Chapter 106. Part 2: Episode 8

“Can you imagine it?” Arden said, pushing his hair out of his face as he held onto the strap of his backpack. “Two people from our school, standing on that stage, competing against the best. This is huge.”

“More than huge,” Carden added, always the one to hype things up even further. “If you’re chosen, you don’t just make history here—you’re known across the country, maybe even worldwide. It’s like… instant fame.”

Zaylien gave them a side glance, his expression unreadable. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, and unlike the twins, his face carried no excitement.

“You two sound like you’ve already been chosen,” he said flatly. “News flash—you haven’t.”

Arden laughed softly, brushing off the comment. “I’m just saying, it’s not impossible. We’ve been working hard, and you too, Zay. You’re smarter than half the people in this school. If you actually cared, you could—”

“Yeah, no thanks,” Zaylien interrupted, his tone sharper now. “I don’t need to be