YOUNG TALENTS
Among our more than 1,000 students there are many talented young people who voluntarily engage with the English language beyond regular classes in their free time and skilfully turn their ideas into exciting, creative, innovative, touching, personal, and funny stories. To give this commitment a worthy platform and to further develop their skills in a more focused way, the group YOUNG TALENTS was founded in the school year 2025/26 under the guidance of Mag. Irene Unger. Best of all: Anyone is very much welcome to join in!
These young talents write poems and short stories and some are already working on their own books. Based on “A Writing Activity Based on Common Core Standards and Bloom’s Taxonomy” by Constance D. Casserly, the students chose one of the following prompts to write about:
- Detail a particular time when your life changed in an important way.
- Detail a decision you made in the past year that you would change.
In addition, one girl decided to provide her own story set in a fictional school context.
Here are the YOUNG TALENTS‘ stories. Enjoy the read!
A note from your teacher: Dear Young People, I am very grateful not only to guide you in your creative projects, but to learn from you as much as you do. Keep your spirits inspiring! Your Mrs Unger 😊
Past moments that changed my life
by Amina, 5B
For a long time, I believed that love and pain were inseparable, that to love deeply meant to invite suffering and that pain and despair were the price I had to pay if I cared too much. This belief didn't form all at once. No. It has slowly grown over time, shaped by moments that changed the way I saw the world and myself. The loss of someone very dear to me; the unhealthy way I dealt with my pain; and the love that later showed me something different are not separate stories. They are one continuous thread pulling me from innocence through darkness and misery, and finally toward healing.
Before my grandfather died, love felt eternal. He was always there in his spot on the couch, yelling at soccer games. He was a presence that made the world feel safe and predictable. I never questioned his permanence. Time felt everlasting, and goodbyes felt distant, almost imaginary. I thought I had all the time in the world. Grief was a concept I understood in theory, not in truth. I did not yet know that love could vanish in an instant and leave behind a silence so loud it followed you into every room, into every thought, into every crevice of your brain.
When he died the world did not collapse—it hollowed. Life continued, but something essential was missing. The air felt heavier, the days longer, the rooms unbearably empty. Before sadness came anger. Anger at a world that kept spinning as if nothing sacred had been lost, anger directed at God for taking him away when I needed him most, anger at humanity for saying “He’s in a better place now” because what place is better than at home with his family? And lastly, anger at myself for assuming that what felt eternal could never be taken. Watching my family mourn made the absence undeniable. That was when I learned that love does not shield you from pain — sometimes it sharpens it. I did not have the language to speak my grief, so I hid it. I learned how to exist while unraveling, how to smile while carrying something fractured inside my chest. The silence I inherited from loss became my closest friend, and over time it showed me how to disappear quietly. Eventually the pain became all-consuming. I began hurting myself in ways I could not confess to anyone. I hid beneath long sleeves, folded my arms into fabric, and mastered the act of hiding it for years. To the world, I appeared composed. Inside, I was fighting thoughts I thought I got rid of, but these thoughts, like thieves, creep back instead and stitch their names into my bed. Self-harm was never about wanting to die. It was about wanting relief, about silencing the chaos, if only briefly. It was about wanting control in a life that felt unsteady and overwhelming. It was about wanting to feel normal. I lived in a constant state of shame and fear. Terrified of being seen, yet desperate to be understood. Each day was a quiet war between longing for help and believing I was undeserving of it.
The turning point did not arrive with clarity or drama. It came softly, in the realization that I was fading. That I was killing myself slowly but surely. The same silence left behind by my grandfather’s absence had wrapped itself around me once more, this time tighter, darker and far more dangerous. I understood then that surviving through self-destruction was not survival at all. It was a slow erasure. Healing did not come as a single moment of transformation. It came in fragments, uneven steps, painful setbacks and deliberate choices to stay when leaving felt easier. I learned that vulnerability is not weakness and that scars — visible or not — do not diminish a person’s worth. That chapter of my life left its mark on my skin, but it also gave me a profound reverence for human tenderness and the silent strength it takes to endure.
For years I believed love was meant to wound, that suffering was proof of depth. Then I met this guy. Through him I learned that love does not have to echo with loss, and the meaning of love began to shift. He offered patience instead of pressure, safety instead of fear, consistency instead of uncertainty. He never demanded that I suffer to earn his care. He proved to me that love didn’t have to hurt. It does not have to leave bruises or emotional scars. He showed me that I am allowed to be loved gently, without conditions, without concealment. That healing can unfold in the presence of someone who chooses you fully, even the parts you think are hideous.
Looking back, I see how every moment is tethered to the next. Losing my grandfather taught me how devastating love can be. Hurting myself showed me what happens when pain has nowhere else to rest. And being loved now — that taught me the most vital truth of all: love does not need to hurt to be real. I am no longer the person I was before any of this. That version of me only exists in memory. But, I am still here — changed, more aware, still becoming. Learning to live without hiding. Learning to love without fear. Learning that sometimes, the most powerful transformation comes not from what breaks us, but from what teaches us to heal. My past wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, but it shaped me into the girl I am today, and I’m truly proud of myself.
When I started to understand myself
by Antonia, 5BS
A year ago, I could never have imagined writing about this experience that changed my life so much. But here I am, and I want to tell you about my biggest crisis, but also the moment I finally started to understand myself.
I used to always give 100 percent. In school, in handball and with my family and friends, I tried to be perfect and never disappoint anyone. I was the best in class, played in the highest league in Austria for handball at my age and I tried to get along well with everyone. Handball was more than a hobby. It was the center of my life and my biggest dream was to play as a professional athlete. Because of that, I made the decision to attend a handball academy in Graz. Injuries are common in sports, so I had seen many players sitting out. Honestly, I sometimes thought they were overreacting. “It cannot be that hard,” I told myself. I did not realize how fast everything can change and how fragile health can be.
Then it happened. At the first practice with the academy, after a one-on-one situation, I fell on my right knee. I was in a lot of pain, but I tried to stay calm. I stood up and wanted to walk, but my knee was unstable and I needed help to get off the court. My coaches said that I would be in practice within a week. But I was still mad because in that week I was supposed to train with the youth national team.
A week passed, but nothing changed. I still was not anywhere near ready to play. Because of that, my coaches sent me to an MRI scan. One day after that, I was at the doctor’s office and heard the words I was so afraid of: “You have torn your posterior cruciate ligament, your PCL, and you will be out for about nine months.” I was desperate and depressed. I came to a city far away from my family and friends to play the sport I love, and now I could not play for more than half a year. First, I did not even realize it, but when I did, I spent two weeks crying at night and I have never felt farther away from my dream than ever before.
Today, about six months after that moment, I feel stronger than ever before. This injury has made me much stronger, not only physically but also mentally. Because I suddenly had time, I could see my real self. I understood that I do not always have to do everything for others — I also need to look after myself. I started seeing things from different perspectives. One of them, I believe, is that an injury can be a test: it shows how much you really love your sport. Instead of giving up, I learned patience and discipline. Because I knew that all I do today is for the dream I will fulfill tomorrow.
Through that journey, I learned to listen to my body. I take warm-ups and recovery more seriously now and know that being healthy is not guaranteed; it is a privilege. And so is playing a sport that you love with every piece of your heart. Do not take things for granted, because not everyone gets the opportunity you get. And after all, even if it may sound strange, I think this injury was good for me. If everything continues to go well, I expect to be able to play again in about a month — about two months earlier than the doctor told me, which I am really proud of. And maybe that is what life is all about: knowing that everything happens for a reason and you have to see the good in it.
A Turning Point in My Life: Volleyball
by Max, 5BS
Everyone has a moment in life that changes their path in an important way. For me, this moment was discovering volleyball. What started as something small and unplanned slowly became a central part of my life and shaped who I am today. To understand the whole story, we should start where it all began.
I was a student at BRG Kepler in Graz . My class teacher, Mr. Kosatschow, played an important role because he encouraged me to try volleyball and supported me from the beginning. At first, I only played in the school association (Schülervereinigung), and it was mostly just for fun. Together with my friends and classmates, I started to play more often. We spent every free minute outside, playing volleyball again and again. It didn’t feel serious at that time, we just enjoyed being active and having fun together.
However, over time, I began to realize that I really liked the sport. When some of my friends started playing in a real club, I became curious and decided that I also wanted to try it myself and see if this might be worth a try.
The turning point came when I finally decided to go to a trial practice with a friend. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited to experience something new. The team welcomed me immediately, and I felt comfortable right away. It was a completely different experience compared to just playing casually with friends. Soon after, I was accepted into UVC, my current club. From that point on, volleyball was no longer just a hobby - it became something important in my life. I started training more seriously, working harder, and pushing myself to improve. I realized that with effort and dedication, I could achieve things I had never imagined before.
After joining the club, my life began to change step by step. I continued playing for several years and kept improving. Through hard work and persistence, I eventually had the opportunity to play for the national team, which was a major achievement for me. It was something I had never thought possible when I first started playing at school.
Today, I attend HIB Liebenau in Graz, where I am part of the volleyball academy in a sports class (5BS). This system allows me to combine school and high-level sports. My daily life is now structured around training, school, and recovery. Volleyball has become a central part of who I am, and it continues to motivate me to improve both as an athlete and as a student.
The impact of volleyball on my life goes far beyond just playing a sport. Being part of a team has taught me important values that will help me in my future. I have learned discipline, because I have to train regularly and manage my time between school and sports. I have also learned teamwork, since success in volleyball depends on trusting your teammates and working together.
In addition, volleyball has taught me how to deal with challenges and setbacks. Not every game is a win, and not every training is easy. However, these experiences have made me mentally stronger and more determined. I have learned that improvement takes time and effort, and that giving up is never the right option.
Looking into the future, I believe that these skills will help me in many areas of my life, not just in sports. Whether in school, work, or personal challenges, the lessons I learned through volleyball will stay with me.
In conclusion, discovering volleyball was a turning point that changed my life in an important way. What started as a simple activity with friends became a passion that shaped my path. It taught me valuable life lessons and gave me opportunities I never expected. This experience shows how one decision can truly change everything.
A time when my life changed in an important way
by Rafael, 5B
Growing up, I was a little ahead of children my age. I could read in kindergarten while my friends were struggling, for example. In elementary school, it was no different since I was underwhelmed by the assignments given to us in class. Fortunately, my teacher noticed and gave me some more challenging work from time to time, however, naturally it was difficult for her to focus on me alone while many of my classmates needed her help more.
When I was in second grade, my teacher arranged a meeting with me, my parents, and the headmaster. Everyone came to the conclusion that my class at that time wasn't a very good fit for me. My teacher then recommended moving me up a grade, which my parents and I thought was a good idea in order to foster my curiosity. Coincidentally, the school was trying out a new type of class at that time where children from first grade all the way up to fourth grade were in the same class and learned in little groups.
That system was perfect for me, because it would help me blend in and find friends easily rather than sticking out. It was at that time when I was finally moved up a grade and in retrospect it was a great decision. School was more interesting than before. I didn't feel left out at all and I made friends easily, whom I am still in contact with today. I managed to catch up with the pace of the older class and I thrived in that environment.
Everybody was happy, including the headmaster, my teachers, me and my parents. I didn't really realise the real meaning or consequences of that decision, but I now realise the importance of doing so since I would have been very bored and I would have eventually come to the conclusion that school is pointless and that I never have to work for anything, which is simply not true.
When I got to fifth grade, school changed again and it became even better. Once my classmates found out I had skipped a grade, they were taken by surprise and they were also curious, but thankfully they didn't make a big deal out of it.
This was a very important change in my life since I would have had completely different friends if I hadn't made that decision and school wouldn't be as interesting. It is still not difficult for me to keep up with the subject matter that is being taught to us at school at the moment**, though,** and my mother, who also always wanted me to be a little more challenged in school, still creates opportunities for me to learn outside of school, such as courses.
Now I don't really feel a year younger than everybody else and I am very happy with my current class. I think everything would have turned out differently if I had stayed in my old class and even though I liked it there, I wouldn't want it any other way.
My knee
by Zsombor, 5BS
The decision I would change in every lifetime, if I could, would be that I would have not played handball with knee pain.
That week when I got injured, I had already had a little bit of pain and I have to say I had already had a strange feeling about it, but I didn’t think much of it. We had our two most important games on the weekend ahead of us, so I went to the last training before the games. I had to pause in the middle of the training and I was in a lot of pain, but as I have said, these were our most important games, so I didn’t even think about the option that I would not play. The day before, I had iced my knee and then there was match day. The first game was the easier one, so I didn’t play there, just to be fit for the more challenging game. In the second game I was one of the starters, although my knee was really not doing well. The match started and I could barely run, but neither did I care nor my coach. In the tenth minute my already-aching knee got twisted. I still get goosebumps when I think of it. I sat down on the field for a moment, but after that I got up and the match went on. I got subbed off in the last ten minutes. I could not walk without a hell of pain. The next day I went to the hospital and five days later they told me that I’d need surgery and that I possibly couldn’t do sports for the next four months.
I was broken. No, I mean, really broken. This decision, to play with knee pain, has been haunting me for days. I didn’t play until August, then I had to pause in September for another month. After that I had started playing again. In a game in November I got injured on the same knee. I did a PRP therapy (“platelet-rich plasma therapy”), but it didn’t work, and here I am in March. I have to get surgery again and I had wasted three months on nothing. I am just empty by now.
At first, I was sad, then I was mad, because I missed a lot of big events (trainings with the national team, training in one of the biggest clubs in handball). I just want to play handball. Every time I’m in the gym I could cry, literally cry. I do not want to do this anymore. I miss the feeling after a good training. I miss the feeling when I warm up and I miss my old self. I have become a lot grumpier and I’m not as happy as I was at the beginning of the year. Since three monthsbI have been in rehab and I’m going to be there for another couple of months.
Sometimes I just want to quit all of this. The only two things that keep me going are my mum and my little self. My mum has two to three jobs so she can support my sport. She gets up at 4 a.m. every day, although she goes to bed by 11 p.m. I do not want to disappoint her. My grades are worse than ever, but I try to do my best this semester, I really do.
The injury destroyed a lot in me. There was a time when I got up at 5 a.m. just so I could go for a run before school, or I did a workout before school. And now, the only thing I was good at was taken away from me. Handball. I enjoy the games, I enjoy handball. I would say I’m a little bit depressed, but I will continue, because…
Ayu
by Defne, 5B
A few notes before I start writing:
This story takes place in another universe, an alternate one where 50% of the population is born with superpowers. This was discovered back in 1785, when a child in Mumbai was born radiating light from her body, and since then, people have been born with these bizarre superpowers. Of course, since these quirks came around, the crime rates skyrocketed and villains started to appear (this is also mentioned in history books). Society needed hope — a hero, or perhaps a few of them. That’s why in 1787 the job of “Hero” came around. A hero’s job was to protect citizens every time a villain appeared. Of course, there was also a leaderboard for the heroes (I’m just going to write 10 now).
Now it’s the year 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Gravitas – Superpower: Zero Gravity
- Dynamite – Superpower: Explosion
- Frostbite – Superpower: Ice
- Slipknot – Superpower: Thread Control
- Dreamer – Superpower: Illusion
- Alien Queen – Superpower: Acid
- Flash – Superpower: Engine
- Vines – Superpower: Flower Power
- Tough Cookie – Superpower: Candy
- Brainwasher – Superpower: Mind Control
Ayu was currently jogging through the streets of Jakarta, trying to find this famous hero school, HX. Passersby recognized her as Frostbite’s daughter — yeah, being his child and also trying to be mysterious didn’t really go together. Well, she’s not exactly nonchalant either.
“Wait, isn’t that—”
“She’s even prettier in real life!”
“I’ve known her—”
“Do you think her hair’s real?”
Ayu was this drop-dead gorgeous girl, like this Barbie doll you always wanted but never got. Her brown, silky hair was left loose and flowing as she walked block after block. Her eyes — one side brown like dark chocolate and the other blue, a color so cold it reminded you of ice. She smelled like roses — not the cheap, artificial kind either, but the real and expensive ones. Her grey skirt was just within the dress code, not an inch too short, so she wouldn’t get in serious trouble. Her blazer was this deep, rich emerald green, and there was not a single wrinkle on it. Her mind, though, wasn’t as pretty as her.
“I swear to GOD! You had one job! ONE!” She jabbed angrily at her phone. The GPS arrow was spinning around like it was mocking her on purpose. Ayu threw her head back and let out an annoyed sigh. She put the phone in her blazer pocket and glanced at a clock at a nearby coffee shop. It was 10:20 and school started at 8:00 — great, she was already an hour and 20 minutes late.
She looked around. Everyone looked like they knew what they were doing and where they were going, except Ayu. She continued to walk around and decided not to ask anybody where this huge, invisible hero school was, because apparently she was smarter than strangers with working phones.
After a 10-minute walk of contemplating if she should just change her identity and leave this city, HX appeared right before her eyes. Ayu’s right eye twitched, and she smiled irritatedly.
“I JUST had to turn?? Oh my— Are you serious right now?! Okay, whatever. You know what? Whatever. I’m already late.”
She sighed and walked towards the school gates. Her mood brightened again as she stepped into her dream school. She was way too excited to know where she was going, so she obviously walked into a building without looking at any of the signs. She thought she was walking towards the hero course, but what she found wasn’t what she expected at all.
Ayu imagined flashy and confident people with cool superpowers — but what did she find? A gloomy, almost depressive section with a bunch of normal and quirkless-looking people. She squinted her eyes and tried to search for a more hero-like person here. Quickly, she found a guy. He was standing next to the lockers and smiling. His cheerfulness made her think he was also lost because he didn’t match the other students’ demeanor. Cheerfully, she walked up to the guy.
“Sorry? Do you know where 5-A is? I think I’m, like, lost.”
The guy looked her up and down — not in a perverted way, but just to analyze her. Then he smiled.
“5-A? Oh! You’re the new girl! Man, you’re really pretty. Anyways, 5-A’s in a whole other building. You’re in General Studies right now, not in the hero course. The hero course is, like, the third building. For 5-A, you’re just gonna wanna go up a few stairs, then turn to the left. You can’t miss it.”
Ayu let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, uhh?”
“Fajar. And you are?”
“I’m Ayu. Nice to meet you, Fajar.” She smiled easily.
“Anyways, thanks again, and uhm… see you?”
“See you, Ayu.”
She turned around and walked out of the building. Soon enough, Ayu found the class and broke out into a huge grin. She tried to fight her big smile down, but she couldn’t. Well, you can’t really fight off what your heart longs for — and this was what Ayu’s heart longed for: being a hero and saving people. She took a deep breath in and exhaled calmly through her nose. The girl grabbed the door handle and pushed it open. Almost immediately, 19 pairs of curious eyes turned towards her. Before she could step into the room and introduce herself, the class broke out into not-so-subtle chaos.
“Ayu, right?”
“Frostbite’s—”
“DAUGHTER!”
“A celebrity?”
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind Ayu, which made the class immediately shut up. “Woah. That was quick. Who’s there? A killer or what—” She laughed quietly to herself.
She turned around and found none other than the pro hero Dynamite. Ayu also immediately stopped smiling. The pro hero Dynamite meant business, and he looked like he wasn’t in the mood for jokes. Well, he never really was.
“Settle down,” he sighed and moved beside Ayu to walk to the front of the room.
“We’ve got a new student, and yes, she’s the daughter of Frostbite, but you will not treat her differently because of that.” He then turned towards the girl and signaled her to step in.
Ayu nodded and walked in. She looked up at the class and smiled softly.
“Well, uh, I’m Ayu, as y’all probably know. My superpower’s the same as my dad’s — Ice. And uh, I’m 15 years old and really excited to be here. I hope we’ll get along well with each other.”
“Sit down next to Dimas.” A boy with short blonde hair raised his hand and she walked towards him. She sat down and smiled friendly. “So, uh, how’s your dad like at home? Does he make you, like, furniture out of his ice?”Ayu laughed and shook her head. “No, but that’d be so cool! Actually, I—”
“Quiet down, Ayu and Dimas,” Dynamite interrupted their conversation annoyedly. Both students quickly mumbled a half-hearted apology and turned to the front.
As the bell rang, another wave of chaos unleashed, everyone in class 5-A surrounded Ayu like she was a goddess. She didn’t even have time to stretch her arms after the gruesome class with Dynamite before the questions reached her. A girl with ginger hair, fox tips and brown eyes started first.
“HI! It’s Putri! And oh my god, you’re so cool!” she exclaims while grinning at Ayu and showing off her superpower. It seemed to be cloning. “Is your dad really Frostbite? What’s he like at home?”
Another voice interrupts Putri. “What was your childhood like?”
Before anyone else can say something again, Ayu breaks into a soft laugh. “Calm down, I wanna answer all your questions and see your superpowers!”
Before the class could cheer at her again, the bell rang for their next lesson — hero training. The foxy girl immediately loops her arm with Ayu’s and starts walking with her to P.E. The walk to the locker rooms was filled with chatter and giggles. Ayu learned that Putri’s quirk was insects — she can talk to insects.
A few minutes later they went into the locker room and put their P.E. uniforms on. They weren’t allowed to have hero costumes yet, but Ayu already started to plan hers.
After changing, they walked up onto the court. A muscular figure was already waiting there and grinning. Ayu could not believe her eyes — her jaw dropped to the floor as she saw him. Their P.E. teacher was Gravitas, the number 1 hero. Ayu tried to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth, so she just stood there like a weird idiot.
“Ah! You must be the new student! Welcome to HX.” Gravitas walks up to Ayu. She looks at him amazed and just nods awkwardly, letting out a few stammers. Gravitas laughed at her for being strange and then walked back. “Ughh... great first impression,” she mumbles to herself, but Putri quickly walks up to the girl and tries to comfort her. Both quickly get shushed by the class rep.
“Today we’ll train your battle strength: heroes vs. villains. There’ll be an eight-story building and there’s gonna be a bomb located inside it. The heroes will need to find and deactivate the bomb before the villains can fire it up. You’ll have 15 minutes and I’ll select your partners,” Gravitas explains. Ayu was in a team with another boy, Jovan, and his power was fire — what a great combination! They were the “villains” and up against Putri and another girl, one with short brown hair and green eyes. Her superpower was Copy. The exercise started.
“We should probably wait for them to attack first, so we don’t lose sight of the bomb. What do you think, Ayu?”
“Pfft, don’t worry, I got this. Just, uh, make sure you don’t get cold.” Ayu smiles confidently and steps on the ground. In a split second, a huge ice wall appears. It’s as big as a skyscraper and as wide as a small village — the whole building freezes and is covered in it.
Meanwhile, in the observation room, her classmates were cheering excitedly and hyping her up, while some were thanking God that they weren’t up against Ayu. Back at the building, Ayu grins and looks at Jovan. He seems to have his feet stuck in the ice and tries using his fire on the ice to get out of it. Out of nowhere, a loud high-pitched beep fills the building. The four immediately cover their ears.
“Wait, uhh, how does that work? Ragga, help me with this.” Gravitas’ voice appears.
“Here sir, it should work now.” The class rep gives the microphone and earpiece back to their teacher.
“Thanks, I’m kinda old for this technology stuff. Anyways, the villains win. The heroes are incapacitated, and it seems like Zahra is unconscious. Well, we’ll just get Recovery Girl to handle it,” Gravitas explains.
The three of them walk out of the building and back into the observation room, where their peers are waiting. Gravitas quickly walks up to Ayu and shows her a text message on his phone. It was Dynamite and it said: “Ayu in my office. 1:15.”
“You’re excused now, Ms. Ayu.” Gravitas smiles. It usually puts people at ease, but it didn’t work this time. Dynamite wanting to see Ayu? In his office? Yeah, this couldn’t be good. Ayu was even more nervous now. This first day’s a rollercoaster of emotions. She takes a deep breath and starts walking towards his workplace timidly.
“Oh my god, I’m dead. It’s my first day at HX and I already failed. I’m dead. He’s gonna kill me,” Ayu mutters as she walks towards his office.
“Okay… think. What did I do? Is it because I was late? Oh my god, he’s gonna expel me because I was late?! I’m doomed! Dad will be so disappointed. Ugh, I’m the only HX student who got expelled on the FIRST day! Oh my god, I’m moving to New York. I’ll just apply at another hero school there and everything will be fine… What am I talking about?! Nothing will be fine!”
Before she could continue overthinking, she was already standing in front of the door. “Since when was opening a door this scary?”Ayu takes a deep breath and puts her hand on the handle, opening it smoothly. She takes a step into the room and closes the door behind her. Her head hangs low and she looks down.
“Ayu, glad to see you,” Dynamite starts. “I have no time for small talk, so let’s just get straight to business. There’s somebody I need you to train.” That made Ayu’s head whirl right back up. She now noticed another student standing next to Dynamite.
“You’re the guy from this morning! Uhh… Fajar, right?”
Before he could answer, Dynamite starts talking again.
“Wait, you guys know each other?”
“Yeah! I helped her find her class this morning. I can’t believe I’ll be training with you!”
Ayu breaks out into a grin and nods rapidly, all her worries now gone. “Yeah! Dynamite, when will we be starting?”
“Right now. Get on the field.”
They both nod at the same time and start walking.
“So Fajar, what’s your quirk?”
“It’s Glitch. Basically, I can teleport anywhere I want, I can mess with electronic devices, and I can make my voice sound like other people’s.”
“That’s sick! How come you didn’t pass the entrance exam?”
Fajar sighs. “It’s embarrassing…”
“Tell me! I won’t laugh!”
Fajar avoids eye contact and rubs his neck awkwardly. “Well, you know how the entrance exam is with robots, right?” Ayu nods.
“And yeah, my quirk works amazing against humans. That’s why I couldn’t do anything… so I just ran around like a weirdo.” Ayu laughs, not at him, but at the situation. “Seriously? Well don’t worry! I’ll make you a hero in no time. Anyways, get changed and then we’ll start!” Fajar sighs and laughs with her before going into the boys’ locker room to change. After a few minutes he came out wearing the P.E. uniform. Then both of them walk towards the field and stand against each other.
“Okay! Attack me! And don’t hold back, I mean it!”
Fajar grins and nods. He quickly disappears and teleports behind her, leaving a glitchy trail behind. Ayu laughs and quickly dodges before he can do anything and lets out the same massive ice wall from earlier. It gets Fajar stuck, and she immediately lets go again, which makes him drop to the ground.
“You still have a lot to learn, but don’t worry, you’ll learn it in no time! My method for instant hero is perfect!” Fajar grins and feels reassured at that. “Thank you for doing this, Ayu.”
They trained till the sun set low and the sky was painted in a mix of orange and yellow. Ayu was currently leaning on her knees and breathing hard, but still having her usual smile plastered on her face.
“You’re getting better! I can’t believe you almost took me down! I’m so excited for you to be in the hero course, Fajar.” Fajar sips on his water bottle and turns to Ayu. “Yeah, it was insane! But I do hope I’ll be in the same class with you, Ayu. You’re really pretty and nice.”
“Thanks, I get that a lot. Anyways, same time next day?”
“Mhm, take care Ayu, see you tomorrow.”
Fajar responds and vanishes into the boys’ locker room. Ayu nods and walks into the girls’ locker room herself to change back into the HX uniform. She takes out her phone and sees that she’s been added to a group chat on Snapchat with Putri, Jovan, Arka and Nabila.
Putri: Ayu where were you?
Ayu: You’re not gonna believe this
Ayu: Dynamite assigned me to train with a guy from general studies
Jovan: Wait who?
Ayu: Fajar
Putri: Idk him
Jovan: You don’t remember?
Jovan: The guy from the entrance exam
Putri: Oh right
Putri: Anyways let’s go to the mall
Ayu likes the last message and grins. The mall was her favourite place. She immediately boards the bus and sits down in the back, scrolling through her Instagram feed. Half an hour later, she’s at the mall and hanging out with her new group. They eat, shop, and just walk around a bit. At 9 pm, they all start to leave one by one and get back home. After a few minutes, Ayu gets home. Her house was a beautiful mansion with a Tuscan, warm vibe. “Hello Ms Ayu. How can I help you this night?” “Oh hi Bima, uh, I’m alright, but do you know if my dad’s working late tonight?” “Mr. Frostbite is working till midnight today.” “Ah, alright, well thanks for telling me.” Ayu responds and steps into the hallway. She gives her backpack to one of their maids and starts walking towards the kitchen for dinner. “Ms. Ayu, what would you like to have for dinner tonight?” their chef asks. “I’m craving some pasta, can you make me Pasta Carbonara please?” “Anything else?” “No thank you, just call me when it’s done.” “Of course.” Ayu quickly walks upstairs into her big room and changes into a black tank top and some loose grey sweatpants. She then walks into one of their many training grounds to train a bit more. After two hours, their chef appears. “Ms. Ayu, your pasta carbonara is done. It is waiting in the kitchen for you.” “Yup, thanks.” Ayu quickly falls into step with her chef and runs towards their kitchen. She may have a luxurious house and tons of servants, but her manners were not as polite as her staff’s, especially her eating manners. In under 10 seconds, that carbonara is gone and Ayu exhales, satisfied. “Oh my god, thanks, I just love your food.” “You’re welcome Ms. Ayu, and if there is anything else, I will be waiting here.” Ayu nods and starts walking to their bathroom to shower.
This first day was amazing and chaotic at the same time and it honestly couldn’t be better. After she steps out of the shower, she lays on her bed and sends a voice message to her dad.
Ayu: ▶︎·|၊|။|||။၊|။||။||။||။ 6:12
Frostbite: That sounds AMAZING honey!! I remember my first days at HX!!
Frostbite: Be sure to sleep well and don’t stay up too late sweetie
Ayu: Don’t worry dad, I won’t
Ayu then puts her phone away and turns on her TV to watch her favourite sitcom, Modern Family. One episode turned into two, and two turned into a whole season. Some episodes later, she grabs her phone again and starts texting with her friends. Before Ayu knows it, she drifts off to sleep.
The next morning, she wakes up and changes into her HX uniform before walking downstairs into the kitchen. A wonderful smelling Turkish breakfast was waiting for her on the table. Her dad was already drinking tea and looking through the newspaper. She grins and immediately runs towards him to hug him. “Good morning, DAD!” He laughs and sets the tea down before she can get to him. “How can you be so loud in the mornings already Ayu?” “Riiight, I forgot you’re a night owl. Anyway, can you please drive me to school today? Please!” “We have a driver. Why can’t he take you?” “Because I wanna show my dad off, please it’d be so cool!” Frostbite sighs and checks his watch. “I still have two hours before my shift starts, so I guess why not?” “Great! Thanks! We also have to pick up my friend Jovan.” “Alright, get ready.” Ayu giggles and walks back into her room to do her make-up and hair. After half an hour, she comes back out and walks down into the garage. She quickly runs to her favourite car, a black Rolls-Royce. Her dad bought it for her when she was born and promised that one day it’d be hers. Frostbite opens the driver’s door and sits in it. Ayu opens the back doors excitedly and closes them once she gets in. “So, where does this friend of yours live?” “Just a few streets down.” Frostbite starts the car. The engine roars to life and they drive out. After a few minutes, he finds the house of Jovan. Ayu rolls down the window and waves at him energetically. “Hello uhm, Sir Frostbite,” Jovan greets politely and gets in the car. “Thanks for driving me.” “No need for the ‘sir,’ kid, and no need to thank me, I’ll gladly do it.” Jovan nods and whispers to Ayu, “Your dad has a Rolls-Royce? That’s sick!” Ayu laughs, “Of course, what did you expect from the number three hero?” “Yeahh, you’re right, anyway, how was training with Fajar yesterday?” “It was amazing! He got so much better, and he also complimented me. To be honest, he’s kinda cute.” “Do you have a crush on him?” Ayu hesitates before answering and the tips of her ears turn red. “What? No, I don’t think so.” “You totally have a crush on him,” Jovan smirks. “Oh my god, I don’t. Drop it, moron.” Jovan laughs and shrugs his shoulders, “You seem pretty flustered to not have a crush on—” before he can finish his sentence, Ayu hits his head. “I told you to drop it... I don’t have a crush, and if I did, I’d rather talk with Nabila about this.” “Okay, okay, fine, I’ll stop. Anyway, have you heard about what happened to Laras?” Ayu shakes her head and starts listening to Jovan, but her brain is completely somewhere else. “I don’t have a crush on him, do I? No, I would know if I did. Besides, I know what having crushes feels like, I would know. Oh my god, I totally have a crush on him!” “She’s kinda weird for doing that, don’t you think?” Jovan’s voice starts to appear again, which makes Ayu’s brain snap back to reality. “Yeah, yeah, totally, I can’t believe she’d do something like that.” “Alright, we’re here kids, now go into that school and learn,” Frostbite interrupts them, looking at Ayu and Jovan through the rearview mirror. “His gaze is as cold as his name!” Jovan thinks, scared. He quickly nods and thanks him again for driving them. Then both get out of the car and start walking into school.
A random person comes up to Ayu, “Oh my god, you have a Rolls-Royce? That’s insane!” “Yeah, thanks,” Ayu mumbles. Suddenly Fajar bumps into her. “Oh, hi Ayu, haven’t seen you there, sorry. We are still training today, right? It’s hard to communicate when I don’t have your Snap.” Ayu looks at him and her ears burn again. She manages to stammer out an awkward “Uh huh.” Jovan facepalms internally at that. “Uhh, sorry dude, we’re really late for class, so we gotta go, bye, it was nice seeing you!” He quickly saves her, then grabs her arm and drags her to their class. “Okay, what the hell was that?? And you wanna tell me you don’t have a crush on him?” “Jovan! Oh my god, maybe you’re right!” “Of course I am, but that’s besides the point. He was asking for your contacts, and you didn’t give them to him! He’s gonna think that you hate him!” “Oh my god! He did? I didn’t even notice! Ughh, he’s gonna think I’m so lame! I’m so slow.” “No, no, Ayu! I mean the slow part? Yeah, but you can still save this!” “Really? How?” Ayu grabs Jovan’s shoulders and starts shaking him like a ketchup bottle. “Give him your Snap at training and just say you were tired earlier, so you didn’t really listen to him!” Ayu stops shaking him. A small but noticeable smile appears on her face. “Wait, you’re actually kinda smart!” “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” “You’ve failed third grade.” “That was an accident!” Ayu laughs. Suddenly Dynamite appears behind them. “Sit down.”
After a long day of school, Ayu meets Fajar on the training grounds. She is nervous and doesn’t know why.
“Hey Ayu.”
“Uhm, hi Fajar, how are you doing? How was school?”
“Good, we actually visited the Luminary Tower.”
“Oh my god? Seriously? That’s so cool! How was it? Tell me more!”
“Okay, okay, so first the guide told us a bit of the history, but that was a bit boring, so my friend Daffa and I got an idea. You know that “Backup Screamer” trend on TikTok?”
“Oh my god, you didn’t! That’s hilarious!” Ayu breaks out into laughter. After a few minutes of talking they start to train but have to take little breaks because Ayu is still laughing at Fajar’s story. It seems that having a crush doesn’t always need to be stressful; it can also be calm. After three hours of training Ayu collapses onto the ground, looking up at the sky, spread like a starfish. “Oh my god you’re seriously good.” “Yeah, thanks, I’ve been training for one month already.” Ayu sits up, hands behind her to hold herself, and looks at Fajar. “So, wanna train tomorrow too?” “Sure, same time?” “Actually, I’ve got a free lesson, so we can train earlier. Here, I’ll give you my Snap.” Ayu answers and stretches out her arm, demanding his phone. Fajar grins. “I’ve been waiting for this.” Ayu grins, but her ears turn red again. She can feel the warmth and tries to hide it with her hair. She quickly types in her username and gives the phone back to Fajar. “Here you go, anyways I gotta go now, my bus is leaving soon, bye Fajar.” She waves goodbye and starts to walk toward the bus station while calling the group chat and telling them about the training. They joke and laugh. Soon after she gets home and jumps under the shower. After showering she sees two new messages from Fajar.
Fajar: What are you doing?
Ayu: Nothing, I showered earlier and I’m just watching Modern Family now
Fajar: Modern Family?
Fajar: Who’s your favourite character?
Ayu: Jay, what about you?
Fajar: Mine’s Luke, but only when he’s younger, I hate older Luke
Ayu: Oh my god same!
They continued texting till 1 am, until Ayu fell asleep, leaving him on read. When she woke up again, she immediately apologized for leaving him on read, but he said that she didn’t have to worry about that and asked her how she slept. Ayu felt herself grinning at his messages and seriously acting like a lovesick puppy, but what could she do? She starts to get ready for school and her driver drives her to school. It was a normal school day, which Ayu needed. Training later with Fajar was peaceful too.
Two months later, Fajar stopped feeling like just a training buddy. He was texting her almost every evening now and hanging out with her almost every day. This afternoon, they were going to meet at a cat café. Ayu started to get ready. She did her makeup and hair and put on a low-waist blue denim short skirt and a dark blue off-the-shoulder shirt. It hugs her lean figure perfectly. To finalize the look, she pairs it with gold jewelry and throws on a brown leather bag. She puts on her usual sneakers and walks out of the house. She takes the bus to the cat café, and after 10 minutes, she sees Fajar standing there with a bouquet of flowers. Ayu walks up to him.
“Hi Fajar, I hope you didn’t wait too long.”
“Don’t worry Ayu, also I wouldn’t mind waiting if it’s for a pretty girl like you, anyways these are for you,” he says and hands her the bouquet of roses.
Ayu grins and grabs them from his hands. “Oh my god thanks, you didn’t have to.”
“You’re welcome, anyways should we go in?” Ayu nods and they enter the cat café.
Almost immediately a ginger cat jumps onto her and Ayu squats down, petting its head. “Oh my god, I love cats, they’re so cute!” she exclaims. After a few more seconds of her fussing over the little animal, they walk over to a booth and sit down. Ayu orders a matcha and Fajar a normal black coffee. They start talking and soon enough, Ayu starts to laugh at Fajar’s jokes, like she always does. They stayed two hours in the café before getting up and walking to a record shop. There was nobody there besides them. The two start comparing songs and their music taste. After an hour, they are currently sitting on the ground and enjoying slushies they got from a convenience store nearby, Ayu a red one and Fajar a blue one.
“So uhh,” Fajar starts, trying to get Ayu’s attention. “I’m not really good at this, but I really like you, from the moment I saw you, so anyways, what I’m trying to ask is, can I be your boyfriend?” Ayu’s ears burn red and she stammers, “Wait uhm, you like me? Really? I, uh, I’d love to be your girlfriend, yeah!” Fajar lets out a sigh of relief and smiles. “I was so worried you were gonna say no.” “Are you crazy?” Ayu laughs. She scoots closer to him.
For a moment the world around them seems to get quieter. Fajar brushes a strand of her hair behind her ear with his right hand, while the left hand grabs her cheek before also leaning in closer. Their lips meet. At first the kiss is soft, like it is barely there. Fajar is unsure if that is the right thing, but he can feel Ayu smiling, so he leans into it. They pull apart, faces flushed, breath uneven and both of them smiling, finally getting what their heart longs for.