Inheritance of the Hidden

Chapter 3

Sereen's POV

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"I'm going to show you where your first few classes are just until we meet up again. Is that fine with you?" Laurance glanced over his shoulder, eyes landing on me as he slowed his pace slightly to match mine. He looked calm, like he'd done this a hundred times before.

"Yeah," I said quickly, my voice a little too soft. I cleared my throat. "That's fine. Thanks."

He flashed that easygoing smile of his. "No problem. Honestly, the first week's the worst. After that, it's just... routine. Same hallways, same faces, same half-broken lockers." He chuckled to himself as he turned forward again, weaving casually through a group of students blocking the hallway. I trailed behind him, keeping my pace.

"Just make sure you don't let the bell freak you out," he added over his shoulder. "It sounds like a fire alarm if you're not ready for it. The first time I heard it, I nearly dropped my books and ran."

That pulled a small laugh out of me. "Seriously?"

"Dead serious. Ask Garroth. He made fun of me for a week."

I smiled, this time for real. "I don't think I'd run, but... I'd probably flinch hard enough to pretend I wasn't scared."

Laurance glanced over his shoulder again, eyebrows raised playfully. "Oh? So you're the cool-under-pressure type?"

"I don't know about 'cool under pressure'..." I said, lifting my shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. "I think it's more like 'quiet panic.'

Laurance laughed, the sound bouncing down the hallway. "Honestly? That kind of panic-under-pressure makes you fit right in."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the small smile tugging at my lips. "Comforting."

He looked back again, slowing just slightly. "Hey, I mean it. It's cute."

That made me blink. "Cute?"

"You know, that calm-on-the-outside-but-you're-really-not thing? Honestly, it's pretty cute." He grinned wider, clearly enjoying the reaction.

I stared at him for a beat, then scoffed, shaking my head. "Bro you're an actual freak you know that right?"

Laurance just laughed, unbothered. "Takes one to know one."

I rolled my eyes again, but the smile on my face was already giving me away. "You're seriously too much," I muttered, crossing my arms as we walked.

Laurance just shrugged, completely unfazed. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is when you say stuff like that out loud. In public. With witnesses."

He gave a mock gasp. "So you're embarrassed to be seen with me now?"

"I'm embarrassed for you," I shot back, smirking. "There's a difference."

Laurance's grin deepened, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Embarrassed for me, huh? Guess I should be flattered you're putting in so much effort on my behalf."

I shook my head, trying to suppress a laugh. "You're so full of yourself."

"And yet," he said, glancing sideways at me with that stupid confident grin, "You're still walking next to me."