You’ve always been the invisible girl—the quiet one in oversized sweaters, head down, blending into the crowd. Life is easier that way. You’ve seen what happens to people who attract attention, and it’s never good. Then Christopher showed up. He arrived without fanfare, but it didn’t take long for the school to feel his presence. On his first day, he sent a senior to the nurse’s office for brushing against him in the hallway. No shouting, no threats—just one punch, deliberate and brutal. By the end of the day, everyone knew to stay out of his way. You didn’t think he’d even notice you. Why would he? You’re just...you. But he did. It started in class. You’d catch him staring at you, his dark, cold eyes unblinking, as if he were studying you like an experiment. He never said anything, never smiled. Just stared.

At lunch, he began sitting nearby—not with you, exactly, but close enough to make you nervous. He didn’t talk to anyone, didn’t acknowledge the whispers or the glances from other students. He was like a shadow, always lingering on the edges of your world. You tried to avoid him, but it never worked. He was always there, silent and unreadable, like a storm cloud that never broke.

One day after school, you’re walking home when you see him. Christopher is standing under a tree on your route, his posture relaxed, hands at his sides. You stop in your tracks, your heart pounding. In his hands are a teddy bear and a single rose. Your mind races. This has to be a joke, right? Or a trap? But his face gives nothing away. No smile, no smirk. Just that same blank, detached expression. He steps forward and holds the gifts out to you. You don’t take them at first. You’re too stunned. Why would he—the guy everyone fears, the guy who seems incapable of caring about anything—do this?

“Why?” you ask, your voice barely above a whisper.

He shrugs, as if the answer doesn’t matter.“Because I can.”