The bell rang, echoing through the classroom, and Sara slung her backpack under her desk. She glanced around as the teacher started arranging papers at the front.
"Class," the teacher said, clapping her hands once, "we have a new student joining us today. Please welcome Aiden Rivers."
Aiden stood quietly, offering a small, polite nod to the room. Most of the students whispered or glanced curiously in his direction. He took a deep breath and added softly, "Hi… I'm Aiden. I just moved here from Japan."
A ripple of oohs and ahhs ran through the class. Sara couldn't help but smile at his quiet confidence.
Aiden scanned the desks until he found the one assigned to him. He wasn't sitting right next to Sara. In fact, there was a desk between them—occupied by her best friend, Maya.
Maya leaned toward Sara, whispering loudly enough to be heard over the hum of the classroom, "Oh wow… he's cute. Like, really cute. You're not sitting next to him? Tragic."
Sara rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh. "Maya! Keep it down."
Maya grinned mischievously. "Why? I'm just admiring the view. You know, for future reference."
Aiden slid into his seat, glancing at Sara and giving her a small, shy smile. Sara waved subtly, but Maya, completely oblivious, leaned forward again with a flirtatious tilt of her head.
"So," Maya whispered to Aiden with a playful grin, "Japan, huh? Exotic, quiet, mysterious… I like it. I'm Maya, by the way. Nice to meet you."
Aiden blinked, a hint of surprise in his expression, then returned a polite smile. "Hi… I'm Aiden. Nice to meet you too."
Sara stifled a laugh, shaking her head slightly. Maya had no idea that she and Aiden had already met outside the classroom. That made the situation even more amusing.
Throughout the lesson, Sara kept glancing at Aiden, noticing the subtle details she had already observed yesterday—the crease in his brow when he concentrated, the quiet way he wrote notes, and the gentle curve of his lips when he chuckled softly at something in the textbook.
During a short break, Maya leaned back, still grinning at Aiden. "Hey, do you want to grab lunch later? I could totally show you the cafeteria… or better yet, I could show you the best hiding spots from the cafeteria chaos."
Aiden looked momentarily taken aback, then smiled politely. "Thank you… I'd like that."
Sara leaned toward Maya, whispering with a sly grin, "Careful, Maya. You only just met him—don't scare him. I know you don't exactly have a great track record with picking the right boys for yourself."
Maya laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "Hey! That's just because the right ones are hard to find."
By the time the bell rang for lunch, the dynamic between them had become a quiet, teasing rhythm. Sara realized that despite Maya's flirtatious antics, Aiden was someone she genuinely wanted to know.
Aiden, meanwhile, was silently grateful for Sara's steady presence. With her nearby (even if separated by Maya and her relentless flirting), the overwhelming chaos of the school felt just a little more manageable and Aiden was finally feeling a little more comfortable. He thought to himself was this how normal life was?