Chapter 6: The Transfer

5.

County Honors Exam results were out.

My phone buzzed all morning. My name was at the top—thirty points ahead of anyone else. The rumors, the sabotage, all for nothing. I was untouchable.

Central High’s rep soared. Parents called, teachers bragged, banners went up. I let them celebrate. We’d all earned it.

For Madison, the bully, I played gracious: "It’s all in the past. As long as she learns from it, it’s fine."

The more forgiving I acted, the worse Madison’s reputation got.

Sympathy shifted to scorn. Madison shrank, rage simmering. I met her glare with a calm smile.

Praise followed me everywhere.

"Study queen, I bow to you."

A kid dropped to one knee, hands together in mock worship. I laughed, shaking my head.

"Let me worship your photo—just a B in chemistry, please! How’d you ace it?"

My lab partner snapped a selfie with me, posting it with prayer emojis. I grinned, playing along.

"Math’s perfect too… Unreal."

I shrugged, pretending not to care. Inside, I was proud.

"Her essay score isn’t low either—total genius."

Teachers read my essays in class. I pretended to be embarrassed, but loved the attention.

"She’s definitely a genius. I watched her all day. No makeup, no dark circles… Must be Madison’s rumors again. So dumb."

People defended me, shooting down rumors before they could spread. It felt good to have allies, even if they wouldn’t last.

My lab partner leaned in: "So many people chasing you, Mia. Like any of them?"

I shook my head. She grinned. "Didn’t think so. You’re too cool for any of them."

Everyone Madison sent was boring. The others were even worse—too obvious.

I saw through every gesture, every forced laugh. None of them made the cut.

"Just as I thought, you’re the girl nobody can reach—untouchable."

I smiled wryly. It sounded glamorous, but it was mostly just lonely.

Besides Jake, there were more than I could count on one hand—homecoming proposals, anonymous notes, bouquets stuffed in my locker. I swept them into the trash.

I wanted novelty—someone who could surprise me. But high school boys never delivered.

Until a transfer student arrived—a face that could steal hearts.

He walked in, backpack slung over one shoulder, hair tousled just so. The room went silent. Even the teachers took notice.

He was ridiculously handsome.

Sharp cheekbones, full lips, eyes like storm clouds. The kind of beauty that made you forget to breathe. My pulse skipped. For once, I was intrigued.

I caught myself staring when his shirt rode up, heat creeping into my cheeks.

His voice, when he wanted something, was sweet as honey.

He introduced himself with a shy smile, voice low and velvety. I wondered what he sounded like when he was angry, or when he was honest.

Most importantly, he was interesting. While others chased me, he openly used his looks to tempt me.

He didn’t bother hiding it. Every glance was an invitation. For the first time in ages, my guard slipped.

He appeared in front of me, soaked from the rain, white shirt clinging to his waist.

He showed up after gym, hair dripping, shirt translucent. I tried to act cool, but my cheeks flushed.

"Bullied again?"

I gave him a pitying look. He nodded, hair falling over his eyes.

His silence was eloquent. I brushed a strand from his face. For a second, he looked fragile.

My fingertip brushed his collarbone. "Your button’s missing."

I pointed it out, my voice soft. He shivered but didn’t pull away. The air between us sparked.

Pitiful little things always tug at the heart. He squeezed my hand, trying to draw me in.

"Am I that annoying? They say I look like a girl. Everyone picks on me."

His words were laced with self-pity, but I heard the challenge. I just smiled, letting him stew.

I looked at his innocent face, then at the anonymous video on my phone. My smile deepened.

The video was grainy—Sean pouring wine over a girl’s chest in some fancy club, his face twisted in a cruel smile. The sweet, innocent act was just that—an act.

In the video, Sean pressed a thorny rose into the girl’s hand, her eyes wide with fear.

"Get out," he said, voice cold.

He sounded like a different person—hard, unyielding. Nobody at school really knew him. Not even me.

His acting was top notch. A cherry blossom petal landed in his hair as he looked up, pure and harmless.

But I’d seen the jealousy in his eyes—the kind that could turn dangerous. I wondered what would happen if I pushed him too far.

The day I praised his looks, someone yanked his gym shorts down in front of everyone. The laughter was brutal. Sean just smiled, unfazed.

I handed him a tissue. "Want to be my lab partner?"

He grinned, a real smile. "Yeah," he said, voice soft. For the first time, I wondered if there was more to him than just masks and games.