By lunchtime, the whole school buzzed with whispers.
Evan didn't need to hear every word to know he was the subject. Heads turned when he passed. Some faces showed fear, others curiosity. A few looked at him like he was something dangerous — and for once, Evan didn't flinch under their stares.
He sat alone at the far end of the cafeteria, poking at his food without much appetite. His mind was racing.
What is happening to me?
Was it the device?
What else can I do?
His hand brushed over his chest where the pendant hung hidden. It was warm against his skin, as if alive.
Just then, someone slid into the seat across from him.
Evan looked up, surprised.
It was Lena, the girl who never spoke to anyone — especially not him. Sharp green eyes. Short dark hair. Always wearing oversized hoodies like she was trying to hide from the world.
Today, she wasn't hiding.
"You're not normal," she said bluntly, leaning in.
Evan blinked. "What?"
"I saw what you did to Marcus," she said, her voice low. "That wasn't strength. That was something else."
Evan's stomach twisted. "You're wrong," he muttered.
Lena smirked. "Am I? You think you're the first? You think powers just pop up by accident?"
Powers.
The word hit him like a slap.
Lena dropped something on the table — a crumpled flyer, the ink faded but still legible.
It read:
> SEEKING THE GIFTED.
We know you're out there.
Find us before they do.
—The Hidden Circle
Below the text was a symbol — two interlocking rings, almost like a sideways figure eight.
"You need to come with me after school," Lena said. "Before they find you."
"They?"
She glanced around, her eyes narrowing. "You're not the only one who noticed what happened today. Crestwood isn't just a school. It's a hunting ground."
Evan's throat went dry. "Hunting ground?"
Lena stood. "Be ready. And trust no one."
Before he could ask more, she was gone, vanishing into the sea of students like a shadow.
Evan sat there, heart pounding, mind spinning.
He wasn't crazy.
He wasn't weak.
He wasn't alone.
But one thing was now crystal clear:
If he didn't figure out what was happening — and fast — he wouldn't survive long enough to enjoy it.
---