"I... I need to go to the bathroom," Seraphina managed to murmur, her voice still shaky and uncertain. She couldn't deal with the situation right now, not with all eyes on her.

Evangeline nodded quickly, putting her arm around Seraphina in a supportive gesture. "Of course, let's go," she said, giving Eugenio a meaningful look before leading Seraphina out of the room.

Once they were out of sight, Seraphina let herself collapse against the corridor wall, her legs trembling too much to support her. Evangeline knelt beside her, her expression filled with concern.

"Seraphina, what happened?" She asked, her voice soft and comforting.

Seraphina swallowed, trying to find the words to express what she was feeling. "I... I don't know, Evangeline," she admitted, her voice almost a whisper. "Eugenio... He said that... that he's in love with me."

Evangeline widened her eyes, surprised. "He... what?" She stammered, clearly as shocked as Seraphina.

Seraphina nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "I... I don't know what to think," she admitted, her words coming out in a whisper. "I... I'm scared, Evangeline. Scared that he's playing with me, scared that he's taking advantage of me."

"I... I'm not beautiful, Evangeline. Not smart, not special. I don't see why... why he would be interested in me," Seraphina continued, her words becoming more desperate as she continued to belittle herself. Her blindness had always been a sensitive point for her, and Eugenio declaring his love for her made her feel even more insecure.

Evangeline squeezed Seraphina's hand, trying to convey as much comfort as possible. "Seraphina, you don't need to belittle yourself," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "You're a wonderful person. And if Eugenio doesn't see that, then he doesn't deserve you."

Seraphina shook her head, her tears now flowing freely. "But you don't understand, Evangeline. I... I can't see. I can't see the expressions on his face, I can't see if he's being sincere or lying. All I can do is trust his words, and that scares me."

Evangeline fell silent for a moment, pondering Seraphina's words. She knew that, despite her own doubts, it was important to support her sister in this moment of vulnerability.

"Seraphina, I know it's difficult. But you're not alone, okay? I'm here with you," Evangeline finally said, helping Seraphina to her feet and leading her toward the bathroom.

Seraphina nodded, allowing Evangeline to guide her. But despite the comfort her sister's words provided, she was still scared. Scared and, above all, confused. Because, despite all her insecurities, a part of her wanted to believe Eugenio. She just didn't know if she should.

Evangeline guided Seraphina down the hallway, moving with care and consideration to not rush her sister. They reached the college bathroom, a clean and well-lit place. Fluorescent lights shone on the white tiled floor, and the walls were painted a soothing light blue, making the space appear larger than it actually was. There was a large mirror above the sinks and several stalls lined against the opposite wall.

Evangeline helped Seraphina into one of the stalls, guiding her to the toilet. She made sure Seraphina was seated safely before closing the door, leaving her alone to compose herself.

As she waited outside, Evangeline found herself lost in her own thoughts. Eugenio. The name felt strange in her mind, like it belonged to a stranger who had suddenly become an intrusive part of their lives. It was strange to think that a man she barely knew could have such an effect on her sister, especially on her first day of college.

Evangeline had to admit that the situation made her uncomfortable. She barely knew Eugenio, and the fact that he was professing his love to Seraphina so early made her question his intentions. She decided she needed to know more about him. Eugenio was in his senior year, so the teachers must know something about him, right?

After a few minutes of silence, Evangeline lightly knocked on the cabin door. "Seraphina, are you okay in there?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

There was a pause before Seraphina finally responded. "I... I think so," she said, her voice still a bit shaky.

Evangeline sighed in relief. "Good... When you're ready, let's get out of here, okay? We can go home if you want."

There was another, longer pause before Seraphina finally spoke up again. "Evangeline... do you think Eugenio was serious?"

Evangeline hesitated, not wanting to raise Seraphina's hopes in case Eugenio was just playing around. But she also didn't want to discourage her if he was telling the truth. "I... I don't know, Seraphina," she admitted. "But I'll find out. I promise."

"You will?" Seraphina asked, surprised. "But... how? You hardly know him."

"I'll ask the teachers about him," Evangeline said, determined. "They must know something about him, right? They can at least tell us if he's the kind of person who plays with others' feelings."

Seraphina fell silent for a moment, considering Evangeline's words. "I... I think that would be a good idea," she finally admitted. "Thank you, Evangeline."

Evangeline smiled, relieved that Seraphina agreed with her plan. "You're welcome, sister," she said. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"Okay," Seraphina agreed, finally emerging from the stall. Evangeline hugged her, promising herself that she would do everything she could to protect Seraphina, no matter what happened.

*********

Meanwhile, in the classroom, the atmosphere was tense. Erika stared at Eugenio, her eyes narrow and suspicious. "Hey, jerk, what did you do to her?" She demanded, her voice dripping with acidity.

Eugenio raised his hands defensively, a mocking smile on his face. "What? Are you crazy or something? She almost stumbled, I just helped her," he replied, with a defiant posture.

Then, Rafael, a curious onlooker of the whole scene, intervened. He casually put his arm around Eugenio's neck, pulling him closer. "She seemed very surprised, what exactly did you say to her? Give us the details," he pressed, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

Eugenio just smiled, an air of mystery on his face. "You'll find out later. Don't insist now," he said, heightening the tension in the air. He kept a secret, and he had no intention of revealing it until the bet was won.

Erika frowned, unsatisfied with the response. "This can't be good," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Eugenio stared at her, his eyes narrowing in calculation. He was considering whether to use his powers on Erika to find out what was going on in her mind. Even though he knew she would probably suffer some consequences if he did, he didn't seem to care much about her possible discomfort.

"Hey, man! What kind of creepy look is that?" Rafael interrupted, pulling Eugenio away before he had a chance to activate his powers. Not that he knew about Eugenio's powers, but he recognized the predatory look of his friend. He had seen enough to know that something was about to happen, and he didn't want Erika to be the victim this time.

"Are you implying that I have a creepy face?" Eugenio retorted, anger flashing in his eyes. "Your face is the one that looks like it's from a horror movie."

Rafael laughed, a loud and contagious sound that filled the space between them. "My face is beautiful, my dear Eugenio. As for your face... well, let's just say nature wasn't so kind," he teased, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.

Eugenio responded with a disdainful grunt. "Get lost, Rafael," he replied, rolling his eyes. "I'm getting some water. Erika, do you want me to bring a bottle for you too?" He asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

Rafael shook his head, laughing softly. "No, thanks, Eugenio. I'd rather keep my hydration away from your hands," he replied, sarcasm returning to his voice.

Erika looked at Eugenio, her eyes carefully analyzing him. "No," she finally answered, her voice firm. "I'm fine."

With a nod of his head, Eugenio turned and left the room, leaving behind a trail of tension.

Rafael looked at Erika, concerned. "Are you okay? You look scared. I know his look can be intimidating, but he's not that scary," he said, trying to reassure her.

Erika turned to him, a confident smile on her face. "I'm not scared, Rafael," she assured. "His look just reminded me of something, nothing major. Don't worry, I'm not afraid of him. He's more fragile than he seems."

Rafael frowned, intrigued. "Fragile, him? Well, you're not entirely wrong, but how do you know? You're a keen observer, Erika. Have you been keeping tabs on him in the three years we've studied together?" He asked, his curiosity clearly piqued. Erika just smiled, returning to her desk without answering, leaving Rafael with his thoughts and unanswered questions.

******************

Eugenio walked with an unsettling calmness down the well-lit college hallway, filled with students. His hands slid casually into the pockets of his black pants, as if they were exploring their own secret world. He pondered on whom he should use his power on, this question hung in his mind like a heavy cloud.

As he neared a vending machine, his thoughts were interrupted by a gruff voice. "Hey, fatty, did you do what I asked? Looks like you didn't." The words came from an intimidating man with a mohawk-style haircut, shiny earrings adorning his ears, and muscles that seemed ready to burst out of his tight shirt. He was speaking to a chubby boy, whose eyes nearly disappeared into his chubby face, covered in a layer of nervous sweat.

Next to the strong man stood a stunningly beautiful girl. Her long brown hair cascaded in soft waves over her shoulders, and her brown eyes gleamed with a mix of concern and anger. Dressed in an elegant button-up shirt and a brown skirt, she looked out of place in the scene. "Please, Alisson, don't do this to him, he's my friend," she pleaded, her voice trembling slightly.

"Don't worry, it's just a prank. I bet he's enjoying it," Alisson replied with a mocking smile. With a quick and cruel movement, he kicked the chubby boy, who fell into an awkward heap right in front of Eugenio.

"Please... Help me," the chubby boy whispered to Eugenio, his eyes pleading for some form of salvation. The hallway seemed to have frozen around them, all eyes turned to the unfolding scene.

"Help?" Eugenio repeated the word with a tone of disdain, as if the concept of helping others was strange and foreign to him. His gray eyes analyzed the chubby boy lying helpless at his feet before shifting his gaze to the surrounding students with expressions of shock and horror. "Why should I help? I have no connection to you, I don't... Well... I'll help," he suddenly decided, more to himself than to the chubby boy, "But not for your sake, understand. Sometimes, we have to do unpleasant things to maintain our reputation."

He spoke with a calm and controlled voice, contrasting with the palpable tension in the air. "Really?" the chubby boy questioned, uncertainty tinting his tone. "I'm serious," Eugenio assured, bending down to whisper in the boy's ear. "But you owe me more than a dozen sodas for this. Are we clear?"

Without waiting for a response, Eugenio straightened up and took a step toward Alisson, who was just a short distance away. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?" he greeted, the casualness in his voice seeming out of place amidst the commotion. "Could you stop this? It's not a good way to behave."

Alisson looked at him, his expression a mix of surprise and contempt. "Who are you?" he growled, approaching Eugenio with heavy steps. His muscles seemed to ripple under his tight shirt, each movement emphasizing the underlying threat in his voice. "Haven't you learned not to get involved in situations where you're not called? Who do you think you are to come here with your big mouth?"