Ezra lay back, his body still sore from the ordeal, as Dr. Hopkins continued to carefully inspect his ribs. Each press and push sent waves of pain shooting through him, but he bit back his discomfort, trying to stay still. He winced as she applied the ointment, the cold gel making his skin sting before she wrapped him up tightly.
"You'll be fine," she said reassuringly, her tone calm and professional. "It's nothing serious. Just make sure to rest well. Don't overdo it, okay?" She finished wrapping the bandage and stood up, glancing at him.
Ezra nodded, the pain still lingering but not as bad now that she had patched him up. "Thanks," he mumbled, easing himself into a more comfortable position.
Dr. Hopkins turned to the sink, humming lightly to herself as she washed her hands. The sound of water running and her soft humming filled the room, a strangely peaceful contrast to the chaos he had just been through.
"Do you need anything else?" she asked, drying her hands with a towel before turning back to face him.
Ezra considered it for a moment but shook his head. "I think I'm good for now. Just need to sleep this off."
"Alright," Dr. Hopkins said with a smile, heading toward the door. "You can stay here for as long as you need to recover. Let me know if anything feels off."
"Thanks for the offer, but I have class to attend," Ezra replied, pushing himself off the bed. He winced but managed to stand.
After a few minutes of slowly and carefully changing into a fresh set of clothes, making sure not to aggravate his injuries, he finally finished and stepped out of the infirmary. The long walk back to the dorm felt almost painful, but it was the only thing he could focus on right now.
When he returned to his dorm, it was empty, as expected. He closed the door behind him with a sigh and started walking out again, determined to not let the pain slow him down.
As he stepped into the hallway, he spotted Milo ahead. Ezra called out to him, a wave of relief washing over him that at least he wasn't completely alone in this place.
"Milo!" Ezra called, his voice a little louder than usual as he quickened his pace to catch up with the boy.
Milo turned around, flashing a bright smile when he saw Ezra approaching.
Ezra caught up to him as they slowed their pace, making their way to the first class of the day. The hallway was buzzing with students, but as they entered the classroom, it was still quiet—Professor Grimm had yet to arrive.
From the back of the room,bubblegum-pink-haired girl from Combat waved energetically at Ezra, her pinkish-blue locks bouncing as she beckoned him over. She was sitting next to Cassian, who looked disinterested as usual with a nasty scowl on his face as soon as he saw Ezra .
Milo's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced back and forth between Ezra and the pink-haired girl sitting at the back. "Since when were you friends with Octavia?" he asked, clearly puzzled by the sudden shift in Ezra's social circle.
Ezra shrugged nonchalantly, though a part of him was still trying to figure out the dynamics himself. "What? She seems alright," he replied, his voice casual as he continued walking toward the back of the room.
"Alright, I'll sit at the front. See you later," he said, starting to walk towards an empty seat at the front of the class.
" Wait, why?"
Milo turned, raising an eyebrow . "No thanks. I'd rather not be associated with them," he said, gesturing subtly towards the group at the back .
Ezra stood there for a moment before making his way to the back as Octavia excitedly waved him over patting an empty seat beside her . He reluctantly sat down before she turned his attention to him .
" What got you so ruffled up? You look homeless and disgusting," she said, her voice dripping with judgment.
"Hmm, training, I guess," Ezra replied, trying to brush it off.
Octavia didn't seem to care much about his response. Instead, she turned around and began rummaging through her school bag, which was decorated with an obnoxious collection of badges and charms. She pulled out a small mirror and some lip gloss, immediately starting to touch up her makeup without so much as a second glance at Ezra. She was pretty but her personality stank .
He glanced over at Silas, who had just walked in, effortlessly stunning as always. His hair was casually plated to the side, and yet it seemed like everything about him radiated a quiet, magnetic charm. His presence was felt immediately in the room, drawing eyes without him even trying.
Octavia scoffed under her breath, clearly unimpressed with Silas's entrance. "Why is a beauty like that wasted on a man?" she muttered to herself, before quickly turning her gaze to Cassian, who was leaning back in his seat, looking almost bored by the whole interaction. "He isn't even that pretty. Cas, I'm prettier, right?"
Cassian didn't even look up from his phone. "Yes, you are," he said flatly, his tone barely registering.
Then, Octavia's focus shifted back to Ezra.
"What about you, Ezra?" she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Am I pretty?"
Caught off guard, Ezra blinked a few times before answering. "Yes," he replied, unsure of how else to respond.
Her lips curved into a smug smile, but she wasn't done. "Prettier than Silas?" she asked, leaning forward, eyes never leaving his.
Ezra felt the tension in the room rise, the weight of the question hanging in the air as everyone waited for his answer. He looked at Silas, then back at Octavia, his mind swirling. Silas's beauty was unmatched.
There was something otherworldly about it—his face, the way he carried himself, the way his voice had a soothing, almost mesmerizing quality. It felt unnatural, too perfect, like he'd been given everything at birth. In comparison, while Octavia was pretty, it felt like a losing battle to even try to compare her to Silas.
It would be a lie to say she was prettier than Silas, even though she was attractive in her own way. Silas was in a league of his own.
His beauty made Ezra uncomfortable, not because he was ugly, but because it was so unattainable, so perfect, that it made Ezra envious. It was a beauty that felt unreal, like it could break anyone who dared to compete with it.
He was just too perfect which made Ezra jealous .
"No," Ezra said bluntly, not even bothering to lie. His tone was calm but final, and there was no hesitation in his voice.
The room fell into an eerie silence. Octavia stopped, her smirk faltering slightly as she stared at him, processing his words. Even Cassian, who had been half-distracted before, turned his head to glance at Ezra, his face unreadable. It was clear Ezra's answer had caught everyone off guard.
"Really?" Octavia asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Her smile faltered, and for the first time, there was a hint of vulnerability in her expression.
Ezra met her gaze, his own face calm but unwavering. "You're pretty, but Silas is different," he said simply. His words were honest, and though the truth stung, he couldn't lie.
Octavia stared at him, her crystal blue eyes narrowing slightly as she processed the compliment and the bluntness of his answer.
Then, with a huff, she turned her head away, her posture stiffening as she faced forward.
"Okay," she muttered, the word almost like an afterthought, as if she were trying to mask the sudden shift in her mood.