Attention class, we have a new student joining us today."

I freeze mid-step, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag as every head in the classroom turns toward me. The lady standing at the front of the room—young, confident, and completely unreadable—gestures toward me with an easy nod.

"Would you like to introduce yourself?"

No. Absolutely not. But I know there's no escaping it. I swallow hard and force myself to speak.

"I'm Nyla Seraphine," my voice steady, but my hands betray me, curling into the fabric of my sweater. "I just transferred here."

Lissy, my new English teacher, gives a small smile and says, "Welcome, Nyla. You can take any open seat."

Nodding, I glance around and find an empty seat beside a shy-looking girl with two braids and huge spectacles—which pretty much screams that she's the class nerd. I slip into my seat, grateful that the attention shifts away from me as Miss Lissy writes her name on the board.

I exhale slowly, trying to shake off the feeling of being observed. The class goes on, really slowly. I keep yawning, my eyelids growing heavier.

"Hey, you got a cool name," Ria says, the girl sitting beside me.

"Thanks. My parents named me, not me."

"Oh, um, by the way, I'm Ria," she says awkwardly.

"I know."

She eventually zips her lips.

Time moves slowly, and I survive the hours. Finally, it's lunchtime—not because I'm hungry, but because I want to be alone. I rush to the bathroom and lock myself in it. I heave a huge sigh when I feel that I'm not being observed.

I miss my old school, even though I didn't have many friends there. I had peace and calm. I hope I'll end up loving this place too.

I spend the whole lunch break in the toilet, and when the bell rings, I slowly come out—like a turtle emerging from its shell.

As I walk to my class, I notice that everyone's eyes are stuck on me. The hallway is filled with murmurs and whispering.

As I step into my class, all eyes turn to me.

"Hey everyone, careful around her. Didn't you hear? She got kicked out of her last school for slitting a guy's throat. Like, literally just snapped one day. Total psycho," Rose proclaims, giving me a dead look.

Rose is a school bully—the kind who bullies verbally. The class fills with laughter, gasps, and whispers.

"Oh, you're still stuck on that rumor? How cute. I thought you would come up with something better by now. Maybe alien abduction or secret spy mission?" My voice is bold and sharp.

"So you're not denying it?" Her voice lowers.

"Let's get one thing straight. If I did what you're accusing me of, do you really think you'd still be standing here running that mouth?"

The class falls silent.

"But go on, keep talking. I love how scared you sound trying to make me the villain. It's almost flattering."

"You are seriously twisted." Her voice is shaking.

"And you are seriously boring. Try harder next time, babe." Confidence blasts through my voice.

Silence. Eyes wide. No one dares to say a word. I slowly turn to walk away with that badass energy—but suddenly, I’m pulled back by my hair. I fall hard on the floor, a mild pain rising from my head.

"Don’t you walk away from me, freak!" she screams.

"...You did not just pull my hair."

I stand up—and yeah, a punch lands right on her nose. And soon, she scratches me. I flip her over with unexpected strength.

Bags fly. Screams. Phones are recording. Total chaos.

"STOP IT!! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

We fall apart. Her hair is a mess, and her face is red as a tomato.

Maybe... this year in school will be different after all.

Is there anything worse than a terrible start to the day? First, I was deprived of my sacred morning coffee. Then, I was running late, practically sprinting through the chaos. And now, I'm trapped in my own office, sandwiched between two women who have apparently mistaken this meeting for a shouting contest. My ears? Ringing. My patience? Nonexistent. My will to live? Hanging by a thread.

"She broke my daughter's nose!" Rose's mother yelled, anger boiling inside her.

"Ma'am, I have sent someone to pick her up from the class. Please calm down," I said, only to watch her face grow even redder.

The door opened and closed. My gaze shifted to the person standing by it and Miss Lissy beside her. I had never seen this girl before. Must be a new kid. But her appearance wasn’t skimming disaster; she carried herself with an air of quiet confidence.

Her uniform was crisp and immaculate. No trace of makeup adorned her face, nor did any eccentric hairstyle seek attention—just her, effortlessly composed. Her deep brown eyes locked onto mine, luminous and captivating, glimmering with an unspoken emotion.

"She just came in yesterday and already made a mess. Wah!" Miss Lissy complained as she took a seat beside me.

"Nyla, why aren’t your parents here?" she asked, pointing a pen at her.

Nyla didn’t move.

"They might be busy," she said, her eyes fixed on me.

There was something in her gaze—a special spark as she looked at me. I waited a minute, yet she still didn’t look away. She didn’t seem zoned out either.

For the next fifteen minutes, I sat between the two women as they complained loudly about Nyla and her parents. Rose, the girl with the broken nose, remained silent. So did Nyla.

"Oh my God, I'm really sorry........"

A woman entered the room, the sharp click of her heels echoing against the tiles. She was dressed in a perfectly tailored tweed suit, a branded bag hanging effortlessly on her arm. Removing her sunglasses, she apologized again with a polite smile, her dark lipstick gleaming under the light.

"Your daughter broke my girl's nose, idiot," rose's mother spat.

Mrs. Seraphine inhaled deeply, turning to face her.

"I don’t give birth to idiots like you," she stated.

A collective gasp filled the room—everyone’s eyes wide open. Everyone except me, Nyla, and Mrs. Seraphine.

"You should have taught your daughter how to shut her foul mouth," she continued.

A tiny smirk appeared on Nyla's face.

"Anyway, I'll take care of the hospital bill," Ms. Seraphine added, reaching into her bag and pulling out a cheque.

"I don’t want your mo—" The woman choked mid-sentence, her eyes flickering to the cheque. I wondered what number was written on it.

"Take it if you want. I’ve already wasted thirty precious minutes."

With that, she turned toward me and Lissy, flashing a quick smile.

"Since everything is settled, I'll excuse myself.", mrs seraphine said.

Then she walked out. Nyla followed.

Rose shot a glare at her mother as the she hesitated before awkwardly pocketing the cheque.

I stared at them, trying to process what had just happened. Everything ended so quickly—a single piece of paper had solved the entire mess. I watched both of them walk out of the room. Rose looked unhappy, while Nyla seemed satisfied.

Anyway, the problem was solved.That’s all that mattered right now. I closed the documents, gathered the rest of the papers, and tidied up my desk. Without wasting another second, I rushed to the rooftop, craving fresh air after such a rough start to my morning.

"Thank you, Mother" I said, stepping out of the room.

"It's my job, sweetie," she replied, squeezing me in her arms and pressing her bright red lips to my head.

"You are brave and strong, daughter. I love you, baby," she hugged again.

I nodded with a soft smile.

I caught a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye, rushing up the stairs—stairs I had never taken before, especially since I was still new here.

The school cafeteria wasn't crowded, since it wasn't lunchtime yet. I made my order and waited, leaning against the counter. I had skipped my chemistry class just to buy a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," I said to the barista who handed me the cup—a cute lady with attractive blue hair and an eyebrow piercing.

I rushed upstairs with the drink. The corridor was empty, filled only with the muffled sounds of teachers speaking in the neighboring classes. I took the stairs to the rooftop. The cool breeze stroked my cheeks as I hurried up.

I looked around for the person I was searching for—and then my eyes caught him. He stood at the edge, facing the sky.

I took quiet steps and stood beside him, leaning on the wall.

"Hi," I said.

He looked at me, and my heartbeat quickened.

"What are you doing here? Don’t you have any classes?" he asked in a lazy tone.

"I skipped," I answered.

He simply stared at me, and it made me feel like I was about to melt into the wall.

"I brought you this," I said, handing him the drink. "Seems like you missed your morning coffee."

As I watched his eyes grow wider, he took the cup and sipped it.

"I wasn’t sure about your usual order, so I just picked one," I added, hiding my happiness as he took more sips.

"This is fine. I hope my headache fades soon," he said, then drained the rest of the drink.

It was silent after that. He played with the paper cup while I couldn't take my eyes off him.

He was tall, with a naturally balanced build—not too bulky, not too lean—like someone sculpted by ease rather than effort. His hair was silky and black, falling neatly with a gentle shine that caught the light. His eyes were deep and glossy, the kind of black that seemed to hold quiet thoughts.

Smooth ivory skin framed his sharp features—a defined jawline, straight nose, and soft lips that rarely smiled but always looked thoughtful.

Perched lightly on his face were rimless spectacles, delicate and precise, adding to the quiet, serious air about him—like a young professor lost in his own world.

“erm.. I'm Nyla Seraphine. By the way… what’s your name?” I asked awkwardly.

He looked at me again, his eyes tired, showing no hint of interest in the conversation.

"Seth. Seth Chen."

He replied quietly and looked away.

“What subject do you teach?” I asked, trying again.

“Mathematics”,he answered, still staring off into the distance

Maths? I internally groaned. Of all things…

Numbers never made much sense to me—they were cold, confusing, and honestly, my least favorite subject.

But looking at him…

Maybe, just maybe, even maths could sound beautiful coming from his voice.

He wasn’t really paying attention—his body was there, but his soul felt somewhere else.

“You look annoyed by my presence.... I’ll leave you alone,” I mumbled, turning toward the stairs.

“Hey,” he called out, and I froze midway.

I slowly turned to see him facing me.

“Thanks for the coffee,” he said, a soft smile on his lips.

I couldn’t see it clearly, but just knowing I made him smile awakened the caged butterflies in my stomach.

I clenched the fabric of my skirt and rushed back to class, my cheeks burning, something banging against my ribs.

God… am I in love?