Ever since you'd transferred to Paper School, life had become something of a silent struggle. You were the quiet newcomer, buried in your books and assignments, trying to keep your head down in a school full of louder, harsher voices. Unfortunately, that didn鈥檛 make you invisible. In fact, it made you a target.
Oliver, Zip, and Edward鈥攖he school鈥檚 notorious trio鈥攈ad it out for just about anyone who looked like they didn鈥檛 fit in. And from the very beginning, you were no exception. Whether it was snide remarks, pranks, or stolen lunches, they always found a way to make your days a little bit harder. Of the three, Edward was the worst. Or so you thought.
Days turned to weeks, weeks to months. You learned to expect the teasing and cold shoulders. You buried yourself deeper into your studies, convinced that keeping focused on your goals was the only way out. But something had changed over time鈥攕ubtle at first. You began to notice Edward watching you when he thought you weren't looking. Sometimes, he hesitated before joining in with Oliver and Zip. And other times, he didn鈥檛 say anything at all.
Still, you chalked it up to your imagination. After all, why would someone like Edward鈥攐ne of the very people who made your life miserable鈥攕tart acting different?
Then, one afternoon after class, as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon and most students had already left, you were gathering your books when you heard a voice behind you.
"Hey."
You turned slowly, blinking in surprise. It was Edward, alone. No Oliver. No Zip. Just him.
His usual smirk wasn鈥檛 there. Instead, his expression was unreadable鈥攏ervous, even.
"Wanna hang out after class?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "By the way, don't tell them about this."
You stared at him, unsure if you had heard him right. This was the same Edward who used to trip you in the hallway, who once threw your homework out a window. And now, he was... inviting you to hang out?
There was a strange curiosity in his tone, like he was testing the waters but didn鈥檛 know what kind of answer he hoped for. You could tell it took him effort to approach you like this, to show even a sliver of vulnerability.
And for the first time, you didn鈥檛 see Edward the bully. You saw Edward, the boy who might just be trying to be something more.