Sam is dead!
The words hit Max like a punch to the gut, a strange and heavy feeling anchoring itself deep in his stomach. He had lost people before, people close to him, people important to the White Tiger Gang. He'd thought he was numb to that kind of pain by now.
But hearing this, hearing that Sam, someone younger than Max was when he'd lost his own life, was gone, it did something to him. Something he hadn't expected.
Memories came flooding in, uninvited. That hopeful smile on Sam's face when they stood together outside the school gates. The way Sam had told him he'd take a few hits to repay him someday. It had been genuine. Honest.
Max's fists clenched tightly as that image of Sam smiling flashed in his mind again.
Could I have stopped this? he thought, anger burning low in his chest. Was I so focused on learning the truth about Max Stern's life that I didn't notice what was happening right in front of me?
His eyes drifted toward the three he knew were responsible. For once, they weren't laughing. They weren't smirking or joking. They were stiff, silent, maybe even shocked.
And Max could only wonder… was this guilt? Or fear?
Was it because of them? Max's thoughts spiraled. But both Sam and the real Max Stern had been bullied for years. It couldn't just be that… Could it? Did something push him over the edge? Or… was it something darker, something like what happened to the real Max Stern?
He took a deep breath, but it felt like his brain was spinning out of control. He was starting to overthink everything, chasing answers in circles. And worst of all, he didn't even know how Sam had died.
"The incident is a difficult one for the school," the teacher said, his tone tight and serious. "Due to particular circumstances, each and every one of you will be interviewed by the police. I expect full cooperation. Tell them everything you know."
The police? Max's heart skipped. So this isn't just a tragic accident… this is something more.
Right then, a woman and a man in uniform stepped into the classroom. Their presence instantly changed the atmosphere. Quiet fell heavy over the room as they explained the process. A separate classroom was being prepared for the interviews, and students would be called in, one by one, to give their statements.
Parents had already been contacted. The procedure was official, and there was no avoiding it.
"For the rest of the day, all classes are cancelled," the teacher announced. "A schedule will be posted here for when your interview with the officers is due. Make sure you're back in this room by then, and no one is to leave the school grounds. Understood?"
The first name was called for an interview. As expected, Max's name, and the trio's weren't anywhere near the top of the list. It looked like they'd be called closer to the end of the day.
The moment the police officers stepped out of the room, a wave of whispers broke out like a rising tide. Students leaned across desks, heads low, their voices barely above a murmur. Speculation spread quickly.
Most were wondering the same thing Max was.
What really happened to Sam?
And more importantly, had the trio pushed him too far?
From his corner, Max kept his eyes locked on them. Ko, for once, wasn't grinning.
"Shit, shit, shit," Ko muttered under his breath, biting at his thumbnail, eyes darting across the room. What the hell was wrong with that guy? Why'd he have to go and do something like that? That damned pig's causing problems even after he's dead!
"What are we gonna do?" Mo hissed, leaning in close.
Without a word, Ko pulled out his phone, fingers flying across the screen.
"All of us are in this together," he said in a low growl. "There's only one person we can go to now."
Joe leaned in, eyes narrowing when he saw the name appear on the screen: Dipter. The head of the school.
Even Ko's hands were trembling slightly as he sent the message. It didn't take long for a reply to come back.
Ko stood up, voice cold and clipped.
"Dipter wants to meet us. At the cage."
Without hesitation, the three of them rose from their seats and slipped toward the door. Max watched, eyes narrowed.
The cage wasn't just any spot on school grounds, it was the spot. Technically, it was meant to be an indoor soccer area, complete with two worn-down goalposts. But no one played there anymore. Instead, it had become the unofficial hangout for the school's worst delinquents.
As Max watched the trio slip out of the classroom and head toward the cage, his thoughts began to spiral.
Should I follow them? he wondered, muscles tense. Their behavior today is way too suspicious. But if I tail them and get caught… it could turn into a disaster. Especially with the police around.
Still, something told him none of them would risk doing anything stupid while the authorities were present.
Then again, I shouldn't be causing trouble either… not today.
Maybe he could just ask Joe afterward, find out what they discussed, if he was willing to talk. But something about this moment itched at the back of Max's mind. He needed a clearer picture. He needed to see it for himself.
So, he stood up and quietly slipped out the classroom door, keeping a careful distance as he followed. Eyes narrowed, posture calm, he stayed focused. All he needed to know was who they were meeting. That might be the answer to everything.
But just then-
"Max!" a voice called out behind him.
He froze.
So focused on tracking the trio, he hadn't even noticed someone approaching. One second of distraction, and they'd already turned the corner.
Damn it… I lost them.
When Max turned around, he saw her, the same girl who had stopped him in the hallway once before. Abby.
Her soft eyes met his. "Max… are you okay? Is everything alright?"
"Do you know what happened?" Max asked, skipping the small talk.
"You mean about Sam?" she replied gently. "Yeah. I think the whole school knows by now."
Of course they do, Max thought. With phones in everyone's hands, there's no such thing as secrets anymore.
Abby shifted her weight, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "It's just… it seemed like you two were close. I mean, I saw you talking to him a lot. I thought you were friends, so I've been wondering… how are you holding up?"
Max glanced away. "It's hard to process," he admitted. "It caught me off guard. I didn't expect something like this to happen."
Abby nodded, her ponytail swaying slightly. "Sam was a good person. You know… when he thought you were in trouble, he came running to find me. He was really worried about you."
Max's brows knit together. "When was this?"
"Yesterday," she said, voice quiet. "He said your classmates had pulled you out of class. He was scared they were going to hurt you… so the two of us went to get a teacher."
Max's chest tightened. Abby had no idea, no idea what that one moment might have cost Sam.
Max's mind flashed back to the moment in the music room, when he'd been with Joe and the teacher had shown up with Abby. At the time, he'd brushed it off as a coincidence. But now, hearing the truth, he realized why the teacher had really come.
It was because of Sam.
Like a puzzle piece locking into place, everything clicked. And with it came that sick feeling twisting deep in Max's stomach.
The look on their faces… the panic Ko and the others had when they heard the news… it wasn't normal. It wasn't shock, it was fear. They knew something. They'd done something.
And now, a terrifying thought crept into Max's mind like a whisper he couldn't ignore.
Could all of this… really have happened just because Sam was trying to help me?
The realization would lead to a change in Max's entire life going forward.