The Boy Next DOOR.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Ortho... Ortho Grimwood. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you and working together hand in hand," Ortho said with a friendly smile, his eyes briefly meeting Dave's.

"Welcome, Ortho!" The room echoed with greetings, and the girls couldn't hide their excitement, exchanging glances and giggles as they admired his striking looks.

The lecturer scanned the room. "Alright, let's find you a seat."

"Yeah, sit over there, next to Mr. Dave," he pointed out. Ortho smiled graciously and made his way over.

"Good morning," Ortho greeted warmly as he approached Dave's seat.

Dropping his bag on the table, Ortho settled beside him. Rihanna, sitting nearby, shot him a sharp, suspicious glance.

"I don't like this guy," she muttered under her breath, watching Ortho and Dave exchange pleasantries. Something about Ortho felt off to her, and she couldn't shake it.

Dave shifted slightly, making space for his new seatmate. "Good morning," he replied, adjusting his position.

"So, it looks like we'll be seat partners," Ortho said, his voice calm and pleasant.

"Seems like it," Dave responded with a nod.

The lecturer's voice broke through the chatter. "Alright, everyone. Today, we'll be diving into political science…" The lecture began.

---

Hours passed quickly.

"Yeah, I've seen that movie too. It's hilarious!" Dave said, laughing with Ortho as they strolled down the hallway, their conversation light and easy.

"I didn't expect you to be this fun to talk to," Dave admitted, genuinely surprised.

"Same here," Ortho replied with a chuckle. "And the food here? Surprisingly good."

"Top notch," Dave agreed. "So... what brought you to this school?"

"I relocated recently, and this was the closest option," Ortho explained casually.

"Same for me! When I moved here, this was the only nearby school. Convenient, huh?"

"Definitely," Ortho smiled, and they both laughed again.

Suddenly, Rihanna's voice pierced the moment. "Dave, there you are! I've been looking for you since forever. Did you really ditch me for this newcomer? We used to have lunch together," she complained, her tone sharp and irritated.

"No, no, it's not like that," Dave said, a bit flustered. "I was just showing him around, and we stopped by the canteen after."

"You could've told me!" Rihanna snapped, her eyes narrowing as they flicked to Ortho. "It might be dangerous to go off like that alone."

"Don't be like that, Ri. He's new. I was just helping out, like you did for me when I first got here."

"Don't compare me to him!" she retorted, her frustration bubbling over. "Ditching me for him is not okay. Even Jordan and the others were expecting you at lunch. You could've at least told me."

Ortho, sensing the tension, tried to intervene. "I'm sorry, this is my fault. Don't blame Dave. He didn't mean to upset anyone because of me."

"Did I ask for your opinion?" Rihanna snapped coldly. "Keep it to yourself."

"Rihanna, come on!" Dave called after her as she turned to walk away, but Ortho gently grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Let her cool off," Ortho said, his voice soothing. "She'll come around."

"You think so?" Dave asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Definitely. Once she realizes she overreacted, she'll apologize."

Dave sighed. "Alright. Sorry about that. She yelled at you because of me."

"Don't worry about it," Ortho said with a reassuring smile. "She's your friend. It's only natural for her to be protective."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll talk to her later," Dave agreed, and they resumed their conversation.

---

Later, at closing hour, Rihanna, Jordan, Alex, and the rest of their group were waiting outside, watching impatiently as Dave took longer than usual to join them.

When he finally emerged, he was walking alongside Ortho, both of them laughing at something Ortho had said.

"I *hate* this guy," Rihanna fumed, her arms crossed tightly.

"Look at his face," Ryan added, his voice low. "He gives off bad vibes, like those guys who pretend to be your friend but have hidden motives."

Jordan narrowed his eyes. "The air around him feels... wrong."

"We need to stop Dave from getting too close to him," Ryan warned. "He's been through enough recently."

"Relax," Jordan said, keeping his tone measured. "Let's see where this goes. Just don't make it obvious you're suspicious, okay?"

When Dave finally reached them, he greeted them with a wide grin, hugging each of them.

"Guys, meet my new friend, Ortho. Ortho, these are my friends—Jordan, Alex, Ryan, Jake, and Rihanna," Dave said, introducing everyone.

"Yeah, I know her," Ortho said, nodding towards Rihanna. "She's the one I saw earlier at lunch."

"Yeah, and she scolded me for ditching her for you," Dave added with a laugh.

"I'm sorry, Dave," Rihanna said, her earlier frustration melting away. "I was just worried."

"It's all good," Dave replied, giving her a forgiving hug.

"By the way, has anyone seen Kelvin today?" Dave asked, looking around.

"Kelvin? No, I haven't," Jake answered.

"I don't think he showed up today," Rihanna added.

"Kelvin?" Ortho's voice chimed in. "Who's Kelvin?"

"Oh, Kelvin?" Dave smiled. "He's my boyfriend."

" Oh! Your boyfriend?, I'll love to meet him" Ortho said with a grin.

Ortho's expression shifted ever so slightly, a subtle, almost imperceptible smirk creeping onto his face. Jordan didn't miss it, his instincts sharpening.

'What's with that look? This guy is up to something,' Jordan thought, keeping a careful eye on Ortho.

"Alright, everyone, let's head home. It's getting late," Jordan announced, eager to break the moment.

"Yeah, see you all tomorrow," the group echoed, preparing to part ways.

"Dave, should I escort you home?" Ortho offered, drawing everyone's attention.

"Don't stress yourself, Ortho," Jordan cut in quickly, eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm the one who usually escorts him home."

Ortho smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh, I see. No problem, then."

"Alright, bye. See you tomorrow," Ortho said, heading toward his car, his back turned to the group.

Jordan watched him go, his unease growing as he glanced at the others. "You guys should head home. I'll go with Dave."

"What about your car?" Rihanna asked, frowning.

"I'll come back for it later. No big deal," Jordan shrugged.

Dave raised a hand, shaking his head lightly. "You really don't have to, Jordan. I'm not a kid, I can handle myself."

Jordan was insistent, his tone leaving no room for debate. "I'm escorting you, Dave. No arguments."

Dave, seeing the resolve in his friend's eyes, sighed and nodded. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

As they began to walk, Rihanna's gaze followed Ortho's car as it pulled away. "Something's not right about that guy," she whispered to herself.