I stood in the doorway.
Fifteen pairs of eyes locked onto me.
The conversations died mid-sentence. Someone dropped a pen. It hit the desk with a tiny plastic clack that echoed louder than it had any right to.
Nobody said anything.
Well this is fucking awkward.
I opened my mouth to say something but a voice cut through the silence before I could.
"Rome D'Angelo."
I looked toward the front of the room.
A woman stood there. Early twenties maybe. Could've been my age if I wasn't paying attention. Orange hair that fell in wild waves down to her waist with the ends glowing this soft yellow like someone had dipped them in sunlight. Red glasses perched on her nose. Amber eyes behind the lenses that looked sharp enough to cut.
And the body.
Holy shit the body.
She wore the standard teacher outfit. White button up shirt under a dark grey blazer. Black pencil skirt. Sheer black tights that somehow made her legs look even better than if she'd been bare.
But the way she filled it out was borderline criminal.
Huge tits straining against the shirt. The top three buttons were undone and I could see the curve of her cleavage every time she shifted her weight. Tiny waist that flared out into hips that the skirt hugged like it was painted on. The fabric ended mid-thigh and the tights took over from there all the way down to black heels that added another few inches.
She smiled.
It was the kind of smile that knew exactly what you were thinking and didn't care.
"I've been expecting you."
I blinked.
"Hello."
"Solana Delacroix. Or Professor Delacroix if you want to be formal."
She walked around the desk toward me. Hips swayed with every step. The heels clicked on the floor.
Is every woman here a bombshell? What the fuck.
She stopped in front of me and extended her hand.
I shook it.
Her grip was firm. Warm. She held on a second longer than necessary and then let go.
"I'm glad you're here Rome. Even if it's a few weeks late."
"Thanks for having me Professor."
She tilted her head and the smile widened.
"We'll get you caught up. Don't worry."
I nodded.
My brain was trying to pull something up from the back of my memory. Delacroix. The name was familiar. I'd seen it before.
And then it clicked.
Professor Delacroix was in the novel. She was a supporting character who helped Nolan train for the Winter Sports Festival. Tough love mentor type who pushed him past his limits and unlocked some kind of emotional breakthrough that made him stronger.
Her character art had been the sexiest of all the heroines.
Big sister energy mixed with danger wrapped up in a costume that showed more skin than it covered. I remembered staring at that image for longer than I'd admit and thinking the author knew exactly what they were doing when they designed her.
And now she was standing in front of me in the flesh.
This world is trying to kill me in a completely different way than I thought.
The bell rang.
Delacroix turned and walked back to the front of the room.
"Alright everyone settle down. We've got a new transfer student joining us today so let's make this quick."
She gestured toward me.
"Rome. Come up here and introduce yourself."
I walked to the front.
The class was small. Maybe fifteen people total. Two rows of desks arranged in a half circle facing the board. Windows along one side showing the ocean in the distance.
And sitting in the front row was someone I recognized immediately.
Nolan Traore.
The protagonist.
He looked exactly like the character art. Messy black hair. Green eyes that were way too earnest for someone our age. Average build. Plain face that somehow worked because of how genuine his expressions were.
He was looking at me with curiosity. Not hostility. Just interest.
Next to him sat a girl with dark hair and green eyes. Pretty. Athletic build. She wore the uniform like it was a second skin and her posture screamed confidence.
Aurora Fitzgerald.
The main heroine.
Nolan's secret girlfriend according to the plot I barely remembered.
She was watching me too. Her eyes flicked down for half a second and then back up to my face. A faint blush colored her cheeks before she looked away.
I scanned the rest of the room.
Most of the girls were looking at me with varying degrees of interest. A couple whispered to each other behind their hands. One girl in the second row bit her lip and then caught herself doing it.
But two girls were glaring.
One sat near the middle. Black hair pulled back in a high ponytail. Sharp features. Grey eyes that looked like they wanted to set me on fire. She wore the uniform perfectly. Too perfectly. Like she'd measured every fold to regulation.
I had no idea who she was.
The other girl was sitting near the back.
Light blue hair. Crossed arms. Expression that could've curdled milk.
Panda panties.
Of course she's in my class.
I turned to face the room and put on my best smile.
"Rome D'Angelo. Transfer student. I like working out, good food, and not doing homework."
A few people laughed.
"Dislikes are pointless rules, fake people, and early mornings."
More laughs.
"My Essentia is classified so don't ask. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and I hope someone can help me catch up on whatever I missed these past few weeks."
I looked directly at Aurora when I said that last part.
She blinked. The blush deepened.
Nolan didn't notice. He was already smiling and nodding like we were going to be best friends.
Sorry buddy. Your story ends with me.
Delacroix clapped once.
"Perfect. Thank you Rome. Your seat is in the back row by the window. Next to Marilyn."