Was it love at first sight?

As my friend Giselle introduced herself, an unsettling sensation crept over me, an electric current of awareness that seemed to draw everyone's attention. I could feel a distinct, piercing gaze trained on me, and as I glanced around the classroom, panic fluttered in my chest. There he was—the boy who had been watching me with an intensity that felt unnerving, as if he could peer into the depths of my thoughts and insecurities.

When Giselle finally finished, the spotlight shifted to me, and I felt the weight of expectation settle heavily on my shoulders. Despite my efforts to project an air of confidence, a storm of nerves raged within me. I approached the centre of the room, feeling the collective gaze of my classmates bore into me, each look like a shard of glass pressing against my skin. I inhaled deeply, raised my chin, and began my introduction with a shaky voice.

“Pleasure to meet you, I am Maya Hartley. I have a friend who is from the same high school as me, Giselle, and doesn’t need more. Thanks for having me.” My words fell into an uneasy silence that enveloped the room, a hush that felt both awkward and heavy. Each student appeared to absorb my elegance with a mix of admiration and wariness, like a rose celebrated for its beauty yet feared for its thorns.

As I retreated from the centre, my thoughts spiralled. “Oh my gosh, did I mess up? Was I too cold toward my classmates on the first day? Why is it so silent? Did I come off as arrogant? Just like that, my peaceful school life seems shattered.” A thousand doubts raced through my mind.

To my relief, Giselle's smile shone brightly across the room, and she showed her support with enthusiastic applause, giving me a thumbs-up. Gradually, the rest of the class chimed in, their claps breaking the oppressive silence. The teacher, observing the commotion, raised his hand and motioned toward an empty desk in the far corner. “You can sit there,” he instructed.

A wave of gratitude washed over me as I made my way to my seat, the weight of countless eyes still pressing down on me, particularly from that one boy whose gaze I could almost feel branding my skin. I finally settled into my seat—relieved yet so aware that my first day of school had only just begun.

Time crawled in the subsequent moments, and the bell finally rang, signalling the end of the first period. As the classroom buzzed with newfound energy, the boy in front of us turned, curiosity sparkling in his bright eyes. “Hey, did you say you were from E.L.V.T. High School? Is that an all-girls high school?” he asked, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

“Oh! By the way, I'm Ethan. Nice meeting you! I hope we’re friends in the future,” he said, extending his hand with a cheerful grin. Giselle, ever friendly, shook his hand warmly. “Hi, Ethan Parker. You can call me Ethan". " I’m Giselle, and this is Maya,” she said, gesturing toward me. “Yes, we are from an all-girls high school. She’s a bit introverted, so you might want to talk to me,” she added, her smile reassuring yet tinged with an understanding of my reticence.

“Is this your first time in a co-ed school?” Ethan asked, his excitement palpable.

“Yes, it is,” Giselle replied, maintaining a light tone.

“Why does your friend look so cold? Does she not like me?” he questioned, concern lacing his voice. Giselle shrugged, her expression thoughtful. “I don’t think that’s it. She’s just like that with everyone, even back at her old school.”

Hearing their conversation about me made my heart sink; I felt like an outsider, misunderstood and awkward in my new surroundings. Just then, the boy who had been watching me earlier stood up and commanded, “No talking; the teacher is coming. Silence!” His voice cut through the chatter with alarming effectiveness, and the classroom obediently quieted, leaving me feeling even more out of place, an anomaly in a world that seemed to move effortlessly while I floundered at its edges.

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