woke up groggily the next morning, feeling like I hadn't slept at all. The night before, I'd fallen asleep on the couch during Pride and Prejudice, curled up next to Mom. She didn't seem to mind — she stayed up watching until the credits rolled, sipping her smoothie, while I drifted off in the middle of Elizabeth and Darcy's tense little standoffs. At some point, she shook me awake, told me to head to bed, and I barely managed to drag myself upstairs. I was so exhausted I didn't even remember pulling on my pajamas.
Now, with my head pounding and my body heavy, I forced myself out of bed. The clock mocked me with how late it was. No time for snoozing, not if I wanted to avoid Eli's wrath. I stumbled into the bathroom for a quick shower, hoping the water would snap me out of this zombie state. It didn't. My hair was a mess, but I didn't care. I yanked it into a low ponytail and grabbed my hoodie — my security blanket. I didn't feel like being seen today. Not by anyone.
The glasses went on too, even though my eyesight was fine. I liked the barrier they gave me. A way to dull the stares, soften the harshness of school hallways filled with faces I didn't trust yet.
Downstairs, Eli was already waiting by the door, phone in one hand, basketball duffel slung over his shoulder. He glanced up, one brow raised. "What took you so long?" he grumbled.
I mumbled something about oversleeping and grabbed a piece of toast, stuffing it in my mouth as we headed out. No deep sibling heart-to-hearts here. Eli wasn't the type. And honestly, neither was I.
In his car, he turned the volume up on his usual playlist — loud, thumping rap that made my ears ache. Migos, Travis Scott, the kind of tracks he swore were 'real music.' I let it slide, not in the mood to argue about taste when my brain still felt half-asleep.
When we reached school, it was as chaotic as ever. Teenagers everywhere, the constant hum of conversations, locker doors slamming. Eli barely said goodbye before vanishing into a group of seniors, leaving me to navigate the crowd on my own.
I made my way to my locker, keeping my head down. Same hoodie, same routine. No eye contact, no conversations. I could do this.
Then, like clockwork, Mina appeared.
"Good morning, Alicia!" she chirped, practically bouncing as she reached me. "You look so cute today!"
I fought the urge to roll my eyes but managed a faint smile. "Morning, Mina."
"I saved you a seat in history!" she beamed.
"I've got literature first," I reminded her gently.
"Ohhh, right! That's the class with the hotties," she giggled.
"Right," I said, hoping she'd get the hint that I wasn't interested in tracking the school's so-called eye candy. I just wanted to survive the day.
We parted ways, Mina practically skipping down the hallway, and I shook my head, amused despite myself. She was relentless — and maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
I grabbed my notebook and turned to head to class when it happened. Paul Vert — tall, careless, cold — brushed past me, and something small hit the floor with a faint clink. A key holder.
I bent down without thinking and scooped it up. "Hey, you dropped this," I called after him.
He kept walking.
"Hey!" I tried again, jogging a few steps to catch up.
Finally, he stopped, turned, and hit me with a glare so sharp it could've cut through steel. The hallway seemed to pause around us, everyone watching.
I held out the key holder. "You, uh, dropped this."
Without a word, without even a flicker of gratitude, he snatched it from my hand. Just like that. No thanks. No nod. Nothing.
I felt my stomach twist with a mix of embarrassment and anger. It wasn't the rejection — it was how he made it look like I was chasing him. Like I was just another one of those girls desperate for a moment of his attention.
His perfect fragrance lingered in the air as he walked away — crisp, clean, a little expensive — and it made me even more irritated that I noticed. I wished I'd just left that stupid thing on the ground.
Then, from behind me, Eli's voice cut through my thoughts, low and teasing. "Someone's got a crush," he chuckled as he passed, heading toward his next class.
I gritted my teeth and turned away, my face burning. "Shut up, Eli," I muttered under my breath.
As I stalked down the hallway, I noticed Ryan leaning against the lockers up ahead, his eyes locked on me. Not in a flirty way. In a weird, unreadable way. Like he was trying to figure something out. I ignored him. Whatever it was, I didn't have the energy for it today.
But just as I passed a cluster of girls by the lockers, Brielle's voice rose loud and clear. "She's such a freak," she sneered, and the sound of snickering followed.
I didn't even flinch. I was getting good at pretending. But what made me pause was the girl standing next to Brielle — the same one I'd seen kissing Ryan on my first day. Now, she was laughing with Brielle like they were best friends.
Wait… they're friends? I blinked, my stomach tightening. This school's social web is way too weird.
I kept walking, too angry to focus on it. I hated that they were getting to me. Hated that Paul's stupid cold stare and Brielle's words and Ryan's weird glances were cluttering up my head.
Why do I even care? I asked myself, shoving my hands in my pockets. I didn't come here to be part of their drama. And yet, somehow, I kept getting dragged into it.
Maybe it wasn't them. Maybe it was me. Maybe I just wasn't built for blending in.
But as much as I told myself not to let it matter, some part of me still wanted to understand what was going on in this school. Why Paul Vert wore gloves in ninety-degree weather. Why Brielle hated me on sight. Why Ryan kept staring like he knew something I didn't.
Maybe I shouldn't care… but I did.
I sighed as the bell rang, the hallway finally beginning to thin out. I had another long day ahead. Another round of pretending none of it bothered me.
And even though I hated to admit it — I was already caught in whatever mess this place was hiding.