Chapter 1 – First Day, Cafeteria
(Nova's POV)
The first day of the student exchange always made school feel… strange.
New uniforms, new voices, students trying to act confident while secretly nervous. Care wasn't here. Which was unusual. She almost never missed school. Not even for headaches. Not even for exhaustion.
I kept my gaze on the cafeteria, sitting quietly at our usual table with Cole, Ben, and Daisy. Ash wasn't here—her school started later—so it was just us, and the comfortable hum of our group.
From Lyra: Is care with you she is not picking up my call ?
To Lyra: No, she has skipped the school today. As she was having a migraine ( internally: only I know about the real situation)
Four exchange students approached cautiously.
The girl with chestnut hair smiled politely. "Hi, I'm Riya. These are Kabir, Sana, and Mehul."
"Hello," I said softly, keeping my tone calm. My notebook rested on my lap, but I wasn't writing. I was observing.
Kabir leaned forward slightly, curiosity written all over his face. "So… who's the topper here?"
Ben smirked, obviously enjoying the chance to show off. "There are four main competitors," he said casually. He pointed first at himself. "Me."
Then toward Cole, sitting quietly with his book. "Cole."
Next, Daisy, adjusting her ponytail and giving a confident nod. "Daisy."
And finally, he pointed toward the empty seat near me. "Care."
The reaction was instant.
"…Care?" Riya repeated, eyes wide.
Sana blinked. "She studied with us before…"
Mehul glanced around, surprised. "No way… here?"
Kabir laughed softly. "Wow. She's… really a legend here."
Cole didn't react. He just continued eating, his sharp eyes glancing briefly at the newcomers. Daisy shifted slightly, arching a brow. Ben grinned, clearly enjoying the attention.
I spoke up, voice calm but careful. "You'll meet her tomorrow."
Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and guilt, but I could tell one thing: they had no idea how much Care had changed. Or how much she was hiding.
Riya glanced at me, softly. "She's… still the same? As we remember?"
I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "She's… herself. But you'll see tomorrow."
Sana nodded slowly, like she understood something unspoken. Kabir and Mehul exchanged glances, murmuring to each other.
I leaned back slightly, keeping my eyes on the empty seat. Care wasn't here yet. And only I knew how fragile she could be behind that perfect smile.
For now, this was all they could see: the four toppers of the school, waiting for the real Care to walk in.
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