{C1:Sorry! But Then He Walked In}

{Roxellena POV}

“Rox!”

“Rox!!”

“Roxellena!!!”

I flinched at the sharp echo of my name bouncing off the classroom walls”

“Yes, Mrs. Bela?”

The teacher planted herself directly in front of my desk, hands planted firmly on her hips. “What was the last thing I said?”

My mind stayed blank. All I could focus on was the low rumble of engines outside and the long convoy of sleek black cars that had pulled into the school compound earlier. I guessed someone important had come to visit.

Mrs. Bela didn’t wait for an answer. She turned on her heel and marched toward the whiteboard, heels clicking against the tiled floor. “Fine. What was the topic we were discussing?”

I sank lower in my seat. Even if she fired a hundred questions at me, I wouldn’t have a clue. My mind was not here today.

“Ms. Roxellena Charming.” Her voice dropped into that disappointed tone I knew too well. “I don’t know what has gotten into you lately, but it isn’t good. It certainly won’t help you graduate with flying colours or make your parents proud.”

The words stung more than they should have. I started shoving notebooks into my bag.

“Look at your sister Rosa,” she continued. “Top of her class. Why can’t you…”

That was it. The second her name left Mrs. Bela’s mouth, I stood up, chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“You dare not walk out of my presence, Ms. Roxellena!”

I didn’t even glance back. “Watch me,” I muttered under my breath as I pushed through the door, my bag swinging heavily against my shoulder.

I pushed through the crowded hallway, bag slapping against my side, and headed straight for the canteen, still fuming.

The canteen buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos, clattering trays, overlapping laughter, and the greasy aroma of fried food. I dropped into my usual seat across from my friends, staring at the tray piled with burgers, chips, and three four cups of strawberry juice.

Jessica took a long sip through her straw, then brushed a loose strand of hair from her eyes. “Okay, I’m just gonna say it. What you did in class today was straight-up shitty.”

James leaned back, his tall frame making the plastic chair look tiny. His deep voice rumbled out, sounding far too mature for his skinny neck. “I’m with Jess on this one. Not cool, Rox.”

Among the four of us, he was the tallest, though not the richest yet he was easily the funniest. Together, we were all turning 19 this year. Jessica had been the first, born in April; James and John shared the month of May, while mine fell in November.

I poked at a chip, avoiding their eyes. “Come on, guys. Mrs. Bela was comparing me to Rosa,the same bully who makes my life miserable every single day. You know how she is.” I finally looked up. “I thought you’d have my back.”

John had been quiet, methodically dipping chips into ketchup. We called him Little Prof for good reason. He adjusted his spectacles, scratched his bald head, and gave me a look of pure disappointment.

“You weren’t just wrong, Rox. You were rude, stubborn, disrespectful…”

“Hold up,” I said, raising my hand before he could launch into full lecture mode.

“Now you see why I said you acted rude,” John replied, looking at me with a face full of disgust as he scratched his bald head. The bald look suited him perfectly, especially when he wore his spectacles.

John was the shortest of us all but also the thickest. He had the body frame of a twenty-five-year-old gym-goer trapped in a nineteen-year-old’s body. He had inherited his father’s build as well as his intelligence.

Since John wasn’t on my side today either, I began formulating an apology,not just to my friends, but to Mrs. Bela as well.

I cleared my throat, set down my strawberry juice, and said, “From the bottom of my heart… I’m sorry. I acted like an idiot today. I hope you can forgive me.”

Jessica’s face softened instantly. “Aww, Rox…”

“He’s so handsome,” she whispered suddenly, eyes widening as she stared past me.

I quickly realised she wasn’t looking at me, so I turned around. Just then, the canteen door swung.The entire canteen seemed to drop in temperature as the sexiest , most annoyingly perfect guy I’d ever seen stepped through the doors.