Chapter 2

Norman

I reached the classroom and quietly slipped inside, doing my best to avoid drawing attention. I shuffled to my desk, slumped into my seat, and rested my head on the desk. Before I knew it, I was asleep, completely oblivious to the lecture happening around me. The next thing I heard was the bell ringing, signaling the start of lunchtime.

The classroom instantly erupted into chaos as students bolted for the canteen. If you didn’t get there fast enough, you wouldn’t find a seat—or food. Within seconds, almost everyone was gone. Almost. Only three people remained: me, the class president, and the vice president.

The class president, Nico—short for Nicholas or Nikoli, or something like that—was sitting near the window. Tall, athletic, and undeniably handsome, he was practically the poster child for perfection. Beside him was Elsa Steward, the vice president. With her brown hair and radiant smile, she was the most beautiful girl in school.

They looked like they’d stepped straight out of a fairy tale—a prince and princess brought to life. I’d heard rumors they were dating, and honestly, it made sense. They were perfect for each other. The idea of them together didn’t bother me, though; their lives were light-years away from mine.

I grabbed my lunchbox from my backpack, deliberately ignoring their presence. As I opened it, I overheard Elsa’s voice, her tone encouraging.

“Nico, just go for it. Just give it a try,” she said, almost urging him.

If someone else were in my place, they might have been curious about their conversation. But not me. Whatever drama was unfolding between the school’s golden couple had nothing to do with me. I couldn’t care less.

I stood up and started walking toward the door, determined to leave them behind. But before I could escape, Nico appeared out of nowhere, grabbing my shoulder.

“Why don’t you just eat in the canteen?” he asked, his tone oddly desperate.

I blinked, caught off guard. “I don’t have money… are you planning to pay for me, rich kid?” I replied vaguely, a sharp edge to my voice.

Without hesitation, he nodded. “Why not? I can pay for you.”

I shot him a baffled look. “And why would you do that? Do you want something from me, Mr. Class President?”

“No. I mean… actually, yes. But not like that. I mean, I wanted to ask you something, but that’s not the only reason I approached you. I also want to be friends with you,” he said, stumbling over his words in an attempt to explain.

“Get to the point,” I replied flatly, my voice dripping with disinterest.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, “Elsa and I want you to teach us something.”

“Teach you what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ve seen your drawings. They’re beautiful. We want you to teach us how to draw,” he said softly.

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Why would you want to learn from me? And more importantly, why would you want to be friends with someone like me?”

He shook his head, looking genuinely confused. “What do you mean, ‘someone like you’?”

“Don’t play dumb, Mr. Class President. You know exactly what I mean. I’m the outcast of the class. I’ve been ignored and ridiculed for as long as I can remember. So, I have to ask: why would the most popular guy and girl in school suddenly want to be friends with me?”

Before Nico could respond, Elsa spoke up, her voice soft but insistent. “No, no, it’s not like that, Norman. We genuinely want to be your friends—not for any ulterior motive.”

I let out a hollow laugh. “Really? We’ve been in the same class for two years, and it never crossed your mind to befriend me until now? Out of nowhere, you suddenly want to be my friends?”

I closed my lunchbox, ready to leave. “I’m hungry, and I don’t have time for this,” I said bluntly, cutting the conversation short.

Nico opened his mouth to protest, but Elsa stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. I didn’t wait to hear what they had to say next. Without another word, I walked out of the classroom, ignoring both of them.

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