She never expected that person to be him...
"M–... impossible..."
The words escaped her lips in fragments, trembling, disbelieving what she saw.
Suddenly, his deep voice thundered from among the crowd of girls:
"Hey, you annoying girl!"
She turned quickly to find in front of her a young man with perfect features, as if he had just stepped out of a famous magazine cover.
He was tall, his skin clear, his green eyes gleaming with a mocking spark, and his white hair falling lightly over his forehead.
The school uniform looked like it had been tailored just for him—his shirt buttons undone in an artful way, and his tie loosely knotted with elegant carelessness.
"Y–... you old man?!" she screamed in shock, pointing at him.
He suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her with incredible speed toward the back exit of the school, leaving everyone stunned.
She was being dragged behind him like a doll, and all she could say while running was:
"Why are you running like we're in a death race?!"
He finally stopped at the back corner of the building and exhaled in irritation:
"Stop calling me old man. Here, I'm just an older student than you… and more handsome, And also more handsome than you ."
He said it arrogantly as he brushed his hair back.
She raised her eyebrows and said sarcastically:
"You're still an old man… even if you're wearing the school uniform! And why are you even wearing our school's uniform in the first place?!"
He smiled mockingly, as if savoring the shock on her face.
"Isn't it obvious? I look handsome in it, don't I?"
She let out a mocking laugh.
"Ah, unshakable confidence."
He took a step closer and answered seriously:
"I'm here to watch you. I gave you time to change your fate... If you fail, I'll take the album back."
She gasped.
"Watch me?! Are you insane?! I'm not a clown in your circus!"
He slowly turned his back, then spun around with excessive charm, like a star in a dramatic film, and said:
"Watch your manners. I'm a senior student, and that alone is enough for you to stand properly and speak to me with respect."
She shrugged mockingly.
"Suuuuure... a senior student on the outside, an old man in reality... same thing."
He pressed his lips together.
"My name now... is Fred. Call me that."
She paused for a moment, suddenly remembering the album. She stepped closer, bringing her face near his, and looked into his eyes.
"I have a question… why don't you appear in the photos? That's strange."
He smiled arrogantly, a sly smirk tugging at his lips.
"I'm the owner of that album. And I don't like appearing in it."
Then he added with a cunning tone:
"I'm far too handsome. If I appeared, you'd fall for me and forget your mission."
She burst out laughing.
"Seriously, you're really, really full of yourself."
At that moment, students' eyes behind the classroom windows were fixed on them…
Some whispered, others shouted:
"Who's that handsome guy?!"
"Hey! She's getting close to every new guy!"
"Is that Lavinia? She used to have Mikel, then Rocky… and now this one too?!"
"Damn... I envy her."
"Wow, I want her life... seriously."
Even Mira and Mikel stood frozen, watching the scene.
"Do you... know every new student?" Mira asked, glancing at Mikel nervously.
But he didn't answer. He just kept staring at Lavinia, something strange glimmering in his eyes.
In class
Lavinia returned to her classroom, whispers trailing after her, slipping from behind chairs, between walls, on the tongues of her classmates:
"Oh, did you see how he looked at her?"
"I think Fred is more handsome than Mikel."
"That girl moves between boys like she changes shoes!"
But she ignored them.
She sat at her desk, took out her notebook, and pretended to be busy...
The classroom was unusually quiet.
Before, her laughter filled the place—her spontaneous antics, her teasing of Mikel, her playful bullying of Mira, her energy that set everyone's hearts on fire, even the teachers'.
"Lavinia! Stop writing on the desk!"
"But I was explaining a physics theory as a love story!"
"Lavinia! Don't bring your cat to class!"
"But she understands math better than some students!"
But today... silence ruled the scene.
---
Everyone left.
At the corner of the school, she saw Mikel and Mira walking together.
Mikel usually went straight to training… but now, he was walking with Mira, as if guarding her.
Lavinia laughed bitterly:
"Who's he protecting her from? Me? Pfft, ridiculous..."
She turned her back and headed toward the gate.
But before she got far, Rocky appeared beside her, his bag slung over his shoulder.
"Can I walk with you? I missed your chatter."
She smiled, her heart starting to beat again with something she couldn't name.
"Alright... but don't regret it later."
As they walked, faint whispers rose behind her from a few girls:
"Did you see that? She's with Rocky now!"
"That girl's a manipulator!"
"She's a player—three boys: Mikel, Rocky, and that new guy… what's his name? Fred?"
And for a moment, fantasy and reality blurred together…
Everyone imagined her sitting on a luxurious red, jewel-studded throne, her pink dress shimmering like that of a Victorian queen.
Around her stood Rocky,
holding her left hand;
Mikel, holding her right
and Fred,
bowing toward her with a charming smile.
Everyone looked at her…
Some with jealousy, others with disdain…
But she no longer cared.
She lifted her chin toward the sky and said:
"Let the hate come. Because I… regret nothing about being myself."