Pieces of me

(the present moment)

I was completely out of breath, running down the school hallway because I was so late for class. When I finally burst through the door, my heart was racing. I quickly walked over to my usual seat next to Clara, ready to sit down.

But before I could even pull out my chair, Clara grabbed my schoolbag and threw it straight onto the floor.

"You’re not sitting with me anymore," Clara said, her voice loud enough for the whole class to hear. She pointed at the girl sitting next to her now. "Meet Neji. She’s my new best friend. And honestly, Shife? I don't want to be friends with someone as judgmental as you."

(the recap one day ago)

​​Just twenty-four hours ago, everything was completely different. It all started yesterday when Neji first transferred to our school...

( Story continues)

​I stared at my bag on the floor, my face burning with embarrassment. Right then, Neji sat down next to Clara. She looked up at me and gave me this strange, twisted smile—like she had just won a prize. It made my stomach turn.

​Feeling completely worthless, I picked up my bag and walked to the very back of the room, sitting down at an empty desk all by myself.

​Just when I thought my day couldn't get any weirder, the classroom door opened again. It was Oliver. He was new to this class too, but he was an old friend of mine from back in the day.

​His eyes scanned the room, and as soon as he saw me sitting alone, a huge smile broke across his face. He walked straight over and sat down in the seat right next to me.

​"Wow, Shife! Look at us," Oliver said, his voice full of excitement. "Hello! Can you believe we’re in the same class? It’s been so long since we used to hang out everyday!"

​I tried to smile back, but my face felt heavy. My mood was completely ruined, and I just couldn't fake being happy. I kept looking down at my desk, my mind spinning, wondering what I did wrong to deserve this.

​Oliver noticed my silence immediately. His happy expression faded into a worried look. He leaned in closer and asked softly, "Hey... what’s wrong? Did something happen?"

Luckily, the teacher walked in right at that moment, saving me from answering any more questions. But the entire period felt like torture. I could feel Clara and Neji's eyes on me from the front row, whispering and laughing.​I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a tight, fake smile. "Nothing," I whispered, looking away. "Nothing happened. Let's just focus on the class."

​The second the bell rang for the end of class, I grabbed my things and rushed out. But Oliver was fast. He followed me all the way to the school gate, grabbing my wrist gently to stop me.

​"Shife, stop," Oliver said, his voice serious and full of concern. "Tell me what's going on. I know you, and I know when something is wrong. Tell me everything."

​My eyes stung with fresh tears, but my stubborn pride wouldn't let me break down in public. I pulled my hand away from his grip. "Oliver, please. I just... I need to go. I have to leave right now."

Without waiting for his reply, I turned around and ran. I was running so fast, looking down at the ground to hide my face, that I didn't see the person walking right into my path.

Bam!

I crashed straight into someone. Stumbling back, I forced myself to look up, ready to just apologize and keep running—until my eyes met his.

It was Ethan.

For a second, the whole world went quiet. But I couldn't even blush. I was so exhausted, so hurt from everything Clara and Neji had done, that fresh tears just welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I couldn't say a single word to him. I couldn't even look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry," I choked out immediately, my voice trembling as a tear finally spilled over.

Before he could even respond or ask if I was okay, I pushed past him and bolted, running away as fast as I could, just wanting to disappear.

Story Continues (The Empty Room & The Entry)...

I couldn't breathe. The laughter of the entire classroom was ringing in my ears, cutting through me like knives. Without looking back, I bolted out of the classroom, running down the corridor with tears streaming down my face.

I found an old, empty classroom at the end of the hallway. I rushed inside, slammed the door shut, and collapsed onto the floor in a dark corner. And then, I just broke. I sobbed my heart out, burying my face in my knees, shaking uncontrollably from the humiliation.

My vision was completely blurred with tears. I couldn't see anything around me, just pure darkness and pain.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening softly broke the silence.

Footsteps heavy and hesitant, echoed across the wooden floor, coming closer and closer to my corner. Through my blurry, tear-filled eyes, I could only see a tall silhouette standing over me.

I panic-panicked. "Who... who is it? Please, just leave me alone," I choked out, my voice cracking completely. I looked up, trying to clear my eyes, trying to see who it was.

It was Ethan.

He was looking down at me, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and pure worry. He had never seen me like this.

I wanted to stand up. I wanted to apologize and run away like I always did. But the emotional pain was too much. My head started spinning, the room tilted, and my strength completely vanished.

Before I could even say his name, everything went black, and I collapsed, falling straight toward the cold floor.

Story Continues (The Medical Room)...

My eyes felt incredibly heavy. As I slowly opened them, the harsh white light of the ceiling made my head throb. I blinked a few times, realizing I was lying on a bed in the school’s medical room.

I tried to sit up, but a soft, deep voice stopped me.

"Don't move yet. You're still weak."

I turned my head to the side, and my heart skipped a beat. Sitting on the chair right next to my bed was Ethan.

He was looking at me with total seriousness, his usual cool expression completely gone.

"Y-You..." I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. My cheeks instantly started to burn. "What happened?"

"You fainted right in front of me in that empty room," Ethan said quietly, looking away for a second as if he was slightly embarrassed. "You were about to hit the floor, so I caught you. I... I carried you all the way here."

My face went completely red. He carried me?! The guy I had been crushing on for months had actually held me in his arms. Before I could even process the butterflies exploding in my stomach, Ethan leaned in closer, his eyes locking onto mine.

"Shife," he said softly, his voice full of genuine concern. "What Clara did in the classroom... I saw it. Are you really okay?"

Hearing his gentle voice made me cry again. I looked down at my hands and gripped the bedsheet tightly. All the pain came rushing back.

"Why do you care?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "Everyone was laughing at me. Clara ruined everything. Why are you here, Ethan?"

Ethan stayed quiet for a moment. He looked at me with kind eyes.

"Because none of that matters," Ethan said in a calm, sweet voice. "What Clara did was wrong. But her words cannot change who you are. Don't worry about the class, Shife. You did nothing wrong."

My heart started beating very fast. His words made me feel so much better. Just as I was about to speak, the medical room door opened.

( the story continues)

The door burst open, and Oliver rushed inside. He was breathing heavily, and he looked so worried.

"Shife!" Oliver yelled, running straight to my bed. "Are you okay? I was looking for you everywhere!"

Then, Oliver stopped. He looked at Ethan sitting right next to me, and his face changed. He looked confused and a little angry.

"Who are you?" Oliver asked Ethan, his voice getting tight. "And what are you doing here with my best friend?"

Ethan did not get scared. He slowly stood up from the chair and looked back at Oliver with calm eyes.

"She fainted," Ethan said shortly. "I just brought her here to help."

The room became very quiet. Both boys were staring at each other, and I could feel the tension in the air. I sat up quickly, my heart beating fast, wondering what would happen next.

I quickly waved my hands. "Oliver, stop! Please," I said, my voice still a little weak. "Ethan helped me. He carried me here when I fainted."

Oliver looked at me, then looked back at Ethan. His face softened a bit, but he still looked a little jealous. "Oh... okay. Thanks," Oliver muttered to Ethan, not looking very happy about it.

Ethan did not say anything. He just put his hands in his pockets and gave a small nod. Then, he turned his eyes to me.

"Take care, Shife," Ethan said softly.

He turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. My eyes followed him until he disappeared. My heart was still fluttering from his words.

The second Ethan left, Oliver sat down on the chair. He looked at me with serious eyes.

"Shife, forget about that guy for a second," Oliver said, grabbing my hand gently. "Tell me what happened in the classroom. What did Clara do? I saw everyone laughing. Tell me the truth."

I looked away, hiding my tears. I did not want to talk about it. "Nothing, Oliver. Please, I don't want to talk about it right now."

Oliver sighed but he did not force me. Just then, the school bell rang. School was finally over.

Oliver stood up and looked at me worriedly. "Can you walk home alone? Or should I drop you?"

"I can go by myself. Don't worry, Oliver," I said with a weak smile.

I walked back home slowly. My mind was completely blank. The moment I reached my house, I ran straight to my bedroom. I locked the door, sat in a dark corner, and just stayed there all night, feeling completely broken.

The Next Day at School...

The morning bell rang, but my seat was completely empty.

Oliver kept looking at the door, waiting for me. He was sweating and looking very stressed. Even Ethan was standing near the window, his eyes constantly checking my empty desk. Ethan looked serious and restless.

Oliver pulled out his phone. "I need to call her right now," he muttered to himself. But suddenly, he froze. He realized something terrible—he did not have my phone number!

Ethan was also looking at his own phone, biting his lip. He didn't have my number either. Both boys wanted to call me, but neither of them could.

The whole day passed slowly, and finally, school was over.

Oliver could not wait anymore. He left the school quickly and ran straight to my house. He stood at the front door, his heart beating fast, and knocked.The door opened, and my Mom stood there. When she saw him, her eyes lit up with a surprise smile.

"Oliver! Oh my god, you came after so many years! Come inside, dear," she said warmly.

Oliver smiled a little but he looked very worried. "Hello, Aunty. Can I please talk to Shife? Is she home?"

My Mom’s smile went away, and she looked sad. "No, Oliver. She is not at home. Her health was very bad, so she went out to the park for some fresh air and rest. You can check there."

"Thank you, Aunty," Oliver said, and he ran straight to the park.

Story Continues (The Scene in the Park)...

I was sitting alone on a park bench, looking at the ground. My head was hurting, and I felt so tired.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. I looked up and my heart froze. It was Neji. She walked straight to me, looking very angry.

"What were you doing with Ethan yesterday?" Neji demanded, her voice sharp. "Why was he holding you? What is your relationship with Ethan? Tell me!"

I was too scared to speak. I just shook my head.

Neji got even angrier. Suddenly, she reached out and tightly grabbed my cheek with her fingers. It hurt so much.

"Listen to me, loser," she hissed, staring right into my eyes. "Stay away from Ethan. You are nothing compared to—"

Before she could finish, Neji looked up and saw someone running towards us. It was Oliver.

Neji panicked. She quickly pushed me hard onto the cold ground, turned around, and ran away as fast as she could.

I crashed onto the grass, sobbing in pain.

Just a second later, Oliver reached me. His eyes went wide when he saw me lying on the ground. He knelt down instantly and pulled me up into his arms, shaking with fear and pure anger.

"Shife! Shife, look at me! Are you okay?" Oliver yelled, his voice breaking. "Did she hurt you? I swear, I am not going to leave her for this!"

I grabbed Oliver's jacket tightly, my whole body shivering. "Please, Oliver... I just want to go home," I choked out through my tears. "Please, take me home."

Oliver looked at the direction where Neji ran, his fists tight, but looking at my tears, he chose to lift me up and help me walk home.

Oliver helped me walk all the way back to my house. The moment we walked through the door, my Mom ran to us. She looked at my messy clothes and my red eyes.

"Oh my god, Shife!" Mom cried out, looking super worried. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

My voice was choked, and I couldn't say anything. I was too scared to tell her about Neji.

Oliver quickly stepped in front of me. He looked at my Mom and gave a fake, calm smile.

"Nothing happened, Aunty," Oliver said smoothly. "She is just fine. She accidentally tripped and fell on the grass while walking in the park. That is why her clothes are dirty. Don't worry at all."

My Mom let out a big sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness! Shife, you need to be more careful. Go upstairs, change your clothes, and take some rest."

"Yes, Mom," I whispered.

I looked at Oliver gratefully. He saved me from telling the truth. Oliver gave me a soft nod, telling me to go. I walked upstairs to my room, feeling a little safe because of my best friend