Chapter 2 A Rough Start.

My heart sank, and panic squeezed my chest. The bell rang for first period somewhere down the hall, echoing off the walls. Students were leaving. Everyone was moving. I was stuck.

I didn’t know what to do. My towel clung to me, and I pressed it tighter, trying to cover myself. My eyes darted toward the small glass pane on the door, and I saw someone lingering outside. Relief hit me—maybe they could help. Without thinking,I yanked the door open just enough to pull the figure inside—and my heart stopped. It was a guy.

His eyes widened the second they landed on me. I froze too, cheeks flaming, every nerve screaming. He quickly looked away, as if trying to fight the urge to look, but I could feel it—the way his gaze had scanned me, even for a split second. And I couldn’t help it either. He was impossibly handsome; broad shoulders, sharp jaw, eyes that somehow seemed to see right through me.

“Whoa—what—” His voice cracked, more startled than anything else. His eyes widened, taking me in as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“I… I need help,” I stammered, clutching the towel tighter. “My uniform… it’s gone. Please, can you help me?”

He hesitated, eyes flicking from the towel to my face, and back. “Okay… yeah, I’ll help,” he said finally, his voice low but steady. “Don’t worry, I’ll get it. Just… stay here.”

Minutes later, he returned with the uniform in his hands. His eyes met mine for a fraction of a second before darting away, and I felt that same heat crawling up my neck. He placed the folded fabric gently in my hands. “I explained everything to the school secretary,” he said. “They said it’s fine. No questions asked.”

I nodded, hands trembling slightly. “Thanks,” I whispered, voice unsteady.

He swallowed, then added quickly, “I’ll… wait outside while you change. I promise I won’t—uh—peek.”

I gave a small nod and stepped behind the corner screen. Even then, I could feel him just outside, and the knowledge that his eyes had just scanned me moments ago made my heart pound faster. I forced myself to focus, slipping into the uniform.

When I emerged, fully dressed, he looked up and his jaw tightened slightly. His gaze lingered, just a beat too long before he turned his eyes away, and my stomach flipped again.

“Thanks,” I said, trying to sound normal, though the flush on my cheeks betrayed me.

“No problem,” he said softly, still avoiding eye contact but clearly aware of me. “Are you… okay?”

I swallowed hard, my cheeks burning. “Yeah… I think so,” I whispered, though my voice sounded smaller than I wanted it to.

The hallway was eerily quiet, the usual chaos of students replaced by the dull echo of our own hurried footsteps. We were already forty minutes late.

“I don’t even know where my class is,” I muttered, looking around in confusion.

He glanced at me, concern still lingering in his eyes. “Wait—what class are you headed to?”

“Uhm… English,” I muttered, hoping I was saying the right thing.

His eyes widened for a split second, then a small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “English? That’s my class too. Looks like we’re going the same way.

“By the way,” he whispered as we reached the door, “I’m Asher.”

I blinked at him, surprised he’d actually said his name in the middle of all this. “Ivy,” I muttered in return, my voice barely audible.

The door swung open, and we stepped inside. Mr. Hale, the English teacher, was already at his desk, papers in hand, giving the room a final look before class officially started. My stomach dropped.

“Late,” I heard someone mutter from a desk near the window. My cheeks flamed instantly, and I tried to shrink into myself.

Mr. Hale’s eyes snapped up the moment we entered, landing squarely on me. “And just who do we have here?” His voice was sharp, slicing through the quiet of the classroom. “Late to class on your very first day, Miss Carter? And already causing a disruption?”

I froze, the heat in my cheeks spreading like wildfire. I opened my mouth, then shut it again, panic clawing at me. Why was he singling me out? Asher had walked in with me—why wasn’t he even mentioned? My chest tightened.

Mr. Hale didn’t give me time to respond. “Explain yourself!” he barked, stepping closer, papers rustling in his hands.

“I… I got held up, sir,” I managed, my voice trembling despite my best effort.

“Got held up?” His gaze was like fire. “This is Preston High, Miss Carter. First impressions matter. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” I whispered, gripping the edge of my desk like it would keep me grounded.

Asher gave me a quick, reassuring nod and leaned slightly closer. “Hey, come sit next to me,” he whispered, keeping his voice low. “It’ll be less… stressful.”

I hesitated for a fraction of a second, still flushed from the hallway chaos, but nodded. Following him, I slid into the desk beside his, grateful for the small shield his presence offered.

The classroom felt suffocating. Mr. Hale, stood at the front, his eyes scanning the room like a hawk. I tried to shrink in my seat, but every second felt louder than the last.

“And tell me,” Mr. Hale asked suddenly, his gaze locking on me, “what’s the difference between a simile and a metaphor?” My stomach dropped.

“I… um…” I opened my mouth, heart hammering, but no words came. My mind went blank, all the tension of the morning crashing down at once.

“Wrong,” he barked, the single word slicing through the room like a knife. “Clearly, not everyone here is prepared for Preston High standards.”

Heat flooded my face. I bit my lip, wishing I could disappear, but before I could recover, a voice from the back of the classroom cut through the tension.

“Ha! Look at her! Thinks she can sit here with us, just ‘cause she got a scholarship? Bet she’s never even seen a real book before,” one of the boys sneered, his grin wide and cruel. “What are you doing here anyway? This isn’t the kind of place for someone like you.”

I couldn’t stop the tears. Every word felt like it was hitting me right in the chest. Just when I thought I might break completely, the bell rang for break, cutting through the tension. I sat there, cheeks wet, unable to stop the tears. Asher leaned a little closer, his voice low. “I’m sorry about that… Adrian can be such an idiot sometimes.”

I swallowed hard, staring at the floor. Maybe… maybe I’m never going to fit into this school.