Whether she ignored it or not, the chilly breeze would still creep into every little corner, every tiny gap. And just like that, there were people—whether she wanted them to or not—who would gradually, little by little, carve themselves into her life.
The next morning, as the first light of dawn broke through, the breath of autumn still lingered on the windowpane, painting a thin veil of mist that shrouded reality.
Serena buried her face in the pillow, the chirping of birds outside the window blending with the soft morning sunlight that filtered through the curtains, casting faint streaks of light onto her bed. The crisp autumn air carried a slight chill, but it couldn't dispel the laziness clinging to every fiber of her being.
Today was the first day of school—a day that should have been filled with excitement. Yet, for Serena, it brought nothing but boredom. She pulled the blanket over her head, letting out a long sigh, as if trying to escape from the world outside.
6:30 AM. Her phone rang. Half-asleep, she groggily picked it up, yawning:
"Hello? Hello?? Serena, are you awake?"
"No..."
"Do you even know what time it is?"
"I know. Serena doesn't care."
"DO YOU WANT TO LIVE? IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!"
Was still half-dreaming, stretching lazily with droopy eyes that hadn't fully adjusted to the morning. But the words "FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!" struck like a bolt of lightning. An adrenaline rush surged through her body.
In an instant, while her brain was still processing the information, her body had already reacted on instinct. She bolted upright, dashed into the bathroom like a sprinter at the starting line, nearly smashing her face into the door in her haste.
Ten minutes later, a dark figure shot towards the school at top speed—like an express delivery package.
Mumbling curses under her breath, she grumbled,
"Damn it, who invented early morning classes?!"
Upon reaching the school gates, she was immediately swept into a whirlwind known as "freshmen." A herd of enthusiastic first-years charged forward like a stampede of wild buffalo. Shouts and excited calls filled the air. Before she could make sense of the situation, she was already being pushed forward by the tide of students, her feet barely touching the ground.
"Holy crap!!! Calm down, people! I don't wanna die yet!!!" she yelled, struggling to escape.
But fate was merciless. In a split second, she saw a flagpole ahead—rushing toward her at the speed of light. She barely had time to let out one last exclamation before her fate was sealed:
"Damn it—!"
(Outcome: almost smashed into the flagpole.)
Once inside the classroom, Serena chose a seat by the window, trying to blend into the background. She wanted a peaceful school year, free from unnecessary trouble. The golden sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on her soft hair.
But she simply tilted her head, tugging at the hem of her uniform to block out the brightness. With a deep sigh, she tried to shake off a bad feeling—this school year wouldn't be as uneventful as she hoped.
And of course, life wasn't that easy.
The teacher held up a list of assigned project partners and read aloud:
"Serena Egbert – Cedric Lawrence."
The entire class: "OHHHHHH~~~~!"
Serena: Shit…
She turned her head in despair, only to meet Cedric's gaze—half-amused, half-mocking. His dark eyes held an unreadable glint as he tilted his head slightly, the corners of his lips curling up as if waiting for her reaction.
Looking at his infuriatingly handsome but annoying face, Cedric suddenly felt like she was facing a cunning fox who had just found an interesting prey. He seemed to be thinking:
"What? Never seen someone this handsome, arrogant, and cool before—while also making you want to punch something?"
Serena tightened her grip on her pen, her face impassive, but internally she was screaming. Taking a deep breath to maintain her composure, she raised her hand and politely—yet desperately—asked,
"Miss, may I switch partners?"
But inside, she wanted to flip the table and scream, "Why the hell HIM?!"
The teacher smiled gently. "No."
Cedric rested his chin on his hand, looking at her with a lazy smirk.
"Is being paired with me really that unbearable?"
Serena gritted her teeth.
"Even worse than wisdom tooth pain."
The class: Drama incoming!!!
During the break, Lilie Smith sneaked up to her, whispering,
"Did you hear? There's a rumor that Cedric has someone special this year!"
"A rumor?"
"Not sure, but they say it's a very unique girl."
At that moment, Cedric leaned against the wall, watching Serena with an unreadable expression.
"What do you think?" he asked casually.
Serena pretended not to care.
"I don't."
Yet, for some reason, a strange irritation bubbled inside her. It felt like a small weight pressing on her chest—not painful, but uncomfortable enough to annoy her. She didn't like this feeling, nor the way his gaze seemed to see right through her.
Taking a deep breath, she shook off the unnecessary thoughts. No, she couldn't get involved in trouble. The best course of action was to keep her distance from Cedric.
So, for the rest of the morning, Serena deliberately avoided him. She sat in the farthest corner of the classroom, took detours to the cafeteria, and even turned around the moment she spotted him in the hallway.
But life, of course, had other plans.
During the next break, fate threw her into an even worse situation.
She had planned to escape to the library, but the moment she stepped into the hallway, a group of girls blocked her path. Their gazes—curious, excited, and tinged with jealousy—landed on her all at once.
"You're Serena Egbert, right?" One girl with a high ponytail crossed her arms, eyeing her from head to toe.
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"
The girl scoffed, narrowing her eyes. "Are you really partners with Cedric?"
Ah… so that's what this was about.
Serena instantly understood. Being paired with the school's most sought-after bad boy wasn't going to be an easy ride. With an entire fanclub of admirers, she—someone who only wanted a peaceful life—had unwillingly been thrown into the storm's eye.
Before she could respond, another girl chimed in, unable to hide her jealousy:
"Didn't she do it on purpose? Normally, Cedric doesn't get close to anyone…"
Serena felt a headache coming on.
She had zero interest in Cedric, yet thanks to one stupid project pairing, she was now the target of gossip.
Not wasting any more breath, she coolly said, "You guys have way too much free time."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving behind their fuming expressions.
As she passed the hallway, she unintentionally caught sight of Cedric leaning against the wall, peeling the wrapper off a piece of candy.
Strawberry-flavored.
She paused. The infamous school tyrant—cold, untouchable, and intimidating—actually liked strawberry candy?
Blinking in disbelief, she tried to process the scene.
Before she could say anything, Cedric noticed her stare. He stopped mid-movement, as if caught doing something embarrassing. But he quickly regained his composure, twirling the candy in his fingers before teasing,
"Want one?"
Serena narrowed her eyes.
"Are you trying to bribe a minor?"
smirked, unwrapped the candy, and tossed it into his mouth. His voice was slow, almost taunting:
"Too late. You're already the second person to share candy with me."
She froze. Second person?
Her heart skipped a beat. Before she could react, he simply shrugged and walked past her, his voice nonchalant,
"Don't overthink it. It's just a piece of candy."
Serena stood frozen, staring at the candy she had just eaten.
Damn it.
Why… did it suddenly taste even sweeter?