Okay, Uncle… thank you very much."
My voice was calm—too calm for someone whose world had already ended.
I didn't wait for a reply. I turned away and walked out, my steps steady, even as something inside me quietly broke… again.
Ryan's POV
The sharp scream of my alarm tore through the silence, dragging me out of sleep like a cruel reminder—
I was still alive.
Another day.
Another empty morning.
Another reminder that I had no one.
I stared at the ceiling for a moment, my chest tight, my heart heavier than it should be for someone my age.
An orphan.
That word followed me everywhere like a shadow I could never escape.
The moment my parents crossed my mind, the tears came—uninvited, unstoppable. They slipped down my cheeks silently, like they had learned not to make a sound.
Because no one cared enough to hear them.
The pain… it never left.
It was like an open wound—raw, burning, and refusing to heal. Each day, it only got worse.
I had learned something the hard way—
Love doesn't stay.
Uncle Zavian, Aunt Ingrid, their children… they were kind. For now.
But kindness, I had learned, always came with an expiration date.
Soon, their smiles would fade.
Soon, I would become a burden.
Soon… they would show me who they really were.
So I prepared myself.
Because no one—no one—would ever love me the way my parents did.
And deep down, I knew the truth I hated the most—
I was alone.
Completely.
Utterly.
Alone.
The warm water from my bath did nothing to wash away the emptiness clinging to my skin. After dressing in my new school uniform, I stared at my reflection.
A stranger stared back.
Someone who looked alive… but felt nothing.
Grabbing my bag, I took a deep breath.
"First day," I whispered.
In a new country.
A new school.
A new life I never asked for.
Italy.
As I walked down the staircase, memories hit me like a storm—my old school in New York… my teachers… my friends.
People who once mattered.
People I would probably never see again.
Would I fit in here?
Or would I just… disappear again?
The dining table was already set.
Bread and tea.
Simple. Quiet. Cold—just like everything else.
"Good morning, Riaan," Aurora's cheerful voice cut through my thoughts.
"Good morning," I replied softly, forcing a small smile as I sat down.
Adam joined us shortly after, and the rest of the meal passed in silence.
Just how I liked it.
Or maybe… just how I had gotten used to.
The car ride to school felt longer than it actually was.
When we arrived, Adam and Aurora didn't even hesitate.
They ran.
Straight into the arms of their friends.
Laughter. Excitement. Belonging.
All the things I didn't have.
I stood there for a moment… watching.
Then I turned away.
Because staring too long at something you can't have?
It hurts.
The school corridors were loud, filled with voices, laughter, life.
And yet…
I had never felt so invisible.
I walked slowly, clutching my bag, my eyes scanning every corner, searching for my class… or maybe just a place where I didn't feel like I didn't belong.
"Hey."
A voice stopped me.
I turned.
A boy stood in front of me, his gaze curious, not judging.
"Hello, newbie," he said with a small smile, extending his hand.
I hesitated for a second… then took it.
"Hello."
"I'm Leo."
"Ryan."
His smile widened slightly. "You look lost."
I let out a quiet breath. "Yeah… I am."
For a moment, I expected him to laugh.
Or walk away.
Like everyone else always did.
But he didn't.
Instead, he gestured forward. "Come on. I'll help you."
I blinked.
Help?
For me?
"Follow me."
And without knowing why… I did.
The classroom was already full when we entered.
Eyes turned.
Whispers followed.
But this time…
I wasn't alone.
Leo led me to a seat beside him.
"Sit," he said casually.
I sat down, my fingers tightening slightly around my bag before I let go.
"Thank you," I murmured.
He shrugged like it was nothing.
But to me…
It wasn't.
Not at all.
A moment passed.
Then he turned to me, a small smile playing on his lips.
"So…"
I looked at him.
"Can we be friends?"
The question caught me off guard.
Friends?
Something so simple… yet so rare in my world.
I studied his face, searching for any sign of mockery.
There was none.
Just sincerity.
And for the first time in a long time…
Something in my chest shifted.
Very slightly.
Very quietly.
But it was there.
"…Sure," I said.
And as the word left my lips, I realized something I didn't expect—
I already liked him.