2025

Chapter One: September Shuffle

I used to think September smelled like new notebooks, pencil shavings, and the fading remnants of summer. But this year, it just smelled like trouble.

It was 7:32 a.m. when the homeroom class list went up. I’d gotten there early—of course. I liked the silence before the storm. The time to settle into the day, to prepare. I liked being in control.

But no amount of control could have prepared me for this.

Class 3-B. Room 207. New homeroom teacher. And right there, sandwiched between a sea of unfamiliar names, were two that struck with brutal precision:

Emily Carter.Ryan Bennett.

Emily—who had once held my hand under the pretense of friendship, laughed with me like the world was a little less complicated. She’d looked at me like I mattered—before she casually forgot to mention that she had a boyfriend the entire time.

Ryan—my long-time rival, always one step ahead. Taller. Smarter. Louder. Always the golden boy, the one whose effortless charisma and perfect grades made everyone else look like they were just trying to catch up. If school was a game, he played on hard mode just to flex.

And now, somehow, they were both in my class. For the entire year.

Fantastic.

A voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“Dude, you look like you just saw a ghost. Or worse—Ryan’s face.”

I turned to find Mia Torres sliding into the seat next to me with her usual no-nonsense swagger. Mia was athletic, with a lean build and a sharp edge to her wit. Her short, dark hair framed her face perfectly, and her demeanor was a chaotic blend of confidence and mischief. She was the kind of friend you’d want by your side in a fight, and the kind you’d want to stay on the good side of.

She dropped her backpack on the desk, glancing at the list. “You won’t believe this. Logan Davis is in our class. You remember him, right? The idiot who tried microwaving a Pop-Tart with the foil still on?”

“He lived?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Barely,” she said, smirking.

Before I could respond, Lily Nguyen appeared next to me, effortlessly graceful as always. She had this quiet elegance about her, and she wore it like a second skin. A cardigan in a soft pastel color, her skirt perfectly in place, and her calm demeanor that never seemed rattled. Lily was smart, kind, and just a little too perceptive for her own good.

“I heard Naomi Walker’s in 3-B, too,” she said, her voice gentle but purposeful. “This year’s going to be... interesting.”

“‘Interesting’ is one word for it,” I muttered, my gaze involuntarily drifting back to Emily. She was sitting by the window, third row, second seat from the left, laughing with her usual carefree ease, completely unaware of the storm she’d stirred in me.

Mia caught the direction of my gaze and leaned in, her voice low. “If it helps, I read a book like this once. The guy dies at the end.”

I rolled my eyes. “Super comforting.”

Mia leaned back, completely unfazed. “Or you could just kiss her and get it over with. Boom. Emotional reset.”

“Mia,” Lily said, her tone half-worried, half-scolding.

“What? We’re in ninth grade now. If you can’t handle emotional drama and unresolved tension, you’re in the wrong genre.”

“I’m transferring to 3-C,” I muttered.

“You’d miss me too much,” Mia shot back, grinning.

The bell rang, signaling the start of the day, and Mr. Granger strolled in with a casual air that screamed “I’ve been here too long to care anymore.” He was mid-thirties, bearded, wearing a T-shirt under a button-up shirt that probably had something to do with a band. He threw a stack of manila folders onto the desk and gave the class a look that seemed to dare anyone to speak.

“Alright, settle down,” he said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s see who fate has cruelly shoved together this year.”

He started reading the names off the list, one by one, and as each name was called, the personalities began to fill the room.

• Logan Davis: The guy chewed gum like he owned the place. His hair was messy in a way that seemed intentional. If his grades reflected his level of effort, he'd be on academic probation by now, but he somehow got by.
• Naomi Walker: Her hand shot up before Mr. Granger even finished her name, and she practically shouted, “Present and fabulous.” The queen of drama, always seeking an audience.
• Ava Martinez: She was already asleep by the time her name was called. If Ava wasn’t physically present, her mind certainly wasn’t.
• Ryan Bennett: When Mr. Granger got to his name, Ryan answered with his usual cool “Yo,” accompanied by a casual wave, as if he were a star who had just entered a room full of admirers.
• Emily Carter: The last name on the list. A simple, soft “Here,” but it carried weight. She didn’t even need to look up from the textbook she was reading. As if she knew that everything would fall into place around her. I couldn’t help but notice the way the sunlight hit her hair, casting a glow around her like she was untouchable.

And then—

“Nick Harper?” Mr. Granger called out.

I blinked. “Here.”

My voice cracked slightly. Mia shot me a look, raising an eyebrow as if she’d heard something off in my tone. Lily’s gaze softened, and I couldn’t tell if she was trying to reassure me or if she just felt bad for me.

Ryan, sitting a few rows ahead, gave me one of those I’m-better-than-you smirks. The kind that made me want to break something.

The names had been called. The introductions done. The class settled.

Mr. Granger clapped his hands again. “Alright, icebreaker time. Everyone write down three interesting facts about yourself. Nothing too boring—unless you’ve been abducted by aliens. Now’s your moment to shine.”

Mia leaned over, nudging me. “Think I can write ‘accidentally ruined a guy’s life with a smile’ and pass it to Emily?”

Lily gasped, her face turning a light pink. “Mia!”

I buried my face in my hands. “Please, for the love of everything that’s sacred, don’t.”

“You’ll miss me too much if I don’t,” she teased.

The pressure was suffocating. I glanced at my paper. What was I even supposed to write? Three interesting facts about me? About the guy who barely felt like himself anymore?

I scribbled quickly:

1. I once broke my arm trying to impress my friends with a trick on my bike.2. I’m a morning person, but I’d trade mornings for more sleep any day.3. I’m really good at pretending I’m okay, even when I’m not.

I couldn’t think of anything else. I folded the paper and passed it forward, my heart beating a little faster than it should have.

The truth was, I didn’t feel okay. I didn’t feel like I belonged in the same class as Emily. Or Ryan. Or anyone. But it wasn’t the kind of thing you could put on paper. At least not without making everything more complicated than it already was.

The bell rang, signaling the end of homeroom. I grabbed my bag and stood, not quite sure where I was going, but knowing I couldn’t stay there for another second. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck between Emily and Ryan all year.

As I walked out, the world felt a little too heavy on my shoulders. The uncertainty of the year ahead hung in the air, and for the first time, I realized something:

This wasn’t just a year of school. It was going to be a year of change. Of breaking and remaking. Of figuring out who I was in a world that already seemed to have me figured out.

And I didn’t know if I was ready for it.

END OF CHAPTER ONE