Something shifted the moment Malik Adeyemi entered the school gates.
He wasn't the type to announce himself. No gold chains, no loud sneakers, no ego dripping from his walk. But silence itself bent around him. He walked like someone who already knew the rules and had come to rewrite them.
"Transfer from Abuja," Mr. Obinna had said as he introduced him. "Top of his class."
Dre didn't flinch. But deep inside, a wire tightened.
Malik slid into the seat three rows ahead. Not close enough to be obvious, but not far enough to be forgettable. His gaze didn't wander like the others. It rested. Measured. Watched.
During history class, Mr. Obinna launched into a lecture about power and rebellion. "What causes a man to betray his nation?" he asked.
Malik raised his hand for the first time.
"Not betrayal," he said. "Perspective. A man who burns a system might believe he's saving it."
The whole class froze. Even Mr. Obinna paused.
Dre's pen stopped moving.
That answer wasn't textbook. It was strategy disguised as intellect. The kind of thing Dre might say — if he ever spoke out loud.
That was the moment he knew.
Malik wasn't here to learn. He was here to find someone. And Dre suspected… it might be him.
---
Break time.
Dre sat beneath the old mango tree behind the science block. He didn't eat, didn't scroll. Just observed.
Malik walked alone. Not awkward. Comfortable. Like a lion that didn't need a pack.
But then, he turned and walked straight toward Dre.
Dre didn't move. Let him come.
"Dre, right?" Malik said, standing close but not too close.
Dre nodded.
"I've heard of you," Malik added. "You don't talk much. But people listen when you do."
Dre finally looked at him. "Depends on what's being said."
Malik smiled — just barely. "Let's say I'm interested in how you think."
"That's dangerous," Dre replied. "People who study others often get studied back."
Malik gave a short laugh. "Fair enough."
There was a long silence. Not awkward. Just… charged.
"You don't play chess, do you?" Malik asked suddenly.
"I play people," Dre said simply.
Malik's smile faded, but only slightly. "Same game. Different board."
And just like that, he walked away.
Dre leaned back, looking at the clouds. He didn't know why Malik was here, but he knew this much:
This wasn't just school anymore.
This was a test.
A duel.
And only one of them would make it to the endgame.