Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

The music hall was alive with noise—voices, scattered laughter, and the occasional awkward attempt at harmonizing from the choir students as a girl strolled in like she owned the place, her confidence radiating with every step.

She flashed a quick smile to the group up front, a small wave here, a soft "hey" there. They were used to her by now—the beautiful blonde who didn't seem to care about rules or fitting in. She wasn't part of the choir, but she came in often enough that nobody bothered questioning her. Some of the students even liked her there; she had this calm, observing vibe that made them feel like their messy rehearsals weren't a total disaster.

She moved past them, her eyes scanning the room until she got to the back. Her favorite seat was always open—right near the far wall where the sound of instruments was soft enough to lull her into her thoughts but loud enough to feel alive.

Except today, it wasn't empty.

A boy was stretched out, his long legs draped over the seat like he was in his living room. His eyes were closed, and his lips moved softly as he hummed along to a song she vaguely recognized but couldn't name. It wasn't exactly her vibe, but the way his voice carried through the space—cold and unbothered but oddly soothing—was... something.

Her brows lifted slightly. Well, this is new.

Without much hesitation, she moved to the small space he'd left and sat down, her weight sinking the cushion just enough to jostle him. He shifted slightly, his eyes fluttering open as if waking from a half-dream. Those gray eyes met hers, and for a second, they just stared, sizing each other up like opponents in a sparring match.

"You're kinda rude, you know that?" she said, her voice light but laced with a hint of teasing.

"Rude?" His voice was deeper than she expected, with a sharp edge that matched the disinterest in his gaze. He pushed himself up, looking around at the now-filled music room. "Hardly. At least I didn't squeeze myself into someone else's seat while they were trying to get some peace of mind."

She smirked, leaning back like she wasn't fazed. "That's exactly what I mean. Not only are you sprawled out here like you own the place, but you were singing, enough to drown out the rest of them. You ever think maybe they don't need you stealing their thunder?"

He blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness. "What kind of logic is that?"

Before she could reply, he shook his head, cutting her off. "Look, lady, I was here before any of them. I wasn't trying to 'steal thunder' or whatever you're getting at. I don't even like attention. I don't even know why I need to explain myself to you. If your curiosity's satisfied, can I go now?"

Her lips curved into an amused smile as she shook her head. "You look familiar."

"And you don't," he shot back without hesitation, swinging his legs off the couch as he stood. "Now, can I pass?"

"You're Parker Black, aren't you?" she said suddenly, her eyes narrowing as if she was piecing a puzzle together. "I've seen you all over the school blog since this morning."

Parker froze for half a second, his jaw tightening. Then he exhaled sharply, his shoulders dropping just a little. "Wow. I'm honored," he deadpanned. "Now, seriously, can I pass? I'd really appreciate it."

Her smile widened as she leaned back, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

She grinned as she leaned back in the seat, completely ignoring the slight irritation flickering across Parker's face. "Relax, Mr. Famous. I'm not here to bite your head off. Sit back down."

Parker stared at her for a beat longer before reluctantly dropping back into the chair, his expression unreadable. She was a bit surprised how easily he agreed.

"So…" Atalanta tilted her head, a teasing smile curling her lips. "Wanna be friends?"

"No." The answer came immediately, without an ounce of hesitation, leaving her blinking in surprise before bursting into laughter.

"Well, damn," she said, still laughing. "Guess you're not into the whole buddy-buddy vibe, huh? Don't worry, I'm not trying to cling to you or whatever. I'm not Cleopatra or Maya."

He raised a brow at that, clearly unimpressed. "You sure know a lot for someone who isn't trying to cling."

She shrugged, her grin still annoyingly smug. "That's what happens when some dude becomes the center of attention all day. You think I wanna hear about you? Hell no. But it's like... people just won't shut up. Info slips in, and now I'm cursed with the knowledge."

For a second, Parker's mouth twitched like he might actually smile, but he quickly buried it under a nod of understanding. "Fair enough," He paused, tilting his head slightly. "But seriously, why do you wanna be friends?"

Atalanta shrugged again, a little more thoughtfully this time. "I don't know. Maybe because I don't have any guy friends? Could be that."

He gave her a skeptical look, his tone flat. "Yeah, right. That's impossible. You could snap your fingers and have half the guys at this school lining up to be your 'friend.' Hell, I could introduce you to Ryan right now—dude would probably faint from excitement."

She shook her head, laughing softly. "See, that's the difference," she said, her voice a bit quieter but still holding its usual edge. "Yeah, sure, getting a guy friend wouldn't be hard. Boys practically throw themselves at me—"

"Wow, cocky much?" Parker cut in, finally cracking a small laugh. "But… you're not wrong. I mean, given how you look, you could probably get whoever you want."

"Exactly." She nodded, her grin flashing again. "But I can't get you. Not even as a friend."

"That's right," he agreed, leaning back with a smirk. "Because—"

"—you're not just any boy," she finished for him, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. For the first time, Parker let out a genuine laugh, the sound low and smooth.

"So," she said, tilting her head curiously, "what are you even doing in the music hall?"

He smirked slightly. "Changing strategies?"

"Ha-ha." She rolled her eyes. "No, seriously. You don't exactly strike me as a guy who's into music. Not this kind of music, anyway."

He nodded, his expression softening just a bit. "I actually like music. Just… not the way these guys do."

"So why here, then?"

He sighed, his gaze drifting toward the front of the room where the choir was still practicing. "Because it was quiet when I got here. No one was inside."

Atalanta's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Ah, I get it. Popularity isn't all rainbows and roses, huh?"

"You could say that," he muttered, the corner of his mouth twitching again. They exchanged a small, quiet laugh, the tension between them easing.

"So," Parker said after a moment, giving her a sideways glance, "why are you here? And judging by the way you practically claimed the remains of my seat and defended the choir's honor, I'm guessing you're a regular?"
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She nodded, her fingers lightly drumming against her thigh. "Yeah, it's kind of my go-to spot after class. I like the sound of the instruments… and the voices too."

"Even though they're not that good?" he asked, smirking faintly.

"That's right." She laughed. "But at least it's comfortable here. And, let's be real—that's why you're here too."

He nodded again, his gray eyes softening ever so slightly. She extended her hand, her grin wide and genuine. "I'm Atalanta."

"I know." He hesitated for a beat before taking her hand, his grip warm and firm. "Nice to meet you, Atalanta. It's Parker. Parker Black."

"I know," she echoed with a cheeky grin. Her hand lingered in his for a second before she pulled it back. "So… does this make us friends now?"

Parker raised a brow but eventually shrugged. "Why not? Let's give it a shot."

She didn't waste any time pulling out her phone. "Alright, give me your number."

He gave her a look, but when she didn't back down, he sighed and handed it over. She typed something quickly before hitting send. Parker's phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen before locking it without replying.

"Seriously?" she said, laughing. "You're not even gonna text back?"

With a faint smirk, and said, "Hi." Directly.

She burst out laughing. "Wow, you're hilarious, Parker. Truly."

He didn't reply, his lips quirking as he stood up. "I'm leaving. Probably best not to drag my new 'friend' into the mess that's about to follow me."

"Oh, please save me from all of it," she joked, laughing as she scooted out of his way.

He walked off, hands shoved into his pockets, his head tilted slightly downward. She watched him go, a thoughtful smile tugging at her lips.

"He's interesting," she murmured to herself.

"I told you." The voice came from a girl sitting in front of her—Cassandra, her head tilted smugly toward Atalanta.

Atalanta groaned, throwing her head back. "Ugh, I hate that smug, victorious grin, Cassie."

Cassandra just laughed, the sound light and teasing.