The next morning, Ashley dressed for school. Back home, she'd always been a nerd—books were her comfort, grades her pride. She tied her hair into a neat ponytail, pushed her glasses onto her face, and smiled at her reflection. At least school will feel normal, she thought.
But as she walked toward the kitchen, she froze. Voices drifted out through the doorway.
"Are you serious, Kira?" It was Daynaud's voice, low but sharp. "You expect me to treat her like a sister, to make her… happy? Do you even realize what you're asking?"
"Daynaud—" Kira began, but he cut her off.
"My friends will laugh. She's not the type. Look at her—glasses, nerdy vibe. She'll never fit in. My friends hate nerds. You really think I can just walk into school with her? People will notice. People will talk."
Ashley's heart sank. Slowly, she touched her glasses. Is that what he thinks of me?
Kira glanced up and went pale. Ashley was standing right there, hearing everything.
Daynaud followed her gaze. His eyes landed on Ashley's glasses, and he smirked bitterly. He leaned closer to Kira and muttered, just loud enough for Ashley to hear: "Told you. Glasses." He plucked an apple from the counter, ignoring Ashley completely.
Her cheeks burned, but instead of crying, Ashley yanked the glasses from her face. She pulled out the ponytail, letting her hair tumble over her shoulders. "You don't need to explain anything," she said coldly to Kira.
Without another word, she grabbed her lunch, walked past them, and slammed the door behind her.
Outside, she slid into the car, slamming the door harder than she meant to. Her foot "accidentally" knocked against Daynaud's leg. He barely flinched, eyes glued to his phone, as if she didn't even exist.
Ashley folded her arms, glaring at him, but he didn't look up. Her frustration boiled.
The driver slid into his seat and glanced at them through the mirror. "Stop slamming the car, young lady."
Ashley blinked, realizing how childish she must look. "Sorry," she muttered.
Daynaud coughed lightly, still not looking at her. The sound made her roll her eyes. Ugh. Why does he annoy me so much?
The car pulled out of the driveway, and Ashley stared out the window, trying to calm her racing heart. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget his words.To him, she was nothing but a nerd.
The ride to school was tense. Ashley stared out the window, arms crossed, pretending not to care. Daynaud sat beside her, his face lit by the glow of his phone screen. He hadn't spoken a word since they left, and that silence stung more than any insult.
When the car finally stopped, Ashley's jaw dropped. The school looked more like a university—tall buildings of glass and stone, students in neat uniforms, laughing, chatting, moving in perfect little cliques.
Ashley adjusted her glasses in her bag, deciding not to wear them. She stepped out of the car, clutching her lunch, but the moment she did, whispers started.
"Who's that girl with Daynaud?"
"Wait… she came with him?"
"She doesn't look like his type at all."
Her stomach tightened.
Daynaud walked ahead without glancing back, slipping easily into the crowd of friends who greeted him with cheers and fist bumps. Everyone loved him. He was the kind of boy who belonged everywhere.
Ashley? She felt like she didn't belong anywhere.
She was still standing awkwardly when a group of girls walked past, their laughter sharp. One of them sneered, "Cute. Is that his little cousin or something?"
Ashley's cheeks burned. She wanted to disappear.
Just then, a hand brushed hers. Daynaud had doubled back, his expression unreadable. Without a word, he took her lunchbox and shoved it casually into his backpack, as if she'd asked him to.
The whispers paused. The girls blinked, confused.
Ashley looked up at him, wide-eyed. He leaned down just slightly, close enough for only her to hear.
"Stop looking so lost," he murmured. "You'll make it worse."
Before she could reply, he straightened, walking away like nothing had happened. His friends called his name, and he was gone again.
Ashley's heart pounded. She didn't know if she should feel angry… or grateful.
Either way, one thing was clear: surviving this school—and surviving Daynaud—wasn't going to be easy.
Ashley tried to keep her head down all morning, but it didn't work. Everywhere she went, people whispered. The girls eyed her like she was some stain that didn't belong, and the boys laughed, nudging each other when she passed.
But nothing cut deeper than Kelly's stare.
Kelly—the school's queen bee, the one everyone adored, the "perfect match" for Daynaud. Her beauty was blinding, her confidence sharp as a knife. And the way she looked at Ashley? Pure venom.
At break time, Ashley found herself cornered. Kelly and her two loyal friends blocked the hallway, smirking.
"Well, well," Kelly drawled, circling her like a predator. "So you're the little pet Daynaud brought to school. Cute. Nerdy. Pathetic."
Her friends giggled, leaning in. One of them tugged at Ashley's sleeve. The other whispered, "I wonder if she even owns a mirror."
Ashley hugged her bag tighter, her heart hammering. "Leave me alone."
Kelly's eyes narrowed. "Or what? You think Daynaud will protect you? He belongs to me, not some stray girl who showed up out of nowhere."
Before Ashley could move, Kelly pulled a pair of scissors from her pocket. She twirled them lazily, then grabbed a strand of Ashley's hair. "Maybe we should fix this nerd look for him. He'd thank me."
"Stop!" Ashley gasped, struggling, but Kelly just laughed.
That's when a voice cut through the air—low, furious.
"Kelly."
The hallway went silent. Daynaud stood at the end, his eyes blazing. His presence alone made everyone freeze.
Kelly's smirk wavered. "Daynaud… you didn't even come see me this morning. Was it because of her?" She yanked Ashley's hair higher, lifting the scissors. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it—"
In an instant, Daynaud was there. He snatched Ashley's wrist, pulling her away so fast the scissors clattered to the floor. His glare was ice-cold as he stepped between them.
"Touch her again," he growled, "and you'll regret it."
Kelly blinked, stunned. "You're… defending her? Her?"
Daynaud didn't answer. He just tightened his grip on Ashley's arm and dragged her down the hall.
"Hey—wait!" Ashley protested, struggling against him. "You can't just—"
"Shut up," he snapped, his jaw clenched. "Go to the car. Now."
Her breath caught. The way everyone in the hall stared at her—disgust, jealousy, shock—it was too much. She bit her lip, grabbed her bag, and obeyed.
Daynaud stayed behind, facing Kelly and the growing crowd. His friends—Tyler, Kelvin, and Henry—appeared at his side, watching the scene unfold.
Ashley glanced back one last time before disappearing around the corner. She didn't know what was scarier—the way Kelly had looked at her… or the fury burning in Daynaud's eyes.