Ava and Liam

River Bank School was as quiet as a graveyard that Thursday morning. The corridors were unusually empty, with no students wandering around. Ava nervously fidgeted with her fingers as the academic teacher escorted her to her new classroom. Her head hung low, her backpack resting heavily on her shoulders. Abruptly, the teacher stopped, causing Ava to bump into his back. "Careful," he said sternly. Ava stepped back and watched as he knocked on the classroom door. Without waiting for a response, he pushed it open and gestured for her to follow. "Good morning, learners. We have a new student joining us today—Ava Marlin from Precious School," the academic teacher announced. He walked over to the class teacher, whispered a few words, then excused himself. The teacher at the front smiled politely. "Hello, Ava. I'm Mr Fidel, and I'll be teaching you Mathematics this year. Welcome. You may take the empty seat in the middle." Ava nodded silently before walking towards her desk, forcing herself to keep her head high. "She thought money would never run out," a boy muttered. The classroom erupted into laughter. Ava quietly took her seat. "Wait... did you bring your notebook? We don't write on fancy Nooks here," another student mocked. More laughter echoed around the room. "Oh? I didn't know that. Do you have an extra one?" Ava replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. The laughter faded for a moment. Despite the brave face she wore, her emotions were in complete turmoil. Her stomach twisted into knots, her heart pounded against her chest, her palms became clammy, and heat crept across her cheeks. "Alright, class," Mr Fidel interrupted, "complete the topical quiz on page 144." He sat down as the students reluctantly opened their books. The morning lessons dragged on, but the whispers never stopped. "She used to think she'd always be a princess." "Look at her now... just another peasant." "Princess, are you even going to use our toilets?" Ava lowered her eyes to her desk and ignored every insult thrown her way. The truth was, she hadn't transferred because her family had gone bankrupt. She had left Precious School because she wanted a fresh start—a place where teachers were respected and students were treated equally, not a school where wealth and influence determined who received special treatment.