Electra''s POV

    Standing in the middle of the hallway, I folded my arms across my chest and let out a slow breath, struggling to get myself together. Despite the commotion, I stood frozen in place, not because I didn''t know where I was supposed to go, but because I couldn''t quite wrap my head around the absurdity of it all.

    Class 4.

    It wasn''t just a number; it was a downgrade. In my real life—as Electra Vale—I had been a student of Class 5, one step below the elite Class 6 and far removed from the rabble of Class 4.

    Yet here I was, thanks to this alternate reality, preparing to step into the shoes of Seraphina, who was a student of class 4. I couldn''t decide whether I was more amused or annoyed.

    I let out a soft scoff, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. The thought of redoing Class 4 wasn''t as infuriating as it should have been, and in a way, it was almost entertaining.

    The powerful Electra Vale, demoted to a class she had long since outgrown, surrounded by students who would be none the wiser. It was ridiculous, but if there was one thing I secretly enjoyed a lot, it was dealing with ridiculous situations.

    Still, there was the matter of how I was supposed to enter the classroom. Would they expect an introduction? Should I walk in quietly and take my seat, or should I make an entrance?

    The thought of introducing myself to a group of strangers—many of whom I likely wouldn''t have spared a second glance in my real life—was almost laughable.

    As I stood there, lost in thought, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. My body tensed instinctively, and I turned around sharply, my usual frown already etched on my face.

    Behind me stood Yuna, a grin so wide it practically split her face in two.

    Her grin was so wide, so warm, it took me aback for a moment, and my mind raced. Of course, this wasn''t the Yuna I knew—the little snake I had so thoroughly enjoyed tormenting. No, this Yuna didn''t know me; she didn''t fear me, and she thought I was someone else entirely. The absurdity of it almost made me laugh out loud.

    But I held it in, keeping my face blank, though a smirk threatened to surface. The idea of her smiling at me, looking at me with anything other than hatred or disdain, was downright comical. Yet, it was also intriguing to see someone who I knew hated me suddenly smile at me so kindly.

    "Hey," Yuna greeted, her tone friendly and inviting. "You look lost. Are you new here?"

    I raised an eyebrow at her, barely managing to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. If only you knew, Yuna. Still, I had a role to play.

    "Yeah, something like that," I replied, keeping my tone neutral but with a hint of exasperation. "I''m supposed to be in this class, but I guess I''m just figuring out how to introduce myself."

    Yuna tilted her head, her grin softening into something more understanding. "Don''t worry, the teacher''s nice, and some of the students are too. If the rest aren''t, you can just ignore them." She paused, her gaze scanning me quickly, almost assessing me. "I''m Yuna, by the way."

    "Electra," I said simply, watching her reaction closely.

    She blinked, clearly not expecting that. "Electra?" she repeated, her head tilting slightly as if she were trying to figure me out. "That''s an interesting name."

    I shrugged, my lips twitching into an even lazier smirk. "So I''ve been told."

    In that moment, it clicked. In my real reality—if that''s even what I should call it—Yuna had befriended Seraphina not long after she joined Elysium. That meant, in this flipped scenario where I was now the "new student," Yuna was supposed to become my first friend.

    Yuna was the type of person I would never have bothered with in my real life: clearly ordinary, likely unambitious, and entirely too innocent. But this wasn''t my usual life, was it? I''d made a decision this morning that I was going to try living like a "normal teenager," and what better way to experience normalcy than to be friends with someone like Yuna?

    I had never gotten such a good opportunity before, and, truthfully, part of me was curious. Could I really do this? Could I live a life where I didn''t call all the shots?

    That was what I had to find out, and Yuna could be my test subject.

    The bell rang, pulling me from my thoughts, and Yuna''s face lit up with an urgency that caught me off guard. "Come on," she said, grabbing my wrist like we were best friends already. "Class is about to start."

    Before I could respond, she started pulling me down the hallway. I blinked at her audacity, surprised by how easily she disregarded the personal space of someone she''d met mere minutes ago.

    "Are you always this handsy with strangers?" I asked dryly, but there was no real bite in my voice.

    She laughed, the sound light and unbothered. "You''re not a stranger anymore. You''re Electra."

    Well, she wasn''t wrong. I let her drag me down the corridor without further complaint, trying to suppress the bemusement building up under my indifference.

    When we reached the classroom, the sound of students settling into their seats welcomed us. It was the kind of noise I''d learned to ignore long ago, but now, as I stood in the doorway of Class 4, I felt oddly out of place.

    Yuna gestured toward the back of the room, pointing to a cluster of desks near the window.

    "That''s my seat," she said, nodding toward a worn chair that had clearly seen better days. "And there''s an empty one right next to me. You can sit there."

    She started to tug me toward the back, but I pulled my wrist free, not harshly but firmly enough to make her stop. "Hold on," I said.

    Yuna blinked, turning back to face me. "What?"

    "I need to introduce myself first," I replied.

    Her eyes widened slightly, as though the thought of standing up in front of the class was akin to volunteering for public humiliation. "You don''t have to," she said quickly, her voice almost pleading. "No one will care. Just sit down, and they''ll forget you''re even new in a few minutes."

    I tilted my head, offering a small, lazy smile. "I want to," I replied, letting her know it wasn''t a request.

    She opened her mouth as if to protest, but she stopped herself and nodded. With a small sigh, she moved toward her seat, leaving me to make my grand entrance.