The rhythmic thwack-thwack-thwack of hammers and the high-pitched whine of electric drills echoed down the street long before we even rounded the final corner. The air smelled of sawdust, fresh asphalt, and sweat—the unmistakable, chaotic scent of a massive construction project pushing toward the finish line.
But when we finally turned onto the school's road, my breath caught in my throat.
I stopped dead in my tracks, my jaw slipping open. "Demetrius..."
"I told you," he murmured, his arm tightening around my waist, a deep thread of pride vibrating in his voice. "They've been working day and night."
It wasn't just a skeleton of a building, that I was expecting. The entire school structure was fully erected, standing proud against the summer sky. It wasn't massive like a sprawling high
