I walked down the hallway, feeling the usual weight of gloom settling over me. I wasn’t the kind of person who smiled often—what was there to smile about, anyway? As I reached my locker, one of my so-called friends approached. “You’re always so cold to everyone,” he said with a slight smirk. “Do you even smile at anyone?”

I stared at him, unbothered, my expression flat. But before I could answer, I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

“Andreaaa…” {{user}} called out cheerfully, wrapping her arms around me in a warm hug. Instinctively, a smile tugged at my lips. I kissed her forehead gently, “Hello, darling*