The first sign that something was wrong came when I stepped into the classroom Monday morning. The air felt heavier than usual, as if everyone had stopped mid-conversation to look at me.
I froze for a moment, clutching my bag strap tighter.
Then the whispers began.
*"That's her, right? The new girl."*
*"The one sitting next to Lawrence."*
*"She's been staying after class with him a lot lately."*
I tried to ignore them, keeping my head down as I walked toward my seat.
Lawrence was already there, as usual, slouched in his chair with one hand propping up his head. He didn't glance at me when I sat down, didn't even move, but I could feel the quiet stares burning into my back.
I slid into my seat as calmly as I could, pulling out my notebook.
The whispers didn't stop.
---
The first period dragged by painfully. Every time I raised my hand to answer a question, I could hear the faint murmurs.
*"Why is she acting like nothing's happening?"*
*"Do you think she's doing this on purpose? Getting close to him?"*
I bit the inside of my cheek, focusing on the blackboard.
When the bell finally rang for break, I sighed in relief. But as I started to pack my books, I felt a soft tap on my shoulder.
I turned to see one of the girls from the back row—a tall, pretty girl with perfectly styled hair and a bright smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hi, Aya, right?" she said sweetly.
"Um… yes."
She tilted her head, still smiling. "You're new, so I guess you don't know… but a lot of girls really like Lawrence."
I blinked. "I know. Everyone talks about him."
"Exactly!" Her smile widened. "So maybe… you should be careful not to get too close? People might misunderstand."
Something in her tone made my stomach twist. She was smiling, but her words felt like a warning.
I forced a polite smile. "I'm just his seatmate. We're working on a project, that's all."
"Of course," she said sweetly. "Just… keep that in mind, okay?"
Then she turned and left, her friends giggling as they followed.
I sat there for a moment, staring at my desk.
It wasn't like I asked to sit next to him.
---
When Lawrence returned from wherever he'd gone during break, he sat down without a word.
I opened my notebook, trying to act normal, but I couldn't stop glancing at him.
Did he know people were talking about us?
Probably.
But as always, he didn't seem to care.
---
The day didn't get any better. By lunch, I could feel the stares following me as I walked through the courtyard. A group of girls sitting under a tree whispered loudly as I passed.
"She's not even that pretty."
"Why does he talk to her? He never talks to anyone."
I quickened my pace, pretending I didn't hear.
I finally reached my usual quiet corner, setting my lunchbox down with a sigh.
"Rough day?"
I jumped slightly, looking up to see Lawrence standing there with his tray.
"You startled me," I muttered.
He sat across from me like it was the most natural thing in the world. "You're jumpy today."
I looked away, focusing on my food. "People are… talking."
"They always talk," he said casually, opening his lunch.
"About us," I clarified.
Lawrence didn't even blink. "So?"
"So?!" I stared at him. "Don't you care what they're saying?"
"No."
I frowned, frustrated. "You can't just ignore everything."
He glanced at me then, his expression calm, almost amused. "Why not?"
"Because—" I stopped, realizing I didn't know what to say.
Lawrence took a bite of his food, looking completely unbothered. "If you care about what everyone says, you'll never be happy."
I blinked at him, caught off guard by how casually he said it.
---
Lunch passed quietly after that, but the stares didn't stop. I tried to focus on my food, but I could feel eyes on us the whole time.
When the bell rang, we stood to leave.
As we walked past a group of girls, I heard one of them mutter, loud enough for me to hear, "She's probably just using him to get popular."
I froze for a moment, my face heating.
Before I could react, Lawrence stopped.
He turned his head slightly, his voice calm but firm. "If you have something to say, say it louder."
The group of girls fell silent instantly, their eyes wide.
Lawrence didn't wait for a response. He just turned back and kept walking, his hands in his pockets as if nothing happened.
I hurried to catch up, still stunned.
"You didn't have to do that," I said quietly when we were out of earshot.
"They were annoying," he said simply.
I frowned. "But you don't care what people say."
"I don't," he replied. "But I don't like lies."
For a moment, I stared at him, unsure what to say.
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened.
When the final bell rang, we stayed behind for our project as usual.
I tried to focus on my notes, but my mind kept replaying his words.
He didn't defend me because he cared… right?
Probably not.
He said it himself—he just doesn't like lies.
Still, for some reason, I couldn't stop the small, strange feeling in my chest.
---
When we finished and started packing, I glanced at him. "Thank you… for earlier."
Lawrence looked at me, his expression unreadable. "Don't mention it."
He slung his bag over his shoulder, heading for the door. "Tomorrow. Same time."
I nodded. "Right."
As he walked away, I couldn't help but smile faintly to myself.
Maybe he really didn't care about the rumors.
But for just a moment, it felt like he cared about me.