The Boy I Should Have Hated

The door to my room suddenly yanked open. I heard footsteps approaching my bed, but I was far too sleepy to care. Who was going to kidnap me in my own house anyway? “Ariana, you’ll be late for school.” My dad’s voice finally registered. I groaned and buried myself deeper under the duvet. “Come on, Dad. Five more minutes,” I pleaded, pulling the duvet tightly around me. “It’s your first day at school. You wouldn’t want to give your teacher a bad first impression, would you?” He pulled the duvet off me. I immediately grabbed it and pulled it back.“How about two more minutes?” “No.” “Yes.” “Ariana.” “Dad.” At this point, we were practically having a tug-of-war with my duvet. “You know how your mum feels about your new school.” That sounded less like a reminder and more like a threat. I froze. “She doesn’t have to know.” “Honey…” “What are you trying to do?” By now, I was already sitting upright, glaring at him. He smiled innocently. “To call your mum, of course.” “Dad!” I frowned. He chuckled. “Go on. Get ready for school. Breakfast is ready.” He walked out and shut the door behind him. I stared at the closed door. Dad knew exactly how to get to me. I reluctantly climbed out of bed and sluggishly dragged myself toward the bathroom. As soon as I stepped inside, I looked at my reflection. “Gosh…” I looked terrible. My hair was scattered in every direction, and my eyes were still half closed. “I’m such a terrible sleeper.” I splashed water on my face and stared at myself again. But then a smile slowly appeared. Today was different. Today was my first day at Crest High. My dream school. After years of working hard, I’d finally gotten the scholarship. Everything had fallen into place. Three wishes had finally come true. I’d be attending my dream school. Maybe I’d finally get the affection I’d always wanted from Mum. And most importantly, I’d help reduce the burden on my parents. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had accomplished something that mattered. Less than fifteen minutes later, I was dressed in my brand-new school uniform. I stood in front of my dresser and admired myself in the mirror. My dimples appeared as I smiled. I brushed my hair behind my ears and adjusted my fringes, which stopped just above my eyes. I took a deep breath. “Crest High,” I whispered. Then I grabbed my backpack and left my room. Downstairs, Mum and Dad were already at the dining table. “Good morning, Mum.” I leaned over and pecked her cheek. “Good morning, Dad.” I did the same to him. “Morning, sweetheart,” Dad replied. Mum said nothing. I wasn’t surprised. I’d gotten used to it. “Come sit and have breakfast,” Dad urged. “I’ll be late.” I grabbed two slices of bread and quickly gulped down my glass of milk. “See you later, Dad!” “Slow down, Ariana!” But I was already out the door. Today was too important to waste. Outside, my new scooter waited for me. Dad had bought it for me as a reward for getting the scholarship. I climbed onto it and smiled. The morning couldn’t have been more perfect. The sky was blue. The weather was beautiful. Even the breeze seemed to be welcoming me. I started the scooter. “Crest High, here I come!” I shrieked excitedly. ⸻ The moment I reached the school gate, I slowed down. My eyes widened. So this was Crest High. The huge buildings. The perfectly maintained compound. Students everywhere. Everything looked exactly like the pictures I’d seen online. I parked my scooter and stood there for a few seconds, taking it all in. “Finally,” I whispered. I couldn’t stop smiling. I pulled out the map I’d been given and started walking. Behind the map was a list of activities for new students. The first thing on the list was: PA I frowned. “What does that even mean?” I kept walking, completely focused on the map. That was my first mistake. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Bam! I walked straight into something solid. Or rather… Someone. The map slipped slightly in my hands. I looked up. And up. And up. The first word that came to mind was handsome. No. That wasn’t enough. Beautiful. Yes. A beautiful guy stood right in front of me. He was wearing the school uniform, but somehow, he didn’t look like an ordinary student. His shirt wasn’t completely buttoned. His black hair was messy. There was an earring in one ear. And— Was that a tattoo? Wait. How did I notice all of that? I blinked. Then I realized I had been staring. His piercing green eyes met mine. Pointed nose. Full lips. Strong jaw. Oh my God. Was I actually drooling? I quickly looked away. “Are you done?” I froze. “Huh?” “If you’re done staring, get the f**k out of my way.” His voice was cold. His eyes practically burned with irritation. I should have been offended. Instead, I found myself staring again. Then I snapped back to reality. “Sorry?” He rolled his eyes. “Do you need something?” “Yes.” I pulled out my map. “Please, where’s the PA building?” He stared at me like I’d just asked him where the moon was. “Third building. Fifth floor. Room ten.” I nodded. “Where’s that?” His expression changed. He looked at me like he was seriously reconsidering his decision to answer me. “Go straight, then take a turn.” “Thank you!” I immediately ran in the direction he pointed. I was already late. ⸻ By the time I reached the fourth floor, I was breathing heavily. My heart was pounding. I climbed the remaining stairs and suddenly spotted a guy coming downstairs. “Hey!” He stopped. I tried to catch my breath. “Has the PA class ended?” He frowned. “PA class?” “Yes.” I pointed toward the hallway. “I’m headed to the PA…” He looked at me strangely. “What do you think PA is?” I blinked. “Excuse me?” “I said, what do you think PA is?” “I’m going for the PA class.” He stared at me for a second. Then his lips twitched. “Principal Announcement.” I frowned. “That’s what PA means.” My mouth fell open. “It’s not a place.” Heat rushed to my face. “Oh.” He smiled when he noticed my embarrassment. “Your first day?” I nodded. “You don’t need to be ashamed. No one is above making mistakes.” I smiled slightly. “Thanks.” I turned to leave. “Wait!” I looked back. “I’m Kuc.” He smiled. “Ariana.” “Nice meeting you, Ariana.” “Same goes for me.” I walked away. As I descended the stairs, I could hear him quietly repeat my name behind me. “Ariana…” I smiled to myself. Maybe I wouldn’t see him again. But somehow… I hoped I would. Then I remembered the other guy. That arrogant scumbag. My smile disappeared. He had embarrassed me enough for one morning. That scumbag should pray I don’t see him again. Because if I did, I was definitely giving him a piece of my mind. ⸻ By the time I reached the classroom, the teacher was already rounding up the lesson. I stood at the doorway, breathing heavily. “Good morning, Miss…” I stopped. I didn’t know her name. “Mrs. Wills,” she completed for me. She looked at the clock. “What time is it?” “9:09 a.m.” “When was this lesson supposed to start?” “I don’t know, Mrs. Wills.” The entire class burst into laughter. My cheeks burned. Mrs. Wills narrowed her eyes. “What’s your name?” “Ariana Carters.” “You’re new here.” I nodded. “Where have you been?” “I’ve been looking for the PA class be—” The class erupted into laughter again. Mrs. Wills stared at me. “Really, Miss Carters? Looking for the PA class?” I swallowed. “I was told it was in the third building, fifth floor, tenth door.” “I don’t care about what you’ve been told or who told you.” Her voice became sharper. “You’re late. That’s it.” “Mrs…” “Cut it.” She gave me a deadly look. “Pick all the papers around the school premises.” My eyes widened. “Ma’am?” “You heard me.” She walked away. I stood there while everyone stared at me. Some looked amused. Others were openly laughing. I wanted the ground to swallow me. Then a girl sitting near the edge of the classroom mimicked me. “I’ve been looking for a PA class.” Everyone laughed again. “Come on, Mia. She’s new.” “Spare me, Tehila.” The girl—Mia—looked me up and down. “How can someone be so dumb?” She laughed. “Such a dummy.” I clenched my fists. I had a comeback ready. A very good one. But I swallowed it. I wasn’t going to get into trouble on my first day. Not after everything I’d worked for to get here. Still, as I walked out of the classroom to pick up the papers, one thought remained in my head. The arrogant boy from earlier. If I ever saw him again, he was going to hear everything I had to say. He was the reason my morning had started terribly. And I wasn’t going to let him get away with it.