"This is horrible." I thought, sitting at my seat in class staring through the glass window. The humid air made my body sweat as perspiration dripped from my forehead. The sun stared at me with incredibly fierce eyes, but the intense desire to rest had taken over as my head collapsed on the table; my mind wandered off into a dreamland.

″Yo, wake up man.″ I struggled to open my eyes as the sun rays struck me like a beam.

″What do you want?″ I grunted with disinterest, more eager to head back to my slumber.

″Dude don't go back to sleep, Ms Jady is gonna catch you.″

″Does it really matter? She can barely keep control of this pack of animals, what makes you think she is gonna ever waste time on me?″ I proceeded to lay my head on the table, starting to fall asleep again.

*Bang!*

″Daniel! Wake your ass up! What do you think you're doing sleeping in my class! Your grades are only average, don't think you can get away with this. I expect to see you in my office after school."

″Useless teacher! If she spent more time teaching instead of scolding people who don't actually give a shit about her class, maybe I would get a better grade in this class.″

″There you go again scolding others for your slip up." My table partner Michael, with the biggest grin on his face, whispered in my ear about that .

″Please don't do that again″. I backed away with an irritated look on my face.

"Ring!" As the bell rang, I strolled out of my class and headed down the staircase, bag on one shoulder and headed to the school gate.

"Wait Daniel!"

"There it is, someone actually wanting to walk back with me, have I finally succeeded in social interactions?"

"You forgot your book"

"Oh?" my grin turned to a monotone expression as I grabbed my book.

"Thanks....."

I proceeded to head down the staircase towards the gate. Left and right, three or more students were hanging out, having fun and enjoying themselves. How primitive, is their need for social interaction that strong? As I strolled past the canteen, the biggest and usually most crowded area in the school, I walked past three..no, four couples all walking back together and enjoying their time.

"Useless, at the end of the day they're gonna break up eventually, give it about two months and it will all go downhill, the honeymoon period of a relationship tends to end after a month, especially a teenage one. Pathetic wasting their time on such trivial things, this must be what they call 'enjoying youth'. Well, I don't want any part of it. This so called youth is nothing more than an illusion created by those with the looks and fitness to enjoy it, leaving the rest of us behind."

Day in day out, it's the same routine. Wake up, go to school, talk with friends, go home, watch anime and do homework, rinse and repeat. What a dull life I'm living, but if that's what society demands then that is what society will get.

Daniel Goh, 15 year old high school student. I'm what you could consider your average student although lacking in physical features and fitness, failing the fitness exam isn't exactly my proudest moment but I'm trying to improve. Exams aren't really my thing, usually cramming the day before somehow allows me to achieve As for multiple subjects. I have God to thank for this amazing memory power, so in a way the two balance each other out thus making me an average students.

"Honestly what's so good about being popular, all popular kids are nothing but assholes and jerks. There isn't a single nice one among them, always picking on the weak." I was lying to myself back then, lying for a long time. In a way, it was my mask to justify the state I was in but that would not last long.

Walking back from the bus stop, I climbed the short staircase up to my neighbourhood garden. The fresh smell of flowers and fresh air from all the trees was perhaps like a resting place for me, such a quiet and tranquil place helped me relax after an exhausting day.

"I wonder how long I have to go on being like this."

As I basked in the nature, a foreign scent entered my nostrils. As I looked down the stairs, a girl with flowing black hair walked up. Her eyes were black like her hair, her skin looked silky smooth.

(She must have come from some rich family)

I wondered what such a person was doing here until I realised the school uniform she was wearing.

(Wait... that's Desmond high school's uniform, but I've never seen this girl before. As someone who spends 70% of his time in school observing and listening to others behavior I basically know every student my age.)

Sitting down on a bench near mine, I tried to hide my eyes from staring to get a clearer image of who this was. Suddenly, she speaks up. "I notice you've been staring at me since I came here, do you need something?"

(Crap I've been noticed, the obvious social norm is to apologise and go about my day.)

"Uhh? Sorry about that." scratching the back of my head. "That uniform?"

Daniel suddenly realises what a mess he had got himself into.

(Daniel... you're not a normal youth you're different... so why did you act in such a way befitting to those normal youths.)

I stared at her, her curious eyes fixated on my uniform as my hectic teenage life kicked off.

Daniel: I'm sorry for staring, it was unintentional, I apologise uh who are you again, we're from the same school but I don't think I've seen you around

????: It's fine, anyway my name's Jasmine from class 3-F, you are?

Daniel: Oh Daniel from 3-D the other side of the school at opposite blocks, are you a transfer student?

Jasmine: No, I think you've just never seen me around the school. After all, it's impossible to see everyone in school and recognize them even if we're the same year.

Daniel: (Damn she got me there, she doesn't appear to look like a typical student from our school. Normally girls are either too rowdy or too well-behaved, she doesn't appear to be from either one of those extremes. She seems rather composed, I expected her to talk in a more brash manner than she did.)

Daniel stared at her again, he couldn't help but look at her bluish black eyes and her flowing black hair, she looked different from most and someone he was actually curious and intrigued by.

Daniel: If you aren't a transfer student, it's surprising this is my first time seeing you at this park, I haven't seen you in the past 3 years I've been here.

Jasmine: You're assuming I've lived around these parts for past 3 years, which is wrong. I just moved in here 2 days ago and wanted to check out the neighbourhood and find places I could relax at.

Daniel: Crap! I'm sorry.

Awkwardly grinning and scratching his head, Daniel cursed himself under his breath for getting too curious and slipping up in the conversation.

Jasmine: We've met for 5 minutes and you've already apologised twice, you're a pretty interesting person aren't you?

She said with her eyes closed with a slight grin on her face

Daniel: Well it's kind of a habit, I'm sorry, crap! I said it again... uhm...

Daniel couldn't hide the embarrassment on his face as he stared at the ground wondering why he was already messing up. Usually, he was perfectly fine with talking to new people, his family even remarked him as more extroverted when it comes to talking to new people, but there was something about her that was different from other people.

Daniel: (Ah...just forget about it, act normally like you always do, she's just another typical student not like I want to interact with anymore of them. If she's anything like the people from our school, well...I just got myself into a huge mess.)

Jasmine: By the way, what are you doing here? Judging from your previous statement you appear to come here often.

Daniel: Yeah, it's like a safe haven for me if there's any way to put it, it's really relaxing if I had to say so myself.

Jasmine: The environment certainly does seem relaxing but slightly clumsy.

Daniel: (What's with the nitpicking it's just a park? If you don't like it then just leave. As usual, she sounds like your average high schooler, stupidly bold, lacking a basic sense of respect and loves taking risks.)

Jasmine: But it does seem like it would be a nice place to be, I understand why you would enjoy it but calling it a safe haven? I'm not so sure...

"Well, personal preference I guess?" Daniel said with a smile.

Daniel: Then I won't be a disturbance to you anymore I need to head home see ya soon.

Jasmine: Yea, see you soon.

As Daniel made his way home, he couldn't wrap his head around what kind of person Jasmine was. Usually after a full length conversation with someone, he would be able to tell their general personality. For her however, he just couldn't wrap his head around her personality.

Daniel: (Her attractive outward appearance makes me think she must be one of the popular kids, 3-F is very well known for those kinds of girls, but her composure and elegant way she expressed herself was completely different from what I've seen)

As he opened the house door, he took a deep breath and walked in.

Daniel: I'm home!

Mum: Oh welcome back, how was school?

Daniel: Usual things, nothing special.

Mum: I see. Well, go take a shower and do what you got to do, your dad and I are heading out for some business, your brother and sister won't be back till 12 so the house is yours see you!

Daniel: (So basically the same thing huh? Well, not that I'm complaining, at least I can relax and watch some new anime, wouldn't want to interact with any more people anyways. Man! I sound like an emo kid now.)

Daniel laughs to himself and heads to the shower

Daniel: Alright time to take out the trash.

Opening the door, he walked out and got the biggest shock of his life.

Daniel: ...Jasmine?

There stood Jasmine, holding the keys to the apartment opposite to his house

Jasmine: Oh, what a coincidence! I had considered the possibility but I never expected you to be here.

Daniel: Yea.......

Jasmine: Well, see you tomorrow I guess.

She opens the door and shuts it, the creaking door closed on Daniel, his dropped jaw hanging from his face.

Daniel (This could either end up harming me or not affecting me at all, and I really hope it's the latter.)

And with that, my connection to my school mate Jasmine started, and so did the beginning of a more different tone of life.

Ah, school society, the worst place on earth, ironically a place meant for people to learn ends up being more of a factory, where students are forced to raise their hands to speak, forced to get along with others. That's what I find the worst part about school. School society is arguably the most diverse place on earth, being more diverse than a zoo is a perfect way to describe it."

Daniel bats an eye towards a group of girls sitting around their table casually talking and chatting about their weekend with big smiles and laughter.

"Ah the good girls, a common trait of asian school society. On the outside they appear to be the most well-behaved and elegant ones who always listen to the teacher and do as they're told. Homework is a must to be handed up on time for them. Any person on the outside looking at them would be envious, but in reality, many hide dark sides of themselves that they never want others to see.''

"Why're we still talking with Yu, didn't she just talk bad about us to her other group of friends?"

"Speaking of Yu I heard last week she......."

"It's exactly like I said. They're already revealing that part of themselves, as long as you watch carefully you will see it all unfold."

Daniel thought to himself, lying on the table with his ear piece on, with his music at lowest volume. This is how he spends most of his days in the morning in class, observing others around him.

"Hey Daniel."

"Yea? What is it Tomoe?''

"A group of the guys are going out later, you wanna come?"

"No thanks I'll pass on this one maybe next time?"

"Sure thing."

I'd rather avoid social interactions with guys like these. I don't particularly like them nor do I dislike them but when you're the most unfit and ugly one in the hangout group, you wouldn't want to be there.

"Yo! Having another observation session?"

"Yes. And you? Overslept again and got to school barely on time?"

"Got me again man haha!" Michael exclaimed, laughing.

I grinned with a smile preparing for the first lesson of the day

"Sigh... another boring day huh?"

"Well, can't complain about it. Just work through the day i guess."

"Work through the day, a common way to encourage students to persevere through boring hours of school filled with uneventful lessons with useless concepts. Just like factory workers."

"Take your seats! It's time to start! Morning class, and Daniel....."

Looking up surprisedly, Daniel sees Ms Koto with the most pissed off look on her face.

"See me in my office today after school immediately!"

"What did I do again!?"

"Well... pretty famous among the teachers eh?" Michael's sarcastic tone made me frown in irritation.

6 hours of school flew by quickly. I proceeded down the school stairs to the office and wasn't careful of where I was going.

"Daniel! Watch out!"

"Arghhh!" A pile of books fell on me as I lay on the floor cursing myself. "Jeez Rosalia, what was that for?"

"Heh sorry about that"

Rosalia is 15 years old, class 3-F, and is one of the two girls in my friend group. She's not really attractive and unfit, basically in the same boat as me. She's pretty loud and obnoxious but one of the more tolerable ones at this school.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh I'm heading to the teachers office, I have to see one of the teachers about something."

"OHH what did you do this time? Oh wait, crap! It's already this late?! I have extra classes to attend, gotta go see ya!"

That's Rosalia for ya, obnoxious,loud and always focusing on other things.

"Excuse me.."

"Oh Daniel, come here."

"What is it Ms Koto?"

"It's about your essay, I wanna talk to you about your views you've written here. Is there any problems at home, did something happen to you recently?"

"No, nothing at all. I merely stated my opinion in an essay, is there a problem?"

"Problem?" Picking up my essay, she reads the concluding paragraph responding to the guiding question "Are youths are spoiled nowadays?"

"Youth is merely a phase of life, most consider it to be the best time of their lives where irreplaceable memories are made. However, in reality, youth and teenage life is nothing but an illusion. A forced time where we are supposed to discover ourselves. In reality, we are merely doing stupid things in the name of self discovery. People are reduced to slaves of their emotions and rational thinking is non-existent. Those with looks and popularity as well as fitness are regarded as living their out their joyful youth, whereas those who don't possess such things are regarded as trash, outcasts who don't fit into the preconceived bubble of youth. To conclude, youth is the worst time of life."

"I don't see anything wrong with it?"

"You sound like you don't have any friends but yet you act and behave so normally. I didn't expect someone like you to write like this. Your pessimistic nature needs to change, you can't go on this miserable."

" Who says I'm miserable, I'm doing great. Unlike the rest of my peers, my eyes are open to the truth, the reality of the situation of school society and all this."

"Whatever, anyway I want you to rewrite this essay. Understood?"

"Yes"

Walking out of the office, Daniel trudged his way back home. At least it was finally over, the day and the trials of school are done. He can now go and relax at his favourite spot and enjoy a good book with some intense character development.

Walking up the stairs to his favourite spot, he couldn't help but curse at Ms Koto for giving him that lecture still formulating arguments he wished he had said before.

"Lesson learnt Daniel, don't ever state your real opinion in an essay like this ever again."

Sighing, he walked to his favourite bench and sat down, cracking open a can of juice.

"Fancy running into you here again?''

"Woah!" Daniel fell to the ground in shock as he saw that familiar flowing black hair and blue eyes, the slender figure.

"Oh, it's you Jasmine, didn't expect to see you here."

"Well I grew rather fond of this place and decided to come here."

"See, what did I say? Eventually you'll grow emotionally attached here too."

"I merely got interested in the calm environment, don't get ahead of yourself."

Daniel felt a bolt of lightning hit his heart as his words fell on deaf ears.

" Yes yes got it ma'am"

"You look like you've had a rough day."

"Oh, how considerate of you, you're such a caring one, aren't you?"

"I'm merely greeting you with a simple gesture, how much did you of it?"

"Please don't go on, you're making me want to go home and cry in a corner with those hurtful words."

"Sensitive aren't you?''

"I'm not!"

"Yes yes whatever you say sir." A smirk formed on her face.

"Did she just...."

"What's that piece of paper in your hand?"

"Oh, my essay with my views on it which got rejected."

"I see, you do look like a guy with strong views about certain subjects."

How did she know? Damn, she's good at reading people, maybe even better than me.

"Let me see that?"

Daniel hands the paper over. Jasmine takes a quick read of it.

"I see, you're an extremely pessimistic guy aren't you?''

"I'm not. I'm simply being truthful on what the reality of school society is."

"Yes yes very wise."

Daniel turned to her as she went silent, staring at the ground, her bangs covering her forehead swaying down as she remained silent.

"But on that view of school society and youthfulness, I don't disagree with what you wrote." Jasmine softly whispered, blushing slightly with embarrassment.

No way did those words just come out from her mouth! An attractive person believing in the values of a loser like me. Impossible.

Daniel smiled and looked at her trying to react and make sense of the situation.

"Well thank you very much for the compliment."

She reverted to her previous icy gaze . "Don't get so full of yourself. I merely agreed with a few of your views and it wasn't a compliment, merely my opinion."

"Ouch. Alright I guess, way to kill my little sense of joy. Man you are one hard person to read."

Don't you worry, I promise that I, Daniel shall one day read you like an open book, I can't call myself best observer without the ability to do that.

Daniel cunningly planned in his head his nefarious plots.

And that's how my school life began to look a tad bit more interesting, and day by day become something that I never expected at the start of the year.