I was late, and the entire class was staring at me when I arrived. They looked at me like I was some bully eyeing the room for a potential target. Our homeroom teacher, Mrs. Melissa, didn’t really know how to handle the situation, so she cracked a joke about how elephants get embarrassed when they’re addressed, and I'm just standing there thinking...

Didn’t she make it worse?

I slipped into the only free seat at the back near the door. Not the window, like a proper main character, because of course that seat was taken. Figures.

My classmates already had their groups, probably friends from middle school. I envied that. I didn’t have friends back then because I was the odd one out, so this was supposed to be my fresh start. But from the previous chapter, you'd know that didn't work out for me.

The morning passed in a blur—rules, policies, elections I didn’t care about. I just voted for the person getting the fewest votes, because someone had to. Then came class rules, the cleaner assignments, and finally the bell, sending everyone scrambling for freedom.

No one talked to me. Not surprising. Talking about me? Oh, that they had no problem with. Apparently, being tall, awkward, and walking around with a bandaid on my cheek (thanks to my sister’s “pimple cure”) automatically made me look like a troublemaker.

“What club are you joining, Mika?” someone asked.

I ignored it, glancing out the door. The hall buzzed with life. Students were laughing, comparing flyers, and already moving as packs to scope out clubs. At Ashtorne, you “audition” for a club, then wait for an acceptance letter. That's why it was important to have three club options. If none took you, the school dumped you in the leftovers. The least popular ones.

Two years ago, I had only one club in mind. It was the whole reason I enrolled here. But that accident stole it from me. Thinking about it just made me want to crawl out of my skin.

So maybe I’d just join something easy. Background noise. Or maybe even Renzo’s “super secret club,” if that was real.

“E-Excuse me?”

I blinked. Had someone just talked to me?

“Excuse me,” the voice came again.

I turned, and nearly jumped out of my seat. A girl was suddenly standing beside my desk. I hadn’t heard her approach. She had long hair covering half her face, pale enough to pass as a ghost. For a second, I thought she was one.

“Do you need something?” I asked carefully.

“Oh!” She fiddled with her elbow. “I was just wondering if…you know…if you’re going to check the clubs.”

“Uh…yeah. Sure. I am now,” I said, standing awkwardly. Up close, she looked even smaller.

She hesitated like she wanted to say something else, but couldn’t. Since she was literally the first person besides Renzo to talk to me, I tried being decent. “What about you? Got a club in mind?”

Her whole face brightened. “Yes! Just one. Do you want to come with me? Or, um, I can walk you to yours! I noticed you were alone, and people are kinda nervous around you, but you don’t seem like a troublemaker at all. I’m really good at judging people. My mom says I have a gift, though she also says I don’t know how to shut my mouth when I get excited, which is probably true, but—”

I stared at her like I was watching the end credits of a movie. Too many words. No way to process.

“Like that one time at the park when I saw this candy wrapper and—”

“I’ll walk with you,” I cut in before she could start narrating her autobiography.

Her eyes widened. “Wait, really?”

“Really.” Not like I had anything better to do.

Her mood flipped again, bright as a spotlight. “Great! Let’s go! Oh, my name’s Wendy. Earlier during the class introduction, you said your name was Elijah, right?”

She remembered. I didn’t. Now I feel like a jerk.

“Yeah. Eli’s fine,” I said, and Wendy grinned.

We walked the halls, past flyers, laughter, and clubs already buzzing with energy. Wendy hesitated again when I asked what she wanted to join.

“Uhm…it’s easier if I just show you.”

She led us down a quieter hall to a dusty old room beside what looked like a janitor’s closet. I looked at Wendy with suspicion, but then I noticed the room number. Room 213.

“No way,” I muttered.

Wendy threw the door open without even knocking.

I was expecting a room filled with students getting ready for an audition to whatever this club was, but when we got inside, I was surprised to see a room that looked entirely like a storage room. It was also dark and a bit dusty. Not exactly the welcoming committee I was expecting.

“Wendy, I think we’re—”

“New recruits!” a voice boomed.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as someone burst out from behind the boxes. The lights flicked on, stabbing my eyes with brightness. Wendy ducked behind me like a scared rabbit.

When my vision cleared, I gaped. “Renzo?!”

Renzo sprinted over and bear-hugged me like we were long-lost brothers. “I knew it! I knew you’d come!”

Before I could respond, he was already clapping at Wendy. “Another recruit! Perfect!”

“What the hell is going on?” I sputtered. “This is a storage room. Is this even a real club?”

“Oh, it’s real,” Renzo said, eyes sparkling with mischief. He darted to the chalkboard, yanked down a white cloth with dramatic flair, and spread his arms wide. “Behold…”

In bold, chalky letters, the words stood tall against the board: The Chaos Cleaners Club.

Dust drifted in the air like confetti. The room still smelled faintly of old cardboard and mop water. My jaw hung open. Wendy peeked from behind me, wide-eyed in amusement. I could tell that this was exactly what she signed up for.

Renzo grinned like he’d just pulled the greatest magic trick in history. “Welcome to the club!”

I froze, staring at him. 

Of course. Of course this was happening.

Shouldn't have addressed the elephant in the room.

Too late.