PROLOGUE

Nelly

Nine before.

My stomach is in knots, my palms are sweaty, and I'm failing not to cry in public. This is my first day of high school and I tried to be different from other years, but I was naive and I'm paying for my mistake. My classmates are careful to cover up the giggles and whispers, but the disgust in their looks and expressions speaks volumes for me. I curl up in the seat, resisting the urge to pull my legs up and hide my head between them.

I can hear every little joke.

Mom was right when she said my hair would just be another bully, I should have listened to her when she said that being fat was bad enough, I had to cooperate or people would have reason to laugh at me. I painted it pink in an attempt to look different, cool, but I feel like a freak.

I slide further in my seat, trying to hide from the mocking stares. I keep my head down, avoiding direct contact with any of them because it's safer that way. I contain the urge to get up and run, but I can't weaken right at the beginning of the year, my experience has taught me that actions like this only make the situation worse.

So I swallow it all silently.

I've heard that high school was horrible for many reasons, but I figured studying with older kids would be better for maturity, sweet deceit. They don't keep laughing and pointing, inventing childish nicknames, they do much worse, they look down on you.

“Look at her hair.”A girl speaks, not bothering to camouflage her tone of distaste.

Someone laugh.

“She looks like the junction of arhinowith whale.” The mean comment triggers a series of loud laughs, causing me to squirm even more in my seat.

My eyes burn to drive away the tears that form, but I refuse to cry.

I am not going to cry.

I am not going to cry.

“I think she atethe whale one boy comments, causing another burst of laughter from the others and I freeze in my chair, feeling my skin burn with humiliation.”

I look up to watch him, he's only two seats away from me, laughing along with the small group of six people. He's tall and dark, but he can't be older than fifteen like me. His gaze shifts towards me just as I'm doing a detailed analysis of his appearance, a sound of surprise leaves my mouth as the silvery irises glare at me intimidatingly, to my surprise he doesn't look away from mine, making my heart race warmly.

“Edu, did you hear me?” The girl next to her asks, drawing her attention to her.

Then, he deflects, but not before giving me a sideways smile, winking along. I blink several times in succession, trying to make sense of what just happened.

“Is anyone sitting here?” A female voice asks, so I look to the side and see it's heading towardsTheme.

The puzzled eye, she's the first one who's exchanged any words with me so far.

“No…” I whispered.

She smiles sympathetically, looking grateful, then unceremoniously sits down next to me.

" What is your name?" He asks, showing real interest as he looks at me.

I remain silent for a few seconds, trying to decipher the reason why she is talking to me. I look down her thin body, slender as Mom would like mine to be. Her honey-colored hair is long and reaches almost to the middle of her waist, her small, oval face gives her an image of nobility. She's too perfect to talk to me.

“Sorry, let me introduce myself first, my name is Alice.” She says, holding out her hand for me to take.

I frown, still not understanding her attitude.

“ Nelly... my name is Nelly.” I say, taking her hand.

She nods, smiling at me. She opens her mouth to say something, but her attention is drawn towards the entrance, her pupils dilate and a rumble begins.

I look in the same direction she is looking and it almost takes my breath away when I see him, all in a suit and tie, standing right in the middle of the door.

He looks like a Greek God he's so handsome, straight out of my favorite books.

“Good morning, Class C.” Her voice comes out hoarse, velvety and everyone silences to observe.The-you enter the great room.

He goes unhurriedly to the only table in the room, making it clear what we already imagined, he is the new history teacher that the director informed that he would arrive today.

He puts his bag aside on the metal table without much formality, even though all thirty students are watching him.

“Let's start the presentations. I will call you by name following alphabetical order, in turn, each one will introduce themselves and say what they expect from our classes this year.”

The gang makes a racket, letting out little screams of protest.

“Here everyone already knows each other.” Someone claims, but the man stares at us irreducibly. Inside I'm shaking all over, hating your idea. I've always been bad with interactions, exposure makes me nervous and insecure. I am an easy target for the most diverse prejudiced comments.

“I will be the first.” The man speaks, heading towards the center of the place.

I take advantage of everyone being distracted and run my eyes over my colleagues, tracing their profiles and I'm not surprised to find some girls in the same situation as me, stunned by the man's mature beauty.

“My name is David Bragança, I'll be the best teacher you've ever had the pleasure of meeting.” His words cause euphoria, causing howls and whistles to take over the environment.

Then, the presentations begin. He calls name by name until it's my turn, embarrassment invades me when his mouth says my name repeatedly for the second time and I continue to stare at him in silence.

I start hyper ventilating, my hands feeling cold and my mouth dry.

“Miss Piglet, it’s your turn.” Her voice is dry and direct but still thoughtful and laughter erupts throughout the room.

My eyes are watering again.

The man stares at the bunch of teenagers as if they were inhabitants of another planet, frowning with indignation and anger.

“Piglet suits her.” Carlota, the same girl who commented on my hair earlier, speaks again, laughing at her own comment.

I threaten to get up from the chair, suffocating with the pent-up crying, but Alice holds me by the shoulder, implying that she won't let me go. I look desperately towards her, begging her to release me from her grip and find her coal black irises resentful, filled with rage.

“Don't run away, that's all they want. he says, pointing in the direction of the small group that Eduardo appears to be part of with his head.

I don't get out, but I feel salt water flood my vision.

"Did I tell a joke?" Mr. Bragança speaks again, looking genuinely irritated, despite using a cold tone to speak.

Gradually the rumbles and laughter dissipatem, although I keep my head down to avoid contact.

“Nelly?” The velvety voice pronounces my name, dragging thefirst syllable too long i press my fingernails against my palm.

I don't answer him, he insists once more andthenlifts my face by the chin.

“Can you introduce yourself?” Question low, looking at me carefully.

"No..." I whisper.

He nods, not insisting, and returns to his seat by the table.

“Well, I want to introduce you to who will probably be one of my best students, Nelly Piglet Ballard. Your resume is impressive, dear.”

He winks at me as he pronounces the end.

My chest fills with emotion, butterfly wings making my stomach flutter, he's defending me.

He defended me!

"Ballard." I say, my voice barely above a whisper. I take a deep breath and look up at him. "Please call me Nelly Ballard”.

Classes go by fast, making the time to leave arrive quickly and I hope that everyone leaves the room so that I can do the same, I walk with hurried steps down the corridor, wondering in my mind that John is already outside of me waiting.