Chapter Text
—Hey! Watch out! —a girl yelled at him after accidentally hitting her.
Elias was walking around school, trying to get to his math class early, when this girl appeared in front of him; it wasn’t that big of a problem until the girl practically chased him, causing them to collide.
He didn’t have time for this. He arrived late to school, so if he didn’t rush to his class he'd be late; he would rather apologize for something he didn’t do instead of getting into trouble for something stupid.
— Sorry —he mumbled, even though he was sure it wasn’t his fault.
He continued walking, focused on the time he had left to reach his classroom than on the girl he left behind. However, it seemed fate had different plans for him.
— Where do you think you’re going?! —the girl screamed from behind, running after him. When she was close enough, she grabbed him from the shirt, forcing Elias to face her— I want an amendment! I could have died because of that!
— I don’t think that possible — he refuted her.
— I am Mayra from sixth grade C! —she interrupted him— If you don’t go to my class during lunch break with cookies, I’ll report you to the counselor! —the girl said before letting him go, then, she started running to her class, he guessed.
Elias stood still, staring blankly to where the girl was before leaving, trying to understand what the hell just happened.
It was even real?, he asked himself.
Kids are dumb, he concluded, even though he still was a kid.
Even though he did end up arriving early to class, as planned, he was furious. He couldn't believe that kid would dare speak to him that way! Did she even know who he was? No one would dare speak that way to one of the best students in the entire school. How rude!
He crossed his arms in his seat, glaring at all his classmates with the same anger he wanted to glare at the girl. He felt like he was boiling over, like he was going to explode at any moment and unleash everything he felt in the middle of class, but he tried his best to control himself.
Even his friends decided it was better staying away from him, knowing he needed time alone to calm down instead of talking to other people about what happened.
Math class started, and his anger didn't subside; it was so intense that he couldn't even pay attention to what the teacher was saying. It wasn't an actual problem; after all, he always learned effortlessly, but it was a headache having to ask his friends for their notes.
When lunch break began, he felt like he was on his limit. All the anger he felt disappeared and turned into resignation. It was no use being angry. He lay down on the table, hiding himself between his own arms.
Although being in that position didn't allow him to see what was happening around him, he could still hear everything going on in his classroom. Because of this, he was also able to notice when his friends approached his seat.
— This girl asked me to give her cookies or she’ll tell the counselor, should I believe her? —he asked his friends, ashamed, hoping one of them would hear him over the noise of the classroom.
— What do you mean? —Leonor was the first one to answer, confused.
— I got into trouble, she asked me for cookies so she wouldn't tell the counselor —he explained.
It wasn’t something funny, it was unfair, but Bethel thought otherwise. He could hear Bethel burst into laughter. She'd always been like that, too loud and with little awareness of other people, taking everything as a joke instead of treating things with the proper seriousness.
What a dumbass, he thought.
— She wants to bully you?! —she mocked— I didn’t believe this could ever happen!
— Bethel, watch your mouth —Leonor scolded her,causing the girl to quickly stop laughing—. You should do it, Elias —she continued speaking—. It might be a gross lie to deceive you, but you never know how these kids will act, especially since they opened the scholarship program.
— Right… —he agreed, even though he was against that idea. However, he didn’t feel in the place to refute the most intelligent kid in the class.
The trio left the classroom and headed for the cafeteria. The school was large, with hallways that resembled mazes rather than paths, often confusing the new students and freshmen from all grades, who were constantly being transferred between buildings.
Once they arrived at the cafeteria, Bethel was the one who bought the cookies as a symbol of apology; although Elias didn't know how valid that apology was, considering Bethel used the card he had given her.
After a long walk and climbing too many stairs, they found the floor where all the sixth-grade students were housed. None of them had to make an effort to find their classroom, since as soon as they arrived on the floor, the same girl who had interrupted him that morning yelled from the doorway of her classroom.
— I knew you’d come, pretty boy! — Squeaked Mayra.
Elías, almost running, went to the doorway to the class, standing a few meters away from Mayra, just to throw the bag of cookies at Mayra.
He wasn't proud of having been so rude, but she never should have behaved that way in the first place.
— Your cookies —he buffed.
— It's a pleasure doing business with you! —she exclaimed ecstatic, managing to catch the bag in midair. She looked so hungry, just like a wild animal.
Weirdo.
Tired, Elias shook his head, shifting his gaze back into the classroom. A small mistake that would spell the beginning of his downfall.
His eyes met those of a life-size doll, or a little girl with a face so refined it looked like a doll. She was standing still behind Mayra, watching everything that unfolded outside her classroom with attention.
She was the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his twelve years of life: her skin was as white as milk, flecked with freckles, eyes as green as the prettiest of the emeralds, and wavy black hair adorning her face. She looked like something out of a dream.
His face heated up quickly, unable to take his gaze off her.
He remained in a dreamlike state for the rest of the day, only being capable of thinking about her. Even when he got home.
He remained in a dreamlike state for the rest of the day, unable to think of anything but that girl. Even when he got home, he couldn't get her image out of his head.
That same day, in the sixth grade C classroom, two friends were talking instead of paying attention to history class.— I told you we'll be eating for free! —Mayra chuckled.
— But I already had food… —Abigail complained.
— Did you have cookies?
— No… —she sighted.
— Then shut up and eat!