Chapter Text
The first thing I learned after moving was that people in small towns had two hobbies: staring at the new kid and pretending they weren’t staring at the new kid.
I noticed this before I even made it to my first class.
The woman at the front office looked at me for a second too long before handing me my schedule. The two freshmen standing by the vending machines stopped talking when I walked past. Even the guy who held the door open for me gave me the kind of smile people give when they already know something about you that you don’t know about yourself.
New kid.
That was me now.
Apparently moving three hours away meant I had become the most interesting thing that happened at this school all week.
“Locker 421,” the secretary said, sliding my papers toward me. “Your first class is down the hall, then left.”
I nodded like I understood.
“Great start,” I mumbled.
I checked my schedule again.
Room 337
I looked down the hallway.
Every door looked exactly the same.
Whoever designed this school clearly hated teenagers. There was no reason a building needed this many identical hallways. It felt like a maze designed by someone who wanted students to fail.
Eventually, I found Room 337.
I walked in and immediately felt every person look at me.
I hated that.
Not because I was shy. I wasn’t. I just didn’t enjoy feeling like everyone was silently judging me before I had even done anything.
The teacher looked up from her desk.
“You must be Andrew Galko.”
I nodded.
“Andy is fine.”-
“Welcome. Take the empty seat next to Ethan.”
Of course.
Of course the only empty seat would be next to someone who looked like he belonged on the cover of a school brochure.
I sat down.
The guy next to me didn’t look up.
Not once.
He was already writing something in his notebook, and somehow he looked like he had been prepared for this class since birth.
Perfect hair. Perfect uniform. Perfect handwriting.
I immediately disliked him.
Not because of anything he had done.
Which was probably unfair.
But I was having a bad morning, and he looked like the kind of person who had never had a bad morning in his life.
The teacher started explaining the assignment.
“Since we’re starting our unit on historical controversies, I want everyone to remember that being able to defend your argument matters just as much as having the correct answer.”
A few people groaned.
The teacher smiled.
“Which means I expect effort.”
She started writing a question on the board.
“Who can tell me why this event was considered a turning point?”
A few people looked away.
I knew the answer.
Not because I was some genius, but because I actually paid attention in history.
I raised my hand.
The teacher called on me.
“The event changed public opinion because it exposed problems people had been ignoring,” I said.
A couple people nodded.
Then the guy next to me spoke.
“Not exactly."
I turned.
He finally looked at me.
His eyes were calm, like he hadn’t just interrupted me in front of the entire class.
“The event changed public opinion, but it wasn’t the first time those problems were exposed. The difference was that it reached people who had previously been able to ignore it."
The teacher smiled.
“Exactly, Ethan.”
Of course his name was Ethan.
A name that sounded like it belonged to someone who had never gotten a B in his life.
“Thank you for adding that.”
Ethan nodded and went back to writing.
That was it.
No apology.
No awkwardness.
Just a correction and then back to his perfect little world.
I stared at my notebook.
I told myself I wasn’t annoyed.
I was.
But not because he was right.
Okay.
Maybe a little because he was right.
When the bell rang, everyone immediately started moving.
I packed up my stuff, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go next.
A guy with curly hair and a backpack covered in random pins stopped beside my desk.
“You’re new, right?”
I looked up.
“Is it that obvious?”
He laughed.
“A little.”
At least he was friendly.
“I’m Harvey.”
“Andy.”
“Yeah, I figured. Everyone knows the new kid’s name before the new kid knows anyone else’s.”
That was unfortunately true.
He pointed toward the hallway.
“You need help finding your next class?”
I looked at my schedule.
Then back at the hallway.
“Honestly? Yes.”
He laughed again.
“Come on.”
As we walked, I glanced back once.
Ethan was still sitting in the classroom.
Still writing.
Still looking like he had everything figured out.
“What’s his deal?” I asked.
Harvey followed my gaze.
“Who?”
“Ethan.”
Harvey shrugged.
“Ethan Campbell.”
The way he said the name made it sound like I should already know it.
“He’s just Ethan.”
“That doesn’t explain anything.”
Harvey smiled.
“He’s kind of a big deal here. Top of the class. Teachers love him. Everyone thinks he’s going to some Ivy League school or something.”
I looked back through the classroom window.
Ethan looked up for a second.
For one moment, our eyes met.
Then he looked away.
“He seems fun,” I said.
Harvey laughed.
“He’s not that bad.” He says a little bit to fast
I raised an eyebrow.
“You defended him pretty fast.”
“Did I?”
“Yes.” I say teasingly
Harvey smiled.
“Maybe I just don’t hate people after meeting them for five minutes.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t hate him.”
Harvey looked amused.
“Sure.”
I hated that he didn’t believe me.
Because I didn’t hate Ethan Campbell.
Not yet.
But I had a feeling I was going to.