A few weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, the new school year had officially begun. Usually, going to school was the only time I could finally breathe, the only escape I had from the suffocating hell I was living in at home. At home, I was just a puppet controlled by my parents, forced to follow their rules and accept a future I didn't want. But at school, I was Cole—the rich kid, the genius, the one who always sat at the very top of the class rankings. I was respected, admired, and feared by many.
I liked being alone. I preferred keeping my distance from everyone else, building walls around myself so high that nobody could climb over. I did this on purpose, because if I stayed quiet and distant, nobody would ask too many questions. Nobody would pry into my personal life. Nobody would wonder why Talina was always clinging to my arm like she owned me, or why I looked so sad even though I had everything. I just wanted peace. I thought this year would be exactly the same as all the others—quiet, boring, and peaceful, filled only with textbooks, exams, and silence. Just me and my studies.
But I was wrong. Everything changed the moment she walked through that door.
"Class, settle down. Everyone, please pay attention," our adviser announced loudly, standing at the front of the room to get our attention. "We have a new transfer student today. She came all the way from another city after moving here with her family. Her name is Kaiza. Let's give her a warm welcome and be nice to her, okay?"
I didn't even bother lifting my head from the book I was reading. I couldn't care less about new students. I was too busy reviewing my notes, my mind completely focused on maintaining my perfect grades. I needed to be the best. Being number one was the only thing my parents actually praised me for, the only way to keep them somewhat happy and stop them from nagging me about my attitude or my future. If I was top of the class, they left me alone for a while.
But then, I heard the sound of footsteps walking down the aisle, getting closer and closer until they stopped right beside my desk.
"Hi! I'm Kaiza! You must be Cole, right? I heard you're the smartest guy here! And the most handsome too!"
A loud, energetic voice burst out, full of life and excitement. It was so different from the quiet, formal atmosphere of our classroom.
I finally looked up, my eyebrows furrowing instantly, feeling annoyed and irritated by the sudden noise and attention. There she was, standing right next to me—a girl with sparkling bright eyes and a huge, genuine smile that seemed to light up the whole room. She was looking at me with so much enthusiasm, so much energy, like we had known each other for years and were already best friends.
"Yes. Now please take your seat and be quiet, I'm studying," I replied in a cold, flat tone, immediately turning my head away again. I hoped my harsh attitude would scare her off. I hoped she would get the hint and leave me alone like everyone else usually did.
I expected her to get hurt, or get offended, or maybe even tear up and walk away to find another seat. But she didn't. Instead, she just giggled—a loud, happy sound that felt completely out of place in our serious classroom.
"Wow, you really are serious and grumpy! Just like they said!" she teased me, completely unbothered by my coldness. Without asking for permission, she pulled out the chair and sat down on the empty seat right next to me, our desks touching.
"Okay, Mr. Grumpy! But just so you know… I didn't transfer here just to sit around and be second best. I'm here to win," she said confidently, leaning slightly towards me with a challenging glint in her eyes. "I'm gonna take that number one spot from you. Watch out, Cole."
I couldn't help but smirk slightly, feeling a strange spark of challenge ignite inside me for the first time in forever. It had been so long since anyone dared to go against me.
"We'll see about that," I replied coldly, though my heart beat a little faster. "Don't cry when you lose."
Little did I know back then, that this annoying, loud, and persistent girl wouldn't just be a rival. She wouldn't just try to steal my rank. She would slowly steal my attention, steal my time, and eventually, become the only person who made me feel truly alive.