The New Kid.

(KAIRA'S POV)

I had a terrible day at school and if not that I had a report to make to my ink club, then I would have spent the entire day in the bathroom. My usual spot to shield humiliation.

But now I was forced to sit in the back of the club room while the others sat away from me, whispering and laughing.

I couldn't hear what they were saying exactly, maybe because I blocked their voices out or maybe I was scared to hear the embarrassing insults they were throwing at me.

"Hello." A voice made me jolt back to life and I almost knocked down another chair.

A boy stood over me with thick curly brown hair that matched his sharp brown eyes. He had a lingering smile that tugged at his lips. I looked around, there was no one around but me.

"Hello." He repeated and came closer this time.

"You're speaking to me." I said, swallowing a dry lump in my throat.

He nodded and then dropped down beside me. "Yes I am." He confirmed with a little laugh. "I'm sorry to interrupt but I… I just wanted to be sure that I was in the right place."

"Oh." I said.

I still couldn't believe he was talking to me. That's how invisible I am in this school. And to make matters worse, I was the joke of the day so it was more unlikely that anyone would talk to me.

"Yeah. Is this the ink club?" He asked me, taking a curious glance around the room.

"Yes it is." I said and maybe because I was starved of conversation, I added. "Are you a first-time member?"

"In this school, yeah. But in the ink club no." He said and to clear up the thoughts in my head, he leaned forward. "I'm a new student here. I transferred."

"Oh." I said, feeling mixed emotions crash down on me.

Well, I guess that explains what he's doing here. Seated beside the school joke and forming conversation. He had no idea who I was or that being with me was social suicide.

"Y-You should probably sit in front. That's where everyone is." I said, nodding at the front of the class where the other kids were stealing glances at us.

"Oh." The new kid said, peering ahead. "Why can't I sit here with you? I don't really like the kids in front… they're a little too loud. Is there a reason why I can't sit with you?"

My gaze dropped lower. I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I was looked down upon and I was the joke of the day.

"I just don't—"

"I want to sit here. Beside you." He said, putting a stop to my words while wearing a captivating smile on his face. Then he stretched his hand forward for a handshake. "I'm Cameron Grey."

I stared down at his hand. It was the first time I was being offered a handshake in this school. All these years, I have been treated like a plague.

I hesitated but he brought his hand closer.

"My name is Kaira Jin." I said, testing my hand briefly in his and turned my face away.

"Kaira Jin." He repeated thoughtfully. "That's Japanese, isn't it?"

I looked at him in surprise. "Yes it is." I confirmed. "My dad…"

"Well, well…" a loud sharp voice cut our conversation short.

Cameron and I looked back and there stood the president of the ink club. Tiara Kings.

She stood beside me, grinning widely in an irritating way while her eyes moved from me to Cameron.

"You're the new boy from New York, aren't you?" She said with a voice, too little too sweet. "I don't think you should be around her, you know?"

Cameron turned to me confused and then back to Tiara. "Excuse me? What do you mean?"

I sank back in my chair, wishing I could disappear into my clothes.

"Oh I see you haven't properly introduced yourself to the new kid." She said, putting her hands forward. "Go on then, tell him who you are."

Everyone was staring at me now. I could feel their eyes all on me and I wished then that the ground would open up to swallow me.

Cameron was staring at me, expectantly.