Threads of Destiny

13

The campus felt alive again, voices bouncing off stone walls as students returned from the holidays. The first morning back was always the same — hugs, laughter, and quick-fire stories of trips and families. But this time, another current rippled beneath the cheer: the results of their very first semester.

The main hall was crowded, students jostling toward the posted lists. The air was thick with expectation, the room erupting with cheers, sighs, and anxious chatter.

Lea pressed closer, Clemence right behind her. Both scanned the sheets with quick eyes, breath caught — then released in unison. Upper third percentile. They turned to each other, grinning wide. Hard work had paid off.

Not far away, Appie tugged at her friend’s sleeve, bouncing on her toes as she found her name. “I passed!” she said, relief bright in her voice. For her, that was enough. More than enough. She didn’t care about ranks, didn’t care about comparisons. Passing meant she belonged here. That was worth celebrating.

And Baron? He stood back from the crowd, found his name without strain, and gave the faintest of nods. Middle of the pack, steady, as expected. He looked entirely at ease, as though the exams had never been more than another class.

The hall stayed loud with emotions — triumph, disappointment, determination. For the students of Étoilemont, the year was no longer just beginning. It had truly begun.

---

The lecture hall buzzed with chatter as students filed into their seats, shaking off the last of their holiday moods. At the front, Professor Durand adjusted his spectacles and tapped the edge of the podium, his voice carrying over the din.

“This semester,” he said, pausing for effect, “we’ll be emphasizing collaboration. Most assignments will no longer be individual. They’ll be group-based. And the groups will be assigned—” he lifted a small stack of papers, “—at random.”

A ripple went through the room. Groans. Nervous laughter. Excited whispers. Group work could mean salvation or disaster, depending on who you landed with.

The lists were read out slowly, subject by subject. Names paired and clustered, some cheers erupting when friends were matched together, some sighs when rivals were.

Baron’s name came up twice. First with Appie Ramone in Systems Design. Appie turned her head at once, catching his eye, grinning like she’d just won something. He gave a small nod back, polite, reserved.

Later, in another subject, Baron’s name surfaced again — this time paired with Lea Vance. She blinked in surprise, then glanced around until she found him. Baron was expressionless, but inclined his head slightly when their eyes met.

Appie leaned toward her friends, whispering, “Lucky me. He’s the best in class.”

Lea, meanwhile, tapped her pen against her notebook, thoughtful. She wasn’t sure yet what to make of Baron Blaise.

The professor moved on, but the weight of the new semester had already shifted. The lines between classmates had been redrawn.

---

The lab hall was filled with the rustle of papers and the faint buzz of machines powering up. Professor Chevalier waited until the room quieted before speaking.

“This semester,” he announced, “laboratory work will account for one third of your final grade.”

The words fell like a stone in water. A ripple of uneasy laughter and groans spread across the room. Labs had always been important, but never weighted so heavily — and unlike theory classes, there would be no groups to soften the blow. Everyone would stand on their own.

Appie Ramone slumped in her seat, staring at the professor as if he’d just insulted her directly. “One third?” she muttered to the girl beside her. “That’s cruel.” Her exaggerated expression drew a few quiet chuckles from nearby classmates.

But when her eyes wandered across the room, she caught sight of Baron Blaise. He was calm, almost detached, jotting something in his notebook as though the announcement hadn’t fazed him at all.

Appie found herself staring, not out of anything deeper, but because he was so different from everyone else. Where most wore their nerves on their faces, Baron looked steady, collected — as though he were simply waiting for the next step.

Baron noticed the gaze. He glanced up, met her eyes briefly, and offered a small, polite smile.

Appie grinned back, friendly, easy, before turning to her notes again. The exchange lasted only a moment, but it reassured her in an odd way. If Baron could look so unbothered, maybe she could handle it too.

Professor Chevalier continued, his voice steady. “Labs are where you’ll prove your skill, your discipline, and your problem-solving. No excuses. Your grade will reflect your individual work.”

Around the room, unease settled again. But Appie was already scribbling in her notebook, whispering to herself, “Okay. One third. Manageable.”

She didn’t notice, but her earlier glance had given her more resolve than she expected.

---

The corridors were noisy after class, students buzzing about the new rules for labs and group assignments. Some were already scheming about who they might work with, others worrying about their luck with the random groups.

Appie Ramone, however, had already made a decision. She caught up to Baron as they stepped out of the building, her bag slung carelessly over her shoulder.

“You know what?” she said brightly. “We’re not doing our assignments at the usual café. Too crowded, too loud. Impossible to think.”

Baron slowed, giving her a questioning look.

“There’s a place a little further off,” Appie continued, animated as always. “Quieter, fewer students, better coffee. Perfect for working without people talking over you.”

Her friends nearby nodded, used to her making such declarations as if they were law.

Baron considered for a moment, then gave a small, agreeable nod. “Alright.”

“Good.” Appie grinned, satisfied. “Then it’s settled. Next week, we’ll meet there. You’ll see — it’s nicer.”

Baron said nothing more, but the faint smile at the corner of his lips suggested he didn’t mind being carried along by her enthusiasm.

Appie, already chatting again with the others, didn’t notice. To her, this was just natural — friends should have good places to work together.

---

When the full list of groups was posted, Léa Vance felt both relieved and a little amused. For nearly every subject, her name appeared alongside Clémence’s — as though fate had conspired to keep the two inseparable.

“Again?” Clémence laughed when they compared notes in the dorm. “It’s like they didn’t even bother shuffling the list.”

“Feels like a prank,” Léa agreed, shaking her head. “Not that I’m complaining. At least we know we work well together.”

But there was one exception. For a core theory subject, her name appeared beside Baron Blaise’s. Léa hadn’t spoken much to him beyond a polite exchange or two. He seemed quiet, capable, reserved. Not unfriendly — just… elsewhere.

They ran into each other after class, both carrying the printed schedule.

“For the theory project,” Baron said, holding up his paper, “we’ll need somewhere to meet.”

Léa nodded, already expecting to suggest her dorm room or the library. But Baron spoke first.

“There’s a café, a little further out. Quieter. Appie Ramone told me about it.”

Léa tilted her head, surprised. “Appie? Of course she would know a place.”

“It’s better for working,” Baron added simply.

Léa hesitated, then smiled. “Alright. Let’s try it.”

Baron gave a short nod, and with that, the decision was made.

Later, when she told Clémence, her friend teased her: “So, the mysterious Baron will be your study partner? That could be interesting.”

Léa only shrugged, though a flicker of curiosity lingered in her mind.