Tate knew that 10th grade meant new students transferring into Salvador International High School. It was a normal thing, and she expected to see a few unfamiliar faces. Still, as she stepped into the classroom that morning, she was more focused on finding a seat than scanning for strangers.
She glanced around. Martha was already there, seated on the left side of the classroom near the window. Typical. Even sitting down, she carried that effortless grace Tate had always admired from afar. But Tate had lost whatever social battery she barely had for the day, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. She sighed and moved to the front right side of the classroom, sliding into an empty seat.
More students trickled in as the minutes passed. Some she recognized immediately, while others were fresh faces she had yet to associate with names. The bell rang, and within moments, the classroom was packed. As Tate glanced around, she spotted Landon. Their eyes met briefly. He smirked and gave her an exaggerated wink.
Tate rolled her eyes.
"Still annoying," she muttered under her breath.
Before she had time to process anything else, the new teacher walked in. He was younger than most of the other teachers she had before, with a relaxed stance that suggested he wasn't the strict type. He set down his bag, adjusted his glasses, and then clapped his hands together.
"Good morning, everyone," he said, offering a small smile. "My name is Mr. Matthew, and I'll be your homeroom teacher this year. Since we have both old and new faces in this class, let's do a quick round of introductions. I want you all to get to know each other."
Tate groaned inwardly. She hated introductions.
One by one, the students took turns introducing themselves, sharing their names and a random fact. Some were shy, others overly eager. Time moved faster than she expected, and before she knew it, the bell for lunch rang. The moment the teacher dismissed them, students rushed out of the classroom in a hurry, excited for their break.
But Tate had no intention of leaving.
She sighed, sinking into her seat and pulling out the small packed meal her mom had made for her before going to work. The last thing she wanted was to run into her so-called "friends." A part of her was relieved they weren't in the same class anymore. That was one less problem to deal with.
For now, she just wanted a quiet lunch in an empty classroom.
After lunch, the classroom filled up again. As usual, the students waited for Mr. Matthew to return, but he was taking longer than expected. Tate found herself wondering what was keeping him. The noise around her grew as students chatted about how they spent their summer—who traveled, who got a new phone, and, most commonly, who kissed who over the break.
Tate shuddered at the thought. Just imagining kissing a boy made her stomach twist. Who would even want to kiss her in the first place? She didn't compare to these girls at all.
Lost in her thoughts, she nearly missed the sound of Mr. Matthew's voice cutting through the chatter. She looked up just in time to see a boy standing beside him. He looked their age, his golden-brown skin smooth under the classroom lights, his curly hair slightly tousled. He had an easy confidence about him, but Tate couldn't help but wonder why he was only just now being brought to class after lunch.
Mr. Matthew cleared his throat. "Everyone, this is Damien Adams. He just transferred to Salvador International High School at the last minute and couldn't register during the summer, so he's been getting processed this morning."
Damien gave a short nod to the class before adding, "Uh, hey."
Almost instantly, the reaction was noticeable. The girls, especially, seemed intrigued by him, whispering among themselves and sneaking glances in his direction. It wasn't hard to see why. He was undeniably handsome—his golden brown smooth skin glowing under the classroom lights, his dark curly hair slightly tousled, giving him an effortlessly cool look.
Tate, however, only stared for a moment before looking away. Sure, he was good-looking, but she wasn't particularly captivated by him like the others seemed to be.
Mr. Matthew clapped his hands together. "Alright, Damien, there are two empty seats—one up here next to Tate and one in the back. You can take your pick."
Tate wasn't expecting much, but what happened next irritated her more than she'd like to admit.
Damien's expression barely changed, but there was something unmistakable about the way his gaze flicked toward the seat beside her before immediately looking toward the back.
"I'd rather sit at the back," he said, his voice calm but firm.
Tate's fingers curled slightly into her desk. Seriously? He just got here and already decided he didn't want to sit next to her?
Mr. Matthew, however, didn't budge. "You're new, and I want you to be able to focus on the lesson. The seat up here is better."
Damien hesitated for a second before sighing and walking toward the seat beside her. He pulled the chair out and sat down, not even glancing her way.
Tate exhaled sharply and crossed her arms. So, he didn't even want to acknowledge her existence? Fine. She wasn't exactly dying to talk to him either.
She was used to people overlooking her, but something about the way Damien had outright dismissed sitting next to her stung more than it should have. She barely knew the guy, but she already didn't like him.