"…Alright, class, keep it down. Today, we have a new friend joining us"
The moment she said that, every eye in the room turned toward me.
Here it is.
The real battlefield.
Not outside the gate.
Here.
In a room full of strangers, hormones, and unspoken social rules more complex than international diplomacy.
One wrong move, and you're that guy for the rest of the year.
But I've already got my plan.
A carefully crafted survival guide, I call: 'How-To-Survive-The-Hell-On-Earth-Called-High-School' Plan.
Step one: Don't stand out.
Step two: Don't get involved.
Step three: Avoid the teacher who looks like she reads students' souls for fun.
Which brings us to the present.
"Rey," The teacher called, her voice smooth and clear, but laced with something… Sharp.
I looked up.
She was beautiful, no doubt about that.
The kind of beauty that made the boys sit straighter and the girls roll their eyes.
But the way she held herself… Calm, precise, observant... Yeah. Definitely the type to avoid.
Probably the kind of teacher who remembers your name and your blood type after one introduction.
"Yes, Ma'am?" I replied.
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Can you kindly introduce yourself to your friends?"
Ah. 'Friends', she says.
Sure.
Let me just lie to thirty people at once.
I walked slowly to the front of the class, every step echoing like I was walking into an execution room.
Then I turned to face them... A sea of expressions: curious, bored, indifferent, judgmental.
Showtime.
"…My name is Rey. Rey Putra," I began, keeping my voice calm, even. "I'm a second-year transfer student. I don't talk much, but I listen. I'm not good at remembering names, so don't be mad if I forget yours. That's… All"
Short. Safe. Boring.
Exactly as planned.
A few students whispered to each other.
Some chuckled.
One guy at the back smirked like he had already decided I was weird.
The teacher nodded, almost amused.
"Alright, Rey, you can sit… There. Next to Aika"
She pointed to an empty desk near the window.
Of course.
Window seat. Cliche, but I'm not complaining.
I gave a small nod and walked toward my desk, doing my best not to make eye contact with anyone.
But as I passed a certain row, I felt it.
A stare.
Someone was watching me. Intently.
I ignored it. For now.
Survival Rule #4: If someone stares at you on Day One, pretend you didn't notice.
As I reached my supposed desk, the girl the teacher called Aika glanced at me.
Her eyes were sharp, cool, and unreadable.
The cold-type girl.
Yup. I could already tell.
"…Hello"
That was enough.
No more, no less.
With girls like her, you don't push it.
Keep it simple, let the silence do the work.
She gave a slight nod, barely a reaction, then turned her gaze out the window, clearly done with me.
'Lost interest already?'
Fine by me.
I slid into the seat next to her and placed my bag down gently.
Mission: Sit Down Without Drawing Attention - Completed.
"…Alright, guys," The teacher said from the front of the class, clapping her hands with that overly cheerful tone adults use when they want you to pretend everything's fine, "Before we begin, let me ask… How was your holiday?"
She smiled. Wide. Bright. Polished.
Fake.
Totally fake.
But I wasn't complaining.
That kind of smile is basic adult survival gear.
Same as my plan.
We all fake something.
I leaned back slightly, letting the morning light brush against my desk.
Day One had officially begun.
And it was already exhausting.
As the classroom buzzed with chatter about holiday trips, beach days, and family reunions, I stared out the window at the drifting clouds.
Calm. Distant. Untouchable.
And yet… I could feel it.
The stares.
Survival Rule #4: If someone's staring at you on Day One, pretend you didn't notice.
Acknowledge them, and you're giving them a ticket into your personal space.
*Tud~*
A light poke on my back.
I turned slightly. A pen. Behind it... Her.
Blonde hair that caught the sunlight like gold, and a smile so bright it could probably end wars.
The "everyone-is-a-friend" type of girl.
Dangerous.
"Hy~"
A cheerful, sing-song voice.
"…Yes?" I replied, calm and neutral.
"You're introduction was funny~ Oh! I'm Raisa, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Rey~"
She said my name with a playful tilt of her head, like we were already friends.
Her smile was like a blooming flower, effortlessly beautiful.
This type of girl could rally a class like a born leader.
But they're also the type who break when too much weight rests on their image.
"It's funny? Really?" I gave her a polite half-smile. "Glad I could make you laugh"
"Ahaha~ You're a funny guy," She giggled, twirling the pen between her fingers. "I like you already… As a friend, of course"
Of course.
There it is, the safety net. The disclaimer.
The universal phrase to avoid misunderstandings while keeping the upper hand in social dynamics.
She was the unique one, the type who knew her worth... Or at least wanted everyone to think she did.
Cheerful, open, disarming.
Probably everyone's favorite.
The kind of girl teachers adored, classmates admired, and boys misunderstood.
But me? I just nodded.
"Friend, huh? That's rare," I said, letting the words slip out casually. "But sure, nice to meet you, Raisa"
She smiled even wider. I could already feel it, her energy would be a problem later. Not a bad one, but still... A disturbance to my quiet little plan for high school survival.
Still, for now, I gave her what she wanted.
A smile.
Polite. Brief. Unreadable.
"Hi ~ After class, what if-"
"Alright, everyone, that's enough noise, let's begin the class"
Nice save, Teach.
I didn't say it out loud, of course. But in my head, I was applauding her timing like she just defused a bomb. Which, in a way, she did.
Raisa gave a small, playful pout, the kind that probably worked on 90% of the class. Not me, though.
I turned forward, eyes on the board, expression blank.
Survival Rule #7: Never make promises before lunch.
Especially to cheerful girls who call you funny after knowing you for five minutes.
Since this type of girl will definitely have many admirers, it would be wise not to get too involved with her.
"... And Rey," The teacher said, Ms. Ayu, that was her name. She looked at me with that calm, calculating teacher gaze, the kind that knows too much. "Because you still don't have the necessary things… Akia, can you share your textbooks with Rey?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Akia replied without a hint of emotion.
She gave a light nod, picked up her history book, and placed it perfectly in the middle, exactly centered between us, like a border treaty.
Unspoken rules drawn in invisible ink.
"... Thank you," I said quietly.
Another nod. No words. Just that.
It was like trying to communicate with a snow sculpture.
Once again. Cold-type girl, confirmed.
But hey, I didn't need warmth. I just needed the textbook.
Survival Rule #9: Sit next to people who mind their own business.
Looks like I got lucky.
--------
Not much happened during the lesson; everything went normally, nothing special.
I kept my head low, paid enough attention to not look like I was spacing out, and avoided eye contact like my life depended on it.
Ms. Ayu wrapped things up with her usual teacher smile, that same smooth, adult mask, and left the room.
A short break followed. Five, maybe ten minutes before the next teacher came in.
And of course, Raisa made her move.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, the kind that meant I'm going to mess with your peace whether you like it or not.
"Hey~ Rey! Meet my seatmate, Tiara!"
Tiara barely moved, just gave me a glance and a small nod. She had that sharp, untouchable beauty, like someone who doesn't waste time on things that don't interest her. Fierce eyes, calm posture. A wolf is sitting next to a golden retriever.
"...Hi," I said, offering a polite nod. That's all they were getting.
Raisa leaned in slightly, grinning. "You're way too calm. Most transfer students would be all nervous or trying hard to fit in"
"It's so?" I replied flatly.
That only made her grin wider. Great. Encouragement.
And as if this wasn't enough, I could feel the laser beams of male hostility from all corners of the class.
Envy, annoyance, some quiet confusion.
'Why's the new guy surrounded by girls already?' That must be what's on their minds.
I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this.
Survival Rule #13: Stay under the radar.
Failed on Day One.
Fortunately, before Raisa could ask me anything else, the classroom door slid open and the next teacher entered.
I let out a mental sigh of relief.
Once again, saved by the teacher.
....
...
..
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