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A couple of rich boys looked him up and down, whispering behind their hands. Jack felt their eyes like a weight pressing on his back.
He kept his gaze forward. His bag was old, torn. His pencils were worn. Everything about him screamed different. Wrong. Poor.
The teacher cleared her throat.
"Settle down. We're starting the first lesson of the term."
Chairs shifted. Pens clicked. Pages flipped. But Jack didn't hear any of it clearly. All he could think about was the girl sitting right in front of him—Tyla.
Now she was a meter away.
He sat straight, stiff, barely breathing.
Tyla didn't look back. She was focused on the teacher, her neat handwriting filling her notebook. Her bag was clean, her books perfectly arranged. Everything about her made Jack feel smaller.
Around him, whispers continued.
"Who's the new guy?"
"Did he get lost?"
"No, I think he's the scholarship kid."
The word scholarship hung in the air like a stain.
Jack gripped his pen tightly, forcing himself not to react. He'd worked years for this opportunity. He wasn't going to let a few spoiled classmates break him on the first day.
The lesson continued, but the room never relaxed. Every few minutes, someone glanced at him—curious or judging. The teacher asked a question. Hands shot up. Jack kept his eyes down. He didn't dare draw attention.
At one point, Tyla shifted in her seat to reach her bag. Her elbow brushed the edge of Jack's desk. He flinched slightly. She didn't even notice. Good. Staying invisible was safer.
The class went by painfully slow.
Near the end, the teacher began announcing partner assignments for an upcoming project. Excitement spread around the room. People turned to their friends immediately.
Jack's stomach dropped. He had no friends here. No one would choose him.
"Everyone, pair up quickly," the teacher said.
Students moved instantly, dragging chairs, calling each other's names. Laughter filled the classroom. Backpacks thumped against desks. Papers rustled.
Jack stayed still. He didn't move. He didn't look up. He waited for the embarrassment to hit—the moment when the teacher realized he was still alone.
But before that could happen, something else did.
Tyla stood to turn around, clearly looking for someone else—not him. Her friend was near the back.
A random boy patted Jack's shoulder.
"My group needs an extra member," he said warmly.
Jack felt intimidated, but he didn't really have a choice.
"Yeah… sure. That would be great," he said.
A few students snickered, seeing Jack interact casually with the boy.
To Jack's surprise, the entire group shifted toward him.
It was as if he was the main demand—but he better relax. Either they needed him, or they felt pity.
He forced a calm expression. He didn't want attention.
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