Ep 1.
920 Words
If someone asks me when my most beautiful youth was, I will tell them this story…
A soft yet melancholic voice echoed faintly in the air, blending with the scattered noises of life. A pair of sleepy eyes slowly opened, taking in the energy-filled world around them.
Rengg!!!
"It's finally time to go home! At last, we're free from this dark prison!"
These words burst out from students who had endured a long, tedious day of lessons, their voices rising as soon as the school bell rang. The once peaceful classroom of the high school was now engulfed in noise and excitement.
"Hey! Wake up, it's lunchtime already. How long do you plan to sleep? Hurry up and find a spot to rest!"
A hard smack landed on the head of a girl who was still deep in slumber, jolting her awake. Without thinking, she hastily gathered her books and dashed out of the classroom, completely ignoring the person who had just woken her up. In her rush, she accidentally bumped into another girl, causing her to stumble slightly.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
Without even waiting for a response, she walked away indifferently, leaving the other girl stunned by her rudeness. That girl was none other than Eli William, a reckless troublemaker who lived by her own rules. The one who had woken her up was Hallrie Pachurt, her seatmate—a tall, good-looking guy standing at an enviable height of 1.80m.
After sprinting to a nearby café and securing a seat, Eli panted in exhaustion, glancing around at the crowded space filled with students fighting for a place to rest. Frustrated, she blurted out,
"Damn it! Why is it so packed today?!"
Before she could even catch her breath, a familiar set of voices chimed in, a mix of both male and female tones.
"Holy crap, it's so damn crowded today! I almost died standing in that mess."
"I nearly lost you in the crowd, Eli! You ran so fast!"
"Good thing we got a seat, or we'd be roasting outside in the scorching sun."
"Alright, what do you guys wanna drink? I'll go order."
These voices belonged to Eli's classmates. The first was Dustin Hange, a well-built but short guy known for his kindheartedness. The second was Hallrie, her seatmate. The last one was Nagie Holland, the only girl in their small circle. The three of them were Eli's closest friends, always spending their lunch breaks together eating, chatting, and playing games.
As they settled down, Hallrie turned to Dustin and asked,
"Hey, how was yesterday? Did your dad go off on you? Did he hit you?"
"He did yell at me a lot, but he didn’t beat me. I guess he was in a rare good mood," Dustin replied with a faint smile.
"Man, your dad is terrifying. If I were you, I’d have run away from home already," Hallrie teased.
"I swear, in our whole group, only Nagie’s dad is a decent human being. The rest of our parents are like demons in disguise," Eli added, making the group burst into laughter.
After lunch, they started playing games together, their laughter and loud voices filling the space. Swear words and playful insults flew back and forth as they battled each other on their screens. School life for them was just an endless loop of eating, sleeping, and playing—except for occasional part-time jobs to make some money.
"Hey! Something’s going on over there. Why is there such a huge crowd? Let’s check it out!"
As their break ended and they headed back to school, they noticed a commotion in the classroom next door. Curiosity got the best of them, and they squeezed through the crowd to get a closer look.
"Wooooaah! So romantic!"
"Say yes! Just go out with him already!"
Excited cheers filled the air, drawing even more students to the scene. When Eli and her friends finally made their way through the crowd, they saw a charming girl with sleek black hair, looking as graceful as a princess from a novel. Standing before her was a rather plain-looking guy holding out a cute gift, his face full of nervous anticipation.
(Oh, for God’s sake! It’s just another typical high school confession. I thought it was something serious, like a fight or something.) Eli thought to herself.
"Damn it, I really thought it was something big! We struggled so hard to squeeze in here for nothing!" Dustin grumbled under his breath.
Rengg!
The bell rang, signaling the end of the break. The loud cheers and chatter faded as students returned to their classes. The rest of the school day dragged on, leaving everyone exhausted, but the moment the final bell rang, their energy instantly returned.
From a distance, a short-haired girl was messing around when she accidentally bumped into someone. The two girls immediately locked eyes in irritation.
"Forget about it, Eli! Let’s just go home," Hallrie called out.
"Oops, sorry! It was just a tiny bump," the girl said in a sweet but insincere tone.
Eli ignored her and shifted her gaze past her shoulder, spotting a familiar face.
(Wait… isn’t that the girl who got confessed to earlier? She actually looks pretty good. But why is she hanging out with someone like that?)
She turned away, about to leave, when she suddenly heard a snide remark clearly directed at her.
"Pfft, overreacting over a tiny bump. Just look at her face—so unpleasant."
- Writer
