Us, eventually

Where Everything Begins

Summer was almost over, and resumption was only a few days away. I had spent the last part of the holiday trying not to think too much about school. Since we still hadn't received any response about the scholarship, I had started preparing myself for the possibility that I'd have to find another school.

Mom seemed less worried than I was.

“It’s okay,” she had told me the night before when I brought it up. “If we don't hear from them, we'll go school hunting tomorrow.”

I had nodded, though I wasn't particularly excited about the idea.

The next morning, Mom woke up earlier than usual. She had already listed the schools we could visit and wanted us to start as early as possible. She had barely left her room when her phone buzzed on the bedside table.

She glanced at the screen but almost ignored the notification. She was expecting orders for the pastry business, and those were usually the messages she paid attention to first thing in the morning.

She picked up the phone and opened the notification.

For a few seconds, she simply stared at the screen.

Then her eyes widened.

The email was from the school.

The scholarship committee had finally reached a decision.

Mom read it once. Then again, just to be certain she hadn't misunderstood.

Amara had won the scholarship. First place.

Mom rushed to my room so quickly that I barely had time to sit up before she pulled the curtains open.

“Amara, wake up!”

I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. “Mom, what time is it?”

“You won!”

I immediately sat up.

“What?”

“The scholarship!” She was smiling so widely that I knew something good had happened. “You got it. You came first.”

For a moment, I couldn't speak. I stared at her, still trying to process what she'd said.

Then I jumped out of bed.

I had almost forgotten that Mom was the one who submitted the application in the first place. I had been reluctant to apply because I didn't think I could win the scholarship. Mom had insisted and handled the application on my behalf.

Now, somehow, it had worked.

I hugged her tightly, laughing as she squeezed me back.

That morning, the school-hunting plan was forgotten.

We had somewhere to go.

---

Summer ended before I knew it.

A week before resumption, Mom and I had already gone to the school to complete my registration, collect my uniform and get the supplies I would need. She had even taken me to get my hair done a few days before school reopened. She seemed determined to make sure I had everything ready so I wouldn't walk into my new school feeling like I was missing something.

On my first morning, I stood in front of the mirror in my neatly pressed uniform, adjusted my hair one last time and picked up my bag.

I wasn't nervous.

Maybe a little curious, but not nervous.

I'd never been the kind of person who measured herself against what other people had. I was comfortable with myself and with what my family could give me, so the school's reputation didn't make me feel smaller.

When I arrived, I went straight to the staff office as I had been instructed.

My new teacher greeted me warmly before taking me to my classroom. Students were already settling into their seats, talking among themselves as the noise slowly filled the room.

“Everyone, settle down,” she said as we walked in.

The class quieted.

“This is Amara. She'll be joining us from today, so I expect everyone to make her feel welcome.”

A few students smiled at me. Others simply looked up briefly before returning to whatever they were doing.

My teacher pointed toward an empty seat near a girl who immediately shifted her bag off the chair beside her.

“You can sit there.”

I thanked her and took the seat.

The girl beside me smiled.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“I'm Maya.”

“Amara.”

“I know,” she whispered, suppressing a laugh. “She just introduced you.”

I smiled.

Before the teacher left, she turned toward one of the boys sitting near the front.

“Damian, you're still the class representative, right?”

He nodded.

“Good. Help Amara settle in and show her around during break. And everyone else, please be friendly. Don't make her first day difficult.”

There were a few amused murmurs around the classroom.

Damian simply nodded.

“Sure, ma'am.”

I didn't pay much attention to him at the time.

Not until break.

I had barely finished talking to Maya when someone stopped beside my desk.

“Ready for the tour?”

I looked up.

And froze for half a second.

It was him.

The same guy from the day of my scholarship examination.

Damian.

He smiled when he noticed my reaction.

“Looks like you remember me.”

“I do,” I said, getting to my feet.

There was something familiar about seeing him again, but I didn't think too much about it.

We walked through the school grounds, and Damian pointed out the library, science block, administrative building, cafeteria and several other places. The campus was even more impressive than it had been on the examination day, now that I had the time to actually look around.

As we passed the sports field, I noticed a group of students practicing.

"You were here before school reopened, right?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“We have a sports event coming up in the third week of resumption.” He glanced toward the field. “We have to come in once every week for practice.”

“That explains it.”

Before we could continue, Maya appeared from across the field.

She walked straight toward us, looking completely comfortable despite having known me for barely a few hours.

“I'll take it from here,” she told Damian. “You can go.”

Damian raised an eyebrow but smiled.

“Alright.”

“Bye.”

“Bye, Maya.”

He looked at me. “See you later, Amara.”

“Bye.”

As he walked away, Maya watched him for a moment before turning to me with a knowing expression.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Maya.”

She laughed. “I'm just wondering why you two already seem familiar.”

“I met him during my scholarship exam.”

“Ah.” She nodded slowly. “That explains it.”

Then she leaned closer.

“But just so you know, Damian is practically untouchable.”

I frowned. “Untouchable?”

“Don't look at me like that.” She laughed. “Elena practically owns him.”

I looked in the direction Damian had gone.

“I don't think anyone owns anyone.”

Maya laughed again. “You'll understand what I mean eventually.”

---

By the end of the day, I was exhausted.

I walked toward the school entrance, already thinking about getting home, when a car slowed beside me.

The window came down.

“Amara.”

I looked over.

Damian was sitting inside.

“Heading to town?”

“Yeah.”

“You can ride with me if you want.”

I hesitated for a moment before glancing toward the road where I would have taken public transport.

“Okay. Thanks.”

His driver was behind the wheel, so I climbed into the back seat.

From a distance, Elena happened to notice them leaving together. Her brows drew together slightly, but after a moment, she shrugged it off and continued walking.

Inside the car, Damian turned toward me.

“So, how was your first day?”

“Good. Busy.”

He smiled. “You'll get used to it.”

After that, neither of us said much.

The rest of the ride passed quietly, the occasional sound of traffic filling the silence.

When I finally got home, Mom was already waiting.

“How was your first day?”

I smiled tiredly.

“It was good.”

She looked pleased. “Really?”

“Really.”

But the moment I stepped into my room, all I wanted was a shower, my bed and several hours of sleep.