The late morning sun streamed through the classroom windows, casting a warm glow over the students settling into their seats. The air buzzed with the low murmur of casual chatter, backpacks rustling, and the occasional scrape of a chair against the floor.
At the front of the class, Mr. Harrington—glasses slightly askew, coffee cup in hand—flipped through his worn-out lesson notes, clearing his throat in preparation for another day of teenage indifference toward science.
At the center of the room, Clark Kent slouched in his chair, legs stretched out, arms folded, eyes half-lidded.
School.
His greatest nemesis.
The Burden of Academia
Clark had zero interest in school.
Back in his previous life, he had been mediocre at best—never a top student, never failing outright, just another forgettable kid in the system.
And now?
He had no reason to care.
No test score, no college application, no academic achievement would ever define his future.
His true power lay far beyond equations and essays.
Still…
Today was different.
Class Begins
Mr. Harrington tapped his marker against the board, drawing the class's attention.
"Alright, let's start with something simple."
He scribbled a question in bold letters.
'Which element has the highest electronegativity?'
A hand shot up instantly from two rows ahead.
"Fluorine."
Gwen Stacy.
Mr. Harrington nodded approvingly. "Correct."
Clark watched as she leaned back, satisfied smirk on her lips.
Huh.
She had confidence. He'd give her that.
The class moved forward, more questions tossed out. As expected, Gwen dominated every answer.
Then came the moment Clark had been waiting for.
Mr. Harrington flipped his notes, scanning for a problem that required actual thought.
"Alright, let's mix things up. If a train is traveling at 80 miles per hour and needs to stop within 400 meters, what force must be applied to bring it to a halt?"
Gwen's hand shot up again.
"It depends on the mass of the train."
Mr. Harrington nodded. "Go on."
She hesitated. "Uh… if we assume it's an average passenger train, then the force should be…"
She scribbled numbers into her notebook, frowned, then slowly said—
"Around 10,000 Newtons?"
A brief pause.
Mr. Harrington shook his head. "Not quite."
Before Gwen could correct herself, a lazy voice spoke up from the middle of the room.
"15,000 Newtons."
The room went silent for a second.
Gwen turned slightly, brow raised.
Mr. Harrington adjusted his glasses, then nodded. "That's correct, Mr. Kent."
Clark barely reacted.
Just shrugged.
But Gwen?
She was watching him now.
Hook set.
Recess – A Chance Encounter
The courtyard was buzzing with life—groups of students gathered under shady trees, sitting by the fountain, or huddled over their phones, gossiping about things Clark couldn't care less about.
He strolled past the lunch tables, hands in his jacket pockets, his mind on autopilot.
Then—
"Kent!"
He didn't even have to turn to know who it was.
Gwen Stacy.
She approached with casual confidence, her expression a careful mix of amusement and curiosity.
"You didn't raise your hand in class."
Clark smirked. "Didn't need to."
Gwen crossed her arms. "So, what? You just enjoy watching people get answers wrong?"
Clark shrugged. "Not people. Just you."
She scoffed, but there was a glint of interest in her eyes.
"You don't seem like the type who cares about school," she mused, tilting her head slightly.
Clark met her gaze, unfazed. "I don't."
Her eyes narrowed. "Then how'd you get that answer right?"
Clark leaned against the brick wall, looking at her like he had all the time in the world.
"Guess I'm just full of surprises."
Gwen studied him, arms still folded, before exhaling sharply and shaking her head.
"Alright, mystery boy."
She tilted her head toward the street. "I'm studying after school. You in?"
Clark pretended to think.
"…Depends. You sure you wanna study with a guy who just embarrassed you in class?"
Gwen smirked. "You wish."
Clark chuckled. "Then I guess I'm in."
She grinned. "Good. Try not to fall behind."
As she walked off, Clark watched her go, his smirk deepening slightly.
Step one: complete.