Elaine struggled to keep up with June’s long, angry strides as they walked toward the class building.
“I’m sorry about that,” Elaine said genuinely.
Receiving only silence from June, she continued.
“I shouldn’t have asked that question. Or maybe I could’ve been quieter about it.”
Honestly, she really did feel guilty.
She had only asked because she wanted to clear her own doubts.
Did it really matter to her if something was going on between Allan and Gwen?
Yes.
She sighed inwardly at her own answer.
Finally, June slowed down, visibly breathing out before speaking.
“It’s not your fault,” she said after a pause.
“I just flared up. I really can’t stand people saying bad things about Gwen.”
Her tone hardened slightly.
“And Vanessa is always like that.”
Elaine didn’t need anyone to tell her that was the name of the girl from earlier.
“She’s always trying to get on my nerves or saying something demeaning about Gwen.”
“If that’s the case,” Elaine began carefully, “why let it get to you? Just let it slide, okay?”
She really wanted to lighten the mood.
This wasn’t how she had imagined her first day.
June sighed again, her shoulders slumping before straightening.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t let it get to me.”
Her voice was steadier now.
They walked in silence for a while before Elaine spoke again.
“Why is the class named 13A? It’s such a weird name.”
“Because it’s the first class in the thirteenth block,” June answered, gesturing ahead.
“Oh,” Elaine nodded as though she understood.
It really was a long walk.
And just as June had said, they had passed thirteen different buildings.
How big is this school?
Elaine wondered.
When they finally reached Class 13A, Elaine stared in awe.
Like every other part of Herbert Wilbur, it was elegant.
It didn’t resemble a modern classroom at all, yet somehow it still looked sophisticated.
“My seat’s at the front,” June said, giving Elaine a small wave before walking away.
Elaine noticed June sitting beside a boy.
Her seatmate?
Surveying the classroom, Elaine suddenly realized everyone was seated in male-and-female pairs.
“What a weird arrangement,” she muttered.
She walked toward the first empty seat she spotted, but just as she was about to sit down, the boy beside it spoke rudely.
“Already taken.”
Elaine looked at him and decided that even if the seat wasn’t taken, she would never sit beside such a thug-looking creature anyway.
Scoffing quietly, she walked away.
She tried another seat politely, but the boy there gave her the same answer.
The next one did too.
Are they playing with me?
She slowly noticed the way everyone seemed to be watching her.
Suddenly, Elaine felt small beneath all those stares.
The urge to lower her head crept in, but she resisted it.
Straightening her shoulders, she walked toward the window seat at the very back of the classroom.
This time, she didn’t bother asking.
She simply sat down and hung her bag on the side of the desk.
She would show them she wasn’t a pushover.
She waited for the boy beside her to complain or say the seat was taken too.
But he didn’t.
When she glanced at him, he was calmly reading a book without sparing her a single glance.
Is the book really that interesting?
she wondered, trying to peek at the title.
That was when he suddenly looked up at her.
Elaine immediately straightened.
Their gazes met briefly.
He really has pretty eyes, she thought.
After holding her stare for a second, he returned to reading.
Elaine sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the others chat and laze around.
Every now and then, she still caught some students staring at her, which only made her straighten her posture further and maintain her best behavior.
Where’s the teacher?
She also noticed Allan wasn’t in class.
Neither was Gwen, despite saying she had things to do before class.
Sighing, Elaine forced herself not to overthink it.
Glancing toward June, she saw her chatting comfortably with her seatmate.
“13A,” Elaine muttered tiredly under her breath.
Her seatmate glanced at her.
“Sorry,” she said quietly.
Finally, the first class of the morning began.
Elaine was surprisingly motivated.
Though she had never been a particularly bright student, there was something about Herbert Wilbur that made her want to become her best self.
Unfortunately, after what felt like endless lessons, her motivation began fading rapidly.
Soon, she was struggling to stay awake.
“Wake up,” her seatmate said softly, his eyes still fixed ahead.
“It’s only morning classes and you’re already dozing off.”
His slightly condescending tone embarrassed her.
“Is it?” she muttered weakly.
To her, it had already felt like an eternity.
“It’s the last class before break,” he added.
Relief immediately washed over her.
“Really? I was already praying for it to end.”
“Lazy,” he muttered loud enough for her to hear.
“No, I’m not,” she argued quietly.
“The subject is just making me dizzy.”
Which was true.
Trying to focus on all those numbers drained her almost instantly.
“Still sounds lazy to me,” he concluded.
“Again, I’m no—”
The entire class immediately burst into motion as students began packing their things.
Elaine felt ridiculously happy as she packed up too.
“What’s your name?” she asked her seatmate just as he was about to leave.
The classroom had become noisy, making it harder to hear.
He stared at her for a moment as though deciding whether she was worthy of knowing.
“Kyle,” he answered softly.
Elaine frowned slightly and leaned closer.
“Hm?”
Without warning, he stepped closer and spoke directly beside her ear.
“Kyle Dominic.”
His warm breath brushed lightly against her skin before he walked away.
Elaine didn’t understand why, but she found herself smiling as she watched him leave.
She was just about to head over to June when Mr.
Steven called for her to stay behind.
“What is it, Mr. Steven?” she asked politely, though she disliked the idea of her break being interrupted.
“You’re a new student, aren’t you?” he asked.
It sounded more like a statement than a question.
“Yes, sir.”
“Then it’s a shame you can’t even pay attention on your first day.”
His tone was firm and condescending.
Was this some kind of lecture?
Had he seen her dozing off?
Or talking to Kyle?
“I wasn’t feeling well, so I couldn’t really concentrate,” she lied quickly, hoping to save herself.
“And how does that explain speaking with Kyle?” he asked coldly.
“Uh… he was just checking on me,” she lied again.
Mr.
Steven stared at her silently before handing her a thick stack of printed sheets.
“What is this, sir?” she asked in confusion.
“Open it.”
Elaine skimmed through the papers and immediately froze.
Math questions.
Hundreds of them.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, dread slowly creeping in.
“Solve all of them and submit them to my office after our next class,” he said calmly.
“You must get at least two hundred correct. If you fail, you will fail your first and second C.A. tests.”
Then he walked out of the classroom.
The papers slipped from Elaine’s hands.
“Uhhh… is he joking?” she muttered weakly.
There were two hundred and fifty questions in total.
She was only allowed to get fifty wrong.
And the next class wasn’t even a week away.
Even if she had an entire month, she still wouldn’t finish.
Those first and second C.A.
tests were everything.
If she fails, she would repeat the year.
“I’m done,” she whispered dramatically before collapsing onto the floor among the scattered sheets.