"Are you okay?" the deep voice asked again.
I blinked, finally snapping out of my daze. I was still leaning against his chest. "Ah?! What? Yes, I'm fine! Perfectly fine!"
I tried to pull away, but he held me for a second longer, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that made me feel exposed.
"Well... thank you for the help," I said, regaining my composure. "But maybe you could let me go now?"
"Ah, I'm so sorry," he said, quickly releasing me. He looked a bit flustered.
"Thanks again. I have to go. Bye!" I didn't wait for an answer. I turned and disappeared into the crowd.
"Wait! Stop!" he called out behind me. "You didn't tell me your name yet!"
I didn't turn back. I had a class to catch and a reputation to rebuild.
The Classroom
"There you are!" Marie waved me over the moment I stepped into the room.
"What's up?" I asked, sliding into my seat.
"What was that just now?" Marie leaned in, her eyes sparkling with gossip.
"What was what?"
"Don't play dumb! Do you know who he is?"
"No," I shrugged. "And I don't care. Why does it matter?"
"Are you serious? Erina, that's the boy I told you about! He's the official 'Prince Charming' of the university now."
"Really? So what?" I leaned back, bored. "He's just a guy."
"Ugh, you are so annoying," Marie groaned. "I know you haven't forgotten your former crush, but still..."
"Former crush?"
"You really are something! Did you forget about Helia so fast?"
I searched Erina's memories. Helia. The calm, distant boy she had fallen for when she first started here. The girls used to beat her up just for looking at him. Even Kristel claimed he was her boyfriend, though he never confirmed it.
"Of course I forgot about him," I said firmly. "I was naive back then. Now? I don't care about guys at all."
"What?" Marie looked at me in horror. "Are you even a girl?"
"Yes! You want to check?" I joked.
"Fine. Take off your clothes!" Marie teased.
"Are you kidding?" I laughed, pushing her shoulder. "But seriously, remember my words, Marie: No guys — no problems."
"You're heartless!"
"I'm not saying you shouldn't have a boyfriend. Just choose carefully, okay?"
"Fine, fine. But where did you get all this 'relationship wisdom' anyway?"
"I... read it on a website," I lied quickly. Sorry, Marie. I can't exactly tell you I've lived a whole other life and already had a boyfriend who probably thinks I'm dead.
Suddenly, whispers from the back of the room reached us.
"Did you hear? Erina actually took down Kristel and her lackeys yesterday."
"I heard Kristel was begging for mercy on the roof!"
"Erina has changed so much... and she's gotten so beautiful."
The door swung open, and Professor Kiara walked in. "Good morning, students. Starting today, we have a transfer student joining us. I hope you'll make him feel welcome and help him learn our rules. He was one of the top students at his previous university. Everyone, meet Eden Jordan."
The room erupted.
"Wow, he's so handsome!"
"I think I found my new crush!"
"Here we go again," Marie sighed, though she was smiling.
"Hey Marie," I whispered, "I get why the girls are going crazy, but why are the guys acting so friendly toward him?"
"Easy," Marie replied. "He's handsome and rich. If they're his friends, they get to be around all the pretty girls who follow him. It's the 'halo effect.'"
"Understood," I muttered.
"Sit wherever you like, Eden," Professor Kiara said.
Kristel immediately sat up straight, clearing the seat next to her with a smug smile. As Eden walked up the stairs, she stood up to welcome him, but he walked right past her without a glance. Kristel froze, her face turning bright red as she sank back into her chair in shame.
Instead, Eden walked straight toward our desk. "Can I sit here?" he asked, looking at me.
"Of course!!!" Marie squealed.
"....Sure. Whatever," I said, trying to act indifferent.
"Thanks. My name is Eden. And you are?"
"Marie! Nice to meet you!"
"Erina," I said shortly.
"Nice to meet you both," he smiled. Marie began to stare at him openly. I felt like a human shield sitting between them.
"Maybe I should swap places with Marie?" I suggested, feeling awkward.
"No, it's fine! Stay where you are," Eden said quickly.
Professor Kiara cleared her throat. "Since we have a new student, I want to test his knowledge—and yours. We'll start with a surprise Chemistry test."
My heart dropped. What? Chemistry? No!! Anything but that! In my life as Silvia, I hated Chemistry. Formulas and reactions made my head spin. It was the reason I joined the military academy instead of following my parents into medicine like my brother did.
"Erina, are you okay?" Marie whispered. "You're sweating and pale. You love chemistry! You came in first on the last test."
"Really?" Eden asked, looking intrigued.
"Of course I'm fine!" I snapped, trying to hide my panic. "It's just a test, right? Easy!"
Professor Kiara began handing out the papers. I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified to look. I don't want to see this... I'm going to fail so hard...
I finally forced myself to look at the first page.
"Huh?!" I whispered.
The complex molecular chains and reaction equations looked... simple. My eyes moved across the page, and the answers appeared in my mind before I even finished reading the questions.
"Are you okay?" Eden whispered, noticing my shocked expression.
"Yes... I'm perfect," I breathed.
I'm not a failure, I realized, a smirk spreading across my face. Between Silvia's tactical brain and Erina's scientific knowledge... I'm a freaking genius!
~to be continued