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**Chapter One**
It was a quiet, gloomy night when I got a call from my homeroom teacher about the results. I had been anxious for days, my heart pounding with anticipation and fear. It was Mr Snell on the phone. He always said my palms were sweating tightly whenever I was nervous, and tonight was no exception.
My name is Michelle. Michelle Mikson. Only my classmates called me that because I was a class introvert, and to them, I was dumb. Even though I was the most intelligent in my major, I was born into a middle-class family and was the firstborn daughter among six boys. There were also triplets in the family, making our household loud and chaotic most of the time.
My poverty-stricken family didn't care much about me or my abilities. I lived in a home where barely anyone existed emotionally, even though it was the 21st century. Friends should have been a source of comfort, but for me, life was hell. I was burned in school by bullies and ignored at home by those who should have cared the most.
Despite all this, it didn't matter much because at least they still afforded my few essentials. I quickly crossed out my classmates' names out of my head and typed my name in the result posts with trembling hands. My family had no hope for me, so they only asked about my results after a delay of two to three weeks, as if they expected me to fail.
Tears formed in my eyes when I saw the results. I passed. Not just passed—I aced the exam, ranking among the top ten nationwide. Relief washed over me like a wave. I sighed deeply, knowing that once I went to college, I wouldn't care if anyone saw me or not.
The only person who truly cared for me was my father, Mr. Mikson. He stood nervously at the door while I checked my results. He didn't come close because he was afraid my mom would beat me if she found out. He sighed in relief when he saw I was happy with my results and quietly left, "Wow, is this Mrs. Mikson?" someone said as if shehad achieved something extraordinary.
Everyone flocked around Mrs. Mikson's glittering with gossip, which confused her until she overheard their discussion. But instead of being happy, she wore a scowl on her face. Her sons had been outshined again, and she probably distanced herself from the noisy crowd while thinking of ways to teach me a lesson.
She hated me with every fiber of her being. The only reason she didn't show it at home was because of her husband. She sighed and sang while doing housework, masking her anger with a false calm.
As usual, the house was neat and tidy, but the seven kids were nowhere to be found. She opened the stepfather's room, which was upside down as usual, and each of them was being useless.
"Did you hear Michelle's results?" Mrs. Mikson scolded, pointing angrily at them. She was furious. "Why can't they be half as decent as Michelle? Why does Michelle have to be the top while these seven are always repeating classes?"
She hurriedly forgot that she had spoiled them rotten. With that, she slammed their door and left.
On the other side, Sean was upstairs chatting with his boyfriend. The main characters in this story are Stephen Stone, Sky, Stephen Smith, Sean, and Salvadore; each struggling with their own problems, and Sean was grappling with his identity
as a gay teenager.
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