Elaine's POV:
Janna and I were talking about how excited Sophia probably was today. Knowing her, she was most likely thinking about how to make new friends on the first day of school. When we saw her figure approaching, we waved—and, true to form, she immediately ran toward us.
I really love these two friends of mine. Even with my cranky, pessimistic personality, they accept me completely. They don't judge me for my flaws, and that means more than they'll ever know.
I don't have many friends, unlike Sophia. I prefer to keep to myself because I dislike interacting with people I don't know well. I tend to overthink, worrying that anyone will get angry at me if I make a mistake, so I usually avoid forming friendships outside this little circle.
After chatting for a while, we decided it was time to head to school. After all, we didn't want to be late on the first day of the school year. As usual, we walked through the school gates, drawing glances from students everywhere. Being top-ranking students comes with attention, and we've gotten used to it. It's become just another part of our daily routine.
"The three campus princesses are here! They're perfect—brains and beauty. So lucky to be them…"
"Janna is stunning. No wonder they call her the 'Campus Belle.'"
"Sophia is so charming! Her smile lights up everything around her, like the sun breaking through the clouds. As expected of the 'Sunshine Smile.'"
"And Elaine… so elegant and so cold. She could be an actress. Perfect for the nickname 'Ice Queen.'"
These whispers follow us every morning. Honestly? It's exhausting. Hearing the same things every day is… tiresome.
We went to the bulletin board to check our class assignments. As expected, we were all in Section 1 again. We found our classroom and located our assigned seats. Janna chose the window seat, Sophia sat in the front, and I took my place at the back. Soon, the teacher came in and introduced herself.
During class, Sophia didn't stop reciting. She was clearly enjoying herself—well, it is her favorite subject. I glanced at Janna, who was quietly jotting down notes in her corner.
After an hour, the class ended and was immediately followed by the next subject, which happened to be my favorite. Finally, it was my turn to be fully attentive.
When the class ended, Sophia jumped up and grabbed my hand, squealing, "Hurry, Elaine! Or else the canteen will run out of the Limited Edition Strawberry Shortcake. You know it's my favorite, right?"
"Fine, fine! Stop gripping my hand so tightly. Go get Janna, and we'll head to the canteen together."
"Janna!! Let's go to the canteen! I'm so hungry!" Sophia shouted so loudly that the whole classroom could hear her.
Ugh… Sophia is really such a glutton.
By the time we reached the canteen, it was swarming with students eager for the Limited Edition Strawberry Shortcake. Sophia immediately dashed into the crowd, leaving Janna and me to sit on one of the couches. Not that it was surprising—the canteen was full of couches, after all. In a prestigious school like ours, even the canteen far exceeded what a typical school would offer.
While waiting for Sophia to return, Janna and I chatted quietly about the class we had earlier.