Chapter 1
“Okay, deep breaths, universe, please be chill with me. Let this school, like, vibe with me, and may there be zero bullies. Amen.”
I’m Fatima Dombia, by the way. Fingers crossed, I took a deep breath and stepped into the chaos of my new school’s hallway. First day as a transfer student, and my nerves were doing the most – a mix of excited and terrified, you know? My fam’s money situation, our business going bankrupt, meant I had to bounce from my old private school, and now I’m here, surrounded by a sea of new faces.
As I navigated the hallway of this government-funded building, I could feel the stares and hear the whispers. I’m pretty sure it’s my look and confident walk that got their attention, like, ‘Who’s this new queen?’ They were probably shaken by the new arrival.
But, plot twist! My newness to the school, combined with my legendary bad sense of direction, meant I took a wrong turn. Now I’m lost in this maze of hallways, desperately tryna find my first class. Send help.
I’m trying to navigate this hallway, right? And BAM! I literally walk smack into someone. I look up, and it’s this dude who’s basically a walking thirst trap. He’s stacked, probably spends all his time at the gym or on a sports field. He’s like six feet of pure confidence, totally owning the hallway, while I’m just over here at five-foot-two, feeling like a Borrower. He’s got this swagger that just screams, ’I know I look good.’His hair is this messy, dark black vibe, falling all over his forehead like he just rolled out of bed – but in a totally hot way. Sometimes he’d push it back, and you could see his sharp jawline.
But his eyes? OMG. They’re this intense hazel color, framed by these long lashes, and they just pull you in. There’s this mix of charm, a little bit of ‘I’m up to no good,’ and, like, a whole lot of mystery. Seriously, you could get lost in those eyes. He’s rocking a varsity jacket, and underneath, his shirt is just... chef’s kiss. It shows off his chest perfectly, and then he’s got these baggy jeans on.
Total Playboy energy, like the kind you see in movies. First impression? Definitely the notorious Maple Leaf High player. The way people were reacting, all gasps and whispers? Yeah, this guy is that dude. Everyone knows him, probably a mix of obsessed and low-key terrified.
Okay, so, like, when our eyes met? Total shocker. It was like a literal spark, and for a second, everything froze. My heart was doing the absolute most, and even he looked kinda thrown off his game for a sec.
Then, he snaps back, flashes this smirk, and reaches out to help me up. “Watch where you’re going, new girl,” he says, totally teasing. I tried to play it cool, even though I was kinda annoyed, but also, like, intrigued. No way was I letting his player vibe get to me. So I hit him back with, “Maybe you should watch where you’re going too,” with as much sass as I could muster. I brushed off his hand and kept it moving, determined to, like, make my mark here. But my anxiety was still at 100, worried I was gonna be super late and totally embarrass myself. I speed-walked the rest of the way, my heart still pounding, and finally made it to my classroom door.
Whew, finally found my classroom! But, like, the second I stepped inside, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. The room was packed, every single seat taken, and the teacher was up front, totally zoned in on the board. I kinda timidly walked in, and you could hear a pin drop. All chatter? Gone. Every single pair of eyes? On me.
The teacher gave me this warm smile, though, and was like, “Ah, seems like we have a new student! Why don’t you introduce yourself to the class?“The room was dead silent, everyone waiting for me to, like, do my thing. But then, plot twist! The door opens again, and who do I see?
The guy I literally ran into in the hall. Yep, turns out we’re in the same class. Unlucky coincidence, much? He walks in, all smirky, and goes, “Morning, Mr Singo. Sorry, I’m late... again.“Mr Singo just shakes his head, like, “Morning, Kade. Always on your own time. Just find a seat.”
So Kade, the guy I bumped into, walks through the desks, but not before giving me this look. Like, a whole meaningful glance and a smirk that said, ‘I see you.’ My nerves were already shot, and that just made it worse. I was low-key freaking out, wondering if I’d just made myself a target for this dude who seemed super arrogant and maybe a total bully.
My brain was going wild. Was he gonna use that hallway incident against me? Or was I just being extra, letting my nerves get the best of me? I know first impressions aren’t everything, but that lingering smile and his whole confident vibe? Kinda sketch.
Anyway, Mr Singo nodded at me, so I took another deep breath, tried to calm my heart down, stood up straight, and was like, “Hey, everyone! I’m Fatima Dombia, the new student. I transferred from St. Benedict Exclusive School.” I paused ’cause I heard some whispers like, ‘She’s gotta be rich,’ and stuff. Then I continued, “I’m super excited to be here and can’t wait to meet you all.”
The room was kinda buzzing after that. I guess my confidence and, like, my whole vibe kinda hit them? They were whispering and looking at each other, and I was like, “Okay, maybe they’re actually impressed.”
The teacher, bless him, gave me this super nice smile and was like, “Welcome to the class!” Then he pointed me to an empty seat. Major win! It was right at the front, so I didn’t have to, like, sit next to Kade. Phew, dodged that bullet. Crisis averted, for now.
