Chapter Three
Daisy's POV:
The summer break had come to an end, and I found myself preparing for another school year. I tied my brown hair into a messy bun and grabbed my bag, ready to face the day ahead. My cousin, who attends the same school, was waiting for me in her car. Since I came to live with them, she had been my rock and only support, sneaking me out to parties and covering up for me to keep me out of trouble.
"Are you ready to rock school?" she asked with excitement.
"You know how much I hate going to school," I scoffed, not looking forward to the routine.
"Come on, it'll be different this season. I can feel it already. Besides, I heard at the frat party that there's a new hot teacher joining us," she teased.
"Oh, really? I can't wait to see who they're talking about," I replied, trying to muster some enthusiasm as we drove to school.
The school compound was bustling with students as usual, with everyone chattering and greeting each other. I watched as my cousin spotted her friend and waved at me before leaving the car. As she walked away, I couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. I didn't have any friends here—not because I didn't want any, but because people saw me as a nerd and kept their distance. I couldn't blame them; after what happened in the past, I decided to put my social life on hold and started wearing baggy clothes to school.
I accidentally bumped into a lady while walking through the school corridors. "Hey, I'm sorry," I quickly apologized, bending down to help her gather her scattered books.
"It's fine; I wasn't paying attention," she replied, offering a friendly smile.
I hadn't seen her around before, so I figured she must be a new student. I handed her books back to her and dusted off my hands. "Once again, sorry about that."
"I'm Emily, by the way. I'm new here," she introduced herself. "I'm Daisy. Nice to meet you," I responded with a smile.
Emily looked a bit lost, and her eyes pleaded for help. "Do you mind showing me around the school? I don't know my way around here yet."
"I don't mind at all," I happily agreed, eager to assist her.
"Thank you so much. I have a feeling we'll be best friends," Emily said, clearly excited.
"Why would you want to be friends with a nerd like me?" I asked self-consciously.
"Nonsense, your personality is not a barrier to us being friends," she assured me warmly as we walked together into the school building.
As we continued talking, I asked to see her class schedule, and we discovered that we had our first period together. "Good, we'll have some classes together," I said, handing back her schedule.
Emily's eyes sparkled with joy. "That's great! It's like nature is agreeing to our friendship."
"You're weird," I said, laughing.
Emily giggled. "And that's why we'll get along just fine."
We settled into the classroom, taking out our books in preparation for the lecturer's arrival. Just then, my boyfriend Liam walked in, flanked by his group of friends.
He came over to my side as soon as he saw me. "Hey babe," he said, giving me a quick peck on the forehead—the only place I allowed him such access.
"Hello to you too. I saved you a seat," I said, pointing at the empty chair beside me.
"Don't worry; I'll be sitting with my friends today," he replied, gesturing to the guys he was with.
I nodded, a bit relieved. "Okay."
"Won't you introduce me to this beautiful lady beside you?" he asked with a smile.
"Liam, meet Emily. Emily, meet my boyfriend, Liam," I introduced them to each other.
Liam extended his hand, took Emily's hand and he kissed the back of it. "Nice meeting you."
I rolled my eyes inwardly; I knew the kind of guy Liam could be. He was quite the flirt and seemed to pay attention to anything in a skirt, regardless of whether I was present or not.
"Nice meeting you too," Emily replied politely.
Liam then left with his friends, and I was glad he wouldn't be sitting next to me. As much as I cared about him, he had a way of distracting me during class, poking me with his pen, or making playful gestures that disrupted my focus. Today, I needed to pay attention, especially since Emily was sitting beside me, and I didn't want to come across as disinterested or inattentive.
"Good morning, class," said a voice I knew all too well. My heart skipped a beat as I raised my head and saw Anthony standing in front of us. Disbelief washed over me; he couldn't possibly be the new teacher everyone was talking about. I watched as he sniffed the air, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for something until they met mine.
We seemed taken aback by each other's presence, and for a moment, it felt as though time had stopped. Emily, who sat beside me, nudged my shoulder to bring me back to reality. "What?" I asked, trying to hide my surprise.
"You were staring too much," she cautioned, glancing around to see the curious eyes of our classmates. "Do you know him from somewhere?"
"No," I lied, not wanting to reveal any connection between us.
"Something tells me you're not telling the truth. The way you both were looking at each other was... intriguing," she pointed out.
I sighed, feeling a sense of trust in Emily despite only just meeting her. "Fine, he's my sister's boyfriend," I admitted with a tinge of disgust.
"And you're not supportive of their relationship?" she probed.
"Not really. It's complicated," I replied truthfully, feeling the weight of my emotions.
Emily leaned in, her voice soft and reassuring. "I know we've just met, but you can talk to me. I can assure you that your secret is safe with me."
I hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to open up to her. "It's nothing, really," I responded, still unsure if I could fully trust her with the complexities of my feelings and past experiences.
Emily looked at me suspiciously but didn't press further. Anthony went on to introduce himself to the rest of the class, but I found it hard to focus on his words. Questions flooded my mind—why had he come here? Was he here to show off his relationship with my sister? And worst of all, did my sister come here with him?
Feeling uneasy, memories of the past resurfaced, and I tried to push them aside. Emily noticed my distress and asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I will be fine," I replied, forcing a smile, even though I was far from okay.
As the class continued, students started asking Anthony personal questions about his life. The girls, especially, were intrigued, and I couldn't blame them. Anthony looked handsome and
charming in his Armani suit, and if I weren't so angry and conflicted, I might have been swooning over him too.
I tried my best to distract myself from the situation, focusing on taking notes and avoiding any further glances in Anthony's direction. But the tension in the room was palpable, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this new dynamic would only complicate my already complicated life.