Two weeks passed. Leon went through the motions—school, work, sleep. But the thought of Valorian Academy kept returning, like something he couldn't quite shake off.

  It was ridiculous. He knew it was ridiculous. But every time he saw someone mention elite careers or heard about some achievement from a top university, he thought about it. About that world Iris lived in. The one he'd wanted to be part of when they were kids.

  Maybe it was still ridiculous. But at least it was a goal.

  Then Monday happened.

  Leon was eating breakfast before school, scrolling through his phone out of habit, when the headline appeared across every news site.

  "The World's Most Eligible Bachelor—Or Not: Iris Remeria's Consistent Rejections"

  He stopped chewing.

  The article had photos. Iris at various events, always alone. Lists of names—actors, business magnates, heirs to other massive fortunes. Jake Rudolf, the action star who'd won three major awards last year. Martin Summerton, CEO of some European tech empire. Politicians, celebrities, people whose names Leon recognized from magazines and news segments.

  All of them had apparently tried to pursue Iris. Some publicly, some privately. Every single one had been rejected.

  "In a world where Iris Remeria stands alone at the top, the question remains: does anyone even exist who could match her standards? Sources close to the matter suggest she's turned down proposals from some of the world's most accomplished individuals without hesitation. When asked about relationships, Remeria's representatives simply state she has no interest in discussing her personal life."

  Leon set his phone down.

  Jake Rudolf was consistently listed as one of the most attractive men alive. Martin Summerton had built a company worth billions by age thirty. These weren't random people—they were exceptional by every measure.

  And Iris had rejected all of them.

  He looked at his apartment. His uniform hanging by the door. The overdue bills stacked on his desk. His life that barely functioned month to month.

  If people like that weren't good enough, what chance did he have? What had he ever been?

  The answer was obvious: nothing. He was nothing compared to them. Nothing compared to the world Iris existed in.

  She'd married him because their grandfathers had made a promise. That was it. An obligation she'd honored and then immediately moved on from. Eventually, she'd probably find a legal way to dissolve it quietly. Why wouldn't she?

  Leon sat there for a long moment, staring at nothing.

  Then he picked up his phone again and pulled up the Valorian Academy application page.

  If he was going to be left behind anyway—and he would be, that was inevitable—then at least he could try. Try to become someone who existed in the same world, even if he could never actually reach her level.

  It was stupid. Probably impossible. But it was better than just accepting that he'd always be this far behind.

  He bookmarked the page, finished his breakfast, and headed to school.

  At lunch, Leon pulled out his laptop instead of eating.

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  "What are you doing?" Marcus asked.

  "Research."

  "On what?"

  Leon turned the screen. Valorian Academy's requirements page.

  Marcus and Sophie both leaned in, reading. Then they looked at him.

  "You're serious?" Sophie asked.

  "Maybe."

  "Leon, that's..." Marcus hesitated. "That's actually awesome. When did you decide this?"

  "Just now, kind of."

  "What changed?"

  Leon shrugged, not wanting to explain the article or the thoughts it had triggered. "Just realized I should probably aim for something better than KFC."

  "Hell yes," Marcus said, grinning. "Okay. What do you need?"

  They spent lunch period going through everything. Academic transcripts—Leon's GPA was 3.6, which wasn't exceptional but apparently Valorian considered improvement trajectory too, and his grades had been steadily climbing. The SAT—Leon had taken it last fall, which he had prepared hard for in hope of getting a scholarship for when he goes to collage and scored 1510, which was actually strong. Recommendation letters—Mrs. Peterson might write one, maybe his chemistry teacher. Essays—three of them, all requiring substantial thought.

  "Wait," Sophie said, scrolling down the requirements page. "What's this about executive sponsorship?"

  Leon leaned in to read. His stomach sank.

  "All Valorian Academy applications must be sponsored by an executive from a recognized Fortune 500 company or equivalent international corporation. The sponsor reserves an application slot and provides a letter of recommendation. Only sponsored candidates will be considered for admission."

  "Oh," Leon said quietly.

  Marcus frowned at the screen. "So you can't even apply without some corporate executive backing you?"

  "Apparently not."

  Sophie scrolled further. "It says here that sponsors are typically family connections, business associates, or individuals who've worked directly with the candidate."

  Leon closed his laptop. "Well, that's that then."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I don't know any executives. I work at KFC. Who exactly would sponsor me?"

  "There has to be a way," Sophie said.

  "There isn't. This is for people with connections. That's the whole point of places like Valorian."

  Marcus was quiet, staring at his phone. Then he looked up.

  "I can get you a sponsor."

  Leon and Sophie both turned to him.

  "What?" Leon said.

  "I can get you a sponsorship. It'll take me a bit, but I can make it happen."

  "How?"

  "Don't worry about it. Just trust me." Marcus's expression was serious. "Focus on everything else—your grades, your essays, your test scores. I'll handle the sponsorship."

  "Marcus, you can't just—"

  "Leon." Marcus met his eyes. "I said I'll handle it. Do you want to do this or not?"

  Leon hesitated. Something about Marcus's certainty felt off, but his friend had never let him down before.

  "Yeah. I want to do this."

  "Then work on what you can control. Let me worry about the sponsor."

  Sophie looked between them. "Are you sure about this, Marcus?"

  "Positive."

  "Okay then." She pulled out a notebook. "Let's make a timeline. Six weeks until priority deadline. Leon, you need to get those recommendation letters secured this week. Start drafting your essays. We can review them together."

  "I'll help with the essays too," Marcus added, back to his usual energy. "And you should join some clubs, even this late. Shows initiative."

  "Clubs start meeting in what, a week?" Sophie checked her phone. "Community service and debate are both still accepting members."

  They kept planning, breaking down tasks, setting deadlines. Leon participated, taking notes, but his mind kept circling back to Marcus's offer.

  How could Marcus possibly get him an executive sponsor? What connections did he have that Leon didn't know about?

  But his friend seemed confident. And Leon didn't have any other options.

  "Leon, you listening?" Sophie asked.

  "Yeah. Sorry."

  "I said you should ask Mr. Harrison tomorrow about the recommendation letter. He likes you."

  "Right. I'll ask him after class."

  They continued through lunch, mapping out the next six weeks. By the time the bell rang, Leon had a clear list of tasks and deadlines.

  As they packed up, Marcus caught his arm. "Hey. Stop worrying about the sponsor. I've got it."

  "How though?"

  "Just trust me, okay? Focus on making the rest of your application as strong as possible."

  Leon nodded slowly. He didn't understand, but he didn't have much choice.

  "Thanks, Marcus."

  "That's what friends are for."

  They headed to their next classes. Leon's mind was already running through essay topics, thinking about how to frame his work experience and academic improvement. It felt surreal—actually preparing for something like Valorian Academy.

  But also right, somehow.

  Even if he failed, at least he was trying. That had to mean something.

  His phone buzzed with a text from Sophie: you can do this!

  Then Marcus: seriously though, don't stress about the sponsor. i got you

  Leon pocketed his phone and walked into English class. For the first time in a while, the future felt like it might hold something other than just surviving.

  He pulled out his notebook and started brainstorming essay ideas.

  Six weeks. He could work with that.