Hold my hand

--- Chapter One – The new school girl Penny POV : The car engine hummed softly as it rolled to a stop in front of Westbrook High. My dad’s voice broke through the quiet. “You’ll do great, sweetheart.” I stared at the building — tall, loud, full of faces I didn’t know — and all I could think about was how much I already wanted to go home. Groups of students filled the courtyard, laughing and talking over music that played from someone’s speaker. The place looked like chaos in uniform: messy ponytails, backpacks slung over shoulders, people greeting each other like they’d waited all summer just to scream in each other’s faces again. I swallowed. “Dad… maybe I could start tomorrow?” He smiled, that same patient smile he always wore when I said something he didn’t quite agree with. “You’ve been saying ‘tomorrow’ for a week now, Peniel.” He reached over and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “You’ll be fine. Just breathe, okay? Be polite. Be yourself.” Be myself. If only “myself” wasn’t so quiet. I forced a nod, grabbed my bag, and stepped out into the noise. The air smelled faintly of coffee, wet grass, and new beginnings I didn’t ask for. When I turned back, Dad gave me a small wave before driving off. And just like that, I was alone. I stood there for a full thirty seconds, frozen, clutching the strap of my backpack until it bit into my shoulder. Then the bell rang — loud, shrill — and the flood of students started moving toward the entrance. Someone bumped my shoulder. Another brushed past me. I whispered a quick, “Sorry,” even though it wasn’t my fault. It was like trying to swim against a wave. That’s when it happened. My balance slipped as someone shoved past, too fast for me to react. I would’ve hit the ground if a hand hadn’t caught mine. “Whoa there.” The voice was smooth — amused. When I looked up, I saw him. Tall. Black hair. Eyes the color of storm clouds — grey but with a strange warmth beneath. He was wearing the school uniform in the most careless way possible: tie loose, sleeves rolled up, a crooked grin that made it hard to look away. “You okay?” he asked. I blinked. “Y-yeah. Just… the crowd.” He chuckled softly. “You’ll get used to it. Westbrook’s kind of a zoo.” I didn’t realize I was still holding his hand until he let go first. My skin tingled where his fingers had been. “I’m Kai,” he said. “You’re new?” “Peniel,” I managed. “But everyone calls me Penny.” “Penny.” He repeated it like he was testing the taste of it. “Cute name.” I could feel my cheeks warming, so I looked away — but he didn’t seem to mind my awkwardness. He just smiled again and pointed toward the entrance. “Come on, I’ll show you where the office is.” --- The rest of the morning went by in a blur of introductions, schedules, and whispered directions. Every time I got lost, Kai appeared — in the hallway, at my locker, even during lunch. He was… nice. Almost too nice. At the cafeteria, he waved me over to his table. “You sitting alone?” I hesitated. The table was full of people who clearly knew each other — the kind who spoke in inside jokes and smiled like they owned the place. But Kai looked at me expectantly, so I sat. For a while, it was fine. He asked questions, the others laughed at his jokes, and I started to think maybe Westbrook wouldn’t be so bad. Until one of the girls — blonde, perfectly polished — leaned toward me. “So, Penny,” she said, smiling too sweetly. “Where are you from? You sound… different.” “Chicago,” I said quietly. Her eyes lit up like she’d just heard something hilarious. “Ooh, a city girl! That explains it.” “Explains what?” Kai asked. She shrugged. “Nothing.” But the look she gave me said otherwise. The rest of lunch felt like walking barefoot across glass. When the bell rang again, I was grateful for the excuse to leave. I didn’t see Kai for the rest of the day, though I caught a few glances from people I didn’t know — the kind of looks that make your stomach twist for no reason. By the time the final bell rang, I just wanted to disappear. --- That night, I lay in bed scrolling through my phone when a notification popped up. @kaiwestbrook: Hey. You made it through Day One. Not bad, new girl. I smiled without meaning to. @penny_22: Barely. I think I almost died at lunch. His reply came seconds later. @kaiwestbrook: Ignore them. They’re idiots. You handled it fine. For some reason, reading that made my chest feel lighter. We kept talking. About music, random things, his little sister who apparently “bossed him around like a dictator.” He was funny. Charming. Easy to talk to. I caught myself laughing out loud more than once. Before I knew it, it was almost midnight. @kaiwestbrook: You should sleep. You’ll need energy for tomorrow. @penny_22: Why, is it going to be worse? 😅 @kaiwestbrook: Depends. You’ll see. I stared at that last message for a long time, unsure whether to laugh or worry. Then I put my phone down and turned off the light. Outside, the wind brushed softly against my window, like a whisper I couldn’t quite catch. --- The next morning, when Peniel walked into the courtyard, everyone seemed to know her name. Whispers followed her through the hall — sharp, amused, cruel. And when she saw Kai across the crowd, leaning casually against the lockers… He smiled. But this time, it wasn’t the same kind of smile.