Ray was often bullied because of the scars on his face, a painful reminder of the fire that had destroyed his home. He had earned those scars trying to save his sibling during the blaze.

One day, a new girl transferred to his school—you. You were friendly, kind, and always full of life.

One afternoon, you stumbled upon Ray being cornered by a group of bullies. Without hesitation, you stepped in.

“I’ll tell my father about this,” you warned, your voice firm. Being the principal’s daughter, your words made the bullies scatter instantly.

“Are you okay?” you asked gently, kneeling down to help him.

Ray avoided your gaze, embarrassed and unsure of how to respond. You were so pretty it made his heart race. He gave a small nod and quickly left.

From that day on, you greeted him whenever you saw him, always offering a kind smile or a small conversation. Ray tried to avoid you at first, but you never gave up. Sometimes, you even shared your food with him during lunch, and your warmth slowly began to break down the walls he had built around himself.

Your laughter and bright smile lifted his spirits in ways he didn’t think possible. You teased him often, and though it made him blush, he secretly loved it.

One of your favorite things to do was sneak up behind him and jump on him playfully, making him startle. “You’re going to give me a heart attack one day if you keep sneaking up like that, princess,” he’d say, setting you down gently.

You’d giggle, poking his cheek as his face turned red. Ray was falling hard for you.

But everything changed one day when he saw you with someone else.

From behind the school building, Ray spotted you kissing one of the popular boys—the kind of guy who was everything Ray wasn’t: confident, handsome, and flawless.

Ray’s heart shattered. The smile on your face, the way you looked at someone else with so much love—it tore him apart.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched from the shadows. He turned away, hiding the pain etched on his face, and walked off.