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Caleb's POV
The first period was over, and the classroom buzzed with chatter. The teacher hadn't arrived yet.
A group of girls stared at me from the other end of the class. I could tell they were talking about me. Probably my amazing hair or handsome face, or whatever. I wasn't interested in flirting or having any love interest.
But then the girl I bumped into this morning crossed my mind.
The door opened, and every head turned. When I looked up, it was her, the girl from this morning. The class went silent for a moment
She walked into the classroom quietly, her eyes fixed on the floor as if she could hide from everyone's gaze. Her eyes were puffy, but she tried to keep a straight face.
For a second, she lifted her eyes, and they landed on me. It wasn't long, but it caught me off guard. Her eyes were sad, confused, and guarded. She quickly looked away. Her eyes drifted to the guy who had slammed the table earlier. Their eyes were locked. I could feel the tension between them
"Fabian," someone whispered loudly. It felt almost like gossip.
"There she goes again," another muttered, "acting like she owns Fabian
"Slut." The third voice whispered.
Although they whispered, their voices were loud enough for her to hear. She made her way to the empty seat in front of me. I watched as she settled down quietly, tucking her hair behind her ears.
I frowned as I watched the judging stares follow her every move. But I noticed the guy beside her. His eyes flickered a few times during the lessons. Each time, she avoided his gaze. The air between them felt tense.
I stayed in class throughout all periods, but I could not hear the voice of the teachers. My mind was focused on the girl in front of me. I decided that I would talk to her during break.
By break time, I was about to touch her shoulder when three girls approached me.
"Hi, new boy, I am Trisha, and these are my friends, Elara, and Kate," Trisha said, but my mind was fixed on the girl who sat in front of me. She stood up, leaving the class. I missed my chance. I thought as I clenched my fist.
"Hello, Caleb, can you hear me?" Trisha's voice cut through my thoughts.
"What school did you transfer from?" another asked as she leaned closer.
I smiled politely but kept my answers short, "Yeah, from the city." I said, packing my books on the desk.
"Oh, really, you look like you play football," she said.
"Sometimes," I said as I stood up to leave. "Excuse me."
"Look at that perfect butt," one said as I turned to leave the classroom. They laughed softly, but I could tell that they wanted more. I wasn't in the mood. I was irritated by how they pushed themselves to be noticed.
I walked down the hallway to my locker. And I saw her again. She walked toward me, staring at me
"Hey, I'm sorry I bumped into you earlier. Didn't see you coming," she said.
"Oh, that's fine. What's your name?" I asked.
"Clara… Clara Marcus." She said as she stepped back to leave. She clutched her notebook to her chest as she walked down the hallway. Heads turned as she walked. Some girls gave her a sharp look. Others whispered behind their hands. She pretended not to see or hear them.
For some reason, I found myself staring. There was something distant about her, like she was carrying a secret she couldn't tell anyone. She didn't even ask me my name. I thought to myself. I guess she wasn't interested. I closed my locker, leaving the long hallway.
After school, I joined the football team to practice.
The guys were friendly enough, showing me around and tossing jokes here and there. That was when I heard the name again, Fabian.
"Bro, that's him," one of them said as he tapped my shoulder. He pointed toward the far end of the field. "Our former Captain, the legend."
I followed his gaze. Fabian stood at the goalpost, talking to the coach. The way everyone looked at him, it was clear. He wasn't just good, he was the guy. The one every player wanted to impress, and every girl wanted to date.
Fabian was the guy from earlier. The guy who had slammed the table. The guy who couldn't take his eyes off Clara, no matter how hard he tried.
When he finally walked over, a few girls outside the fence started waving and giggling. Fabian smiled, casual and confident, then focused on the game.
When I saw him play, I realized that he wasn't that good. But he was better than the rest. I was benched because I was new to the team.
He approached me after practice, offering a hand.
"You play well," I said.
Thanks, he replied. "I'm the legend around here." His grin was effortless but practiced. The kind of smile that could make anyone forget how cruel he was. The next practice, I would like to see you play," he said. I stared at him. I could sense the arrogance in his voice. But up close, he had the kind of charm people noticed, not forced, just natural.
"Welcome to the team," he added before jogging off toward the locker room.
As I watched him leave, one thought lingered: Clara. the way she looked at him that morning, the sadness in her eyes. something told me whatever was between them wasn't simple.