Chapter 2: The Eternal Second As lunch period arrived, most students made their way to the noisy cafeteria. Aria quietly slipped away toward the quiet hallways of the library. When she entered, she leaned against one of the tall wooden bookshelves, her eyes fixing on a single person: Adrian Brooks—the boy she had once casually nicknamed the "Eternal Second." Adrian noticed her presence almost immediately. His eyes locked onto hers, cold as ice. "If you came to ask for my help getting revenge, stop right there," Adrian said, his tone firm and emotionally detached. He paused for a moment before continuing. "We all warned you about the dangers, but you didn't listen. If you're trying to force me to help because we used to be friends—or because I was always behind you—forget it. What makes you think I'd help when I'm finally number one?" Aria listened to his cold rejection without interrupting. Her face remained calm, though her fingers discreetly twisted a ring on her hand—a subtle flicker of regret. Then, a slow smirk appeared on her face. She took a confident step closer to him, walking with the quiet authority of someone who still owned the room. Stepping behind his chair, she leaned in slightly. "You haven't changed at all, Adrian. You're still comfortable sitting in one spot without pushing yourself to your absolute limit." She paused, letting the silence hang between them. "Don't you want us to compete properly, so you can finally have a real challenge?" Adrian searched her face, looking for any trace of the gullible girl who had been manipulated a month ago. Seeing none, he let out a low, relieved breath and broke into a quiet laugh. The tension in his shoulders vanished. "Looks like the Queen is back," Adrian remarked, his laugh fading into a sharp, focused stare. "So, what do you really want? With you, it's never that simple." Aria smiled smoothly. "Looks like the Adrian of my reign is back, too. I want you to tutor me for the next month and a half." Adrian stared at her in disbelief before shaking his head with a smirk. "You said all that just to ask for my study help? Fine. Challenge accepted—but don't expect me to go easy on you."