending in. I'd rather stand out."

Thomas found himself drawn into her words, intrigued by her confidence and disregard for societal norms. He'd always been a bit of an outsider himself, yet he always tried to fit in. Now, faced with Victoria's unapologetic individuality, he found himself slightly envious.

"But why?" he pressed, unable to stop his curiosity. "Why stand out so much?"

Victoria tilted her head, her smirk turning into a small, almost playful smile.

"Why not?" she replied, her eyes locked on his. "Life's too short to hide yourself away and pretend to be someone you're not. I'd rather show the world who I am, flaws and all."

She paused, her expression growing more serious for a moment.

"Besides, most around here are too afraid to embrace their true selves."As they sat in the bustling cafeteria, the conversation took a new turn. Victoria suddenly changed the subject, a twinkle in her eyes.

"I've been wondering," she began. "You're Thomas Thomason, right? Son of that famous detective, aren't you?"

Thomas was taken slightly off guard by this sudden shift, and the mention of his father being a famous detective. He was used to people mentioning his father, but he'd never discussed it willingly with others, especially not someone like Victoria.

He tried to appear casually unbothered by her question, even though a part of him stiffened slightly.

"Yeah, that's me," he answered, his tone slightly guarded.

Why was she asking that all of a sudden n how she get to know about it I never told that to anyone in this school.... that's strange