Chapter 2

After Michelle announced to our classmates that she and Kevin were officially dating, a wave of sympathy washed over some of my peers as they glanced at me with saddened expressions. Michelle tightly clung to Kevin's arm, as if to assert her ownership over him. It was a painful sight, but I refused to let it show.

Standing up from my seat, I addressed the concerned classmates. "Guys, you don't have to look at it like that. I'm fine," I assured them, trying to project confidence.

"But Kevin is your boyfriend! How can you let Michelle insult you like this, Jamie? Come on!" one of Michelle's seatmates exclaimed, her tone filled with disbelief.

I raised an eyebrow at the woman, Kendra, and replied, "Ahhh...I'm sorry, Kendra, but I don't understand what you mean. In what way is Michelle insulting me?"

"By taking your boyfriend!" Kendra shot back, her voice laced with frustration.

Listening to Kendra, I realized that Kevin hadn't lied about their assumptions earlier. Everyone believed that Kevin and I were dating. When I glanced at him, he couldn't meet my eyes. Was he embarrassed? There had always been a competitive streak between Michelle and me since our first year, whether it was in academics or making friends. Looking at Kevin now, it disgusted me how he allowed himself to be so close to Michelle. I had thought he was smarter than that. Why didn't he use his brain and see through Michelle's manipulation?

"Oh, I'm sorry if I haven't updated you on the events of my life. Yes, you're right. I did have a crush on Kevin once, but that was a long time ago. I was just a kid back then. The infatuation has faded, and I've moved on," I lied, my voice steady and calm.

"What?" Michelle asked in disbelief, and with a snort, it became clear she was only using Kevin to get back at me.

"I said Kevin hasn't been my crush for a long time. It's just you guys making up your own story. You seem to be quite updated on my love life!" I retorted, my words dripping with sarcasm. Michelle was taken aback by my response, and her glare intensified.

"Liar!" Michelle screamed, her voice piercing the air.

My ears rang from Michelle's sudden outburst. "And now I'm the liar out of the two of us? Be ashamed of what you're saying, Michelle," I shot back, my voice firm.

"I know you're just lying, Jamie. We all have crushes, and we both know that Kevin is your crush!" Michelle insisted, refusing to let go of her belief.

The woman was relentless, despite my repeated denials. "I don't know if you're really smart or deaf. Didn't you hear what I said? It's been a long time since I liked Kevin here at our school. Are neighbors not allowed to go to school at the same time? Besides, I already have a boyfriend, and his name is Brent."

In an instant, everyone's attention shifted to the guy I implicated—Brent. Oblivious and unconscious, Brent was sleeping at his desk as always. He had a habit of dozing off during class, and the teachers had given up on trying to keep him awake. In other words, the guy I claimed as my boyfriend was the most useless student in the academy.

"You and Brent? No, I don't think so," Michelle claimed, a malicious tone creeping into her voice as she looked at Brent. "Wait, I think you and Brent are a perfect match," she added, laughing evilly.

"Thanks, Michelle. You and Kevin also look good as a couple," I retorted, my voice dripping with irony.

Wasn't it easy to move on? I just needed to replace something or someone I had lost. It was as simple as that. And as for Kevin, he became a mere part of history. As for Brent, I didn't have to worry about him either. I could just make up a story later or retract what I had said.

I thought the confrontation was over and that Michelle had been convinced. However, to my surprise, my eyes widened in fear as Michelle sauntered toward Brent and woke him up. I bit my bottom lip nervously as I observed Brent, who behaved as if he were at home. After stretching and wiping the drool from the side of his mouth, he turned to face Michelle.

"Hello, beautiful. Am I in heaven?" Brent asked Michelle in a hoarse voice.

"Unfortunately, not yet. But that's where you're going," Michelle replied with a smirk.

"Really?" Brent questioned, seemingly unperturbed.

"Yes. You must be so happy to become Jamie's boyfriend, aren't you, Brent? She's pretty and smart," Michelle added, her tone laced with malice, and I didn't appreciate her style of interrogating Brent.

Brent looked at me, his gaze lingering for a few seconds before he winked. Feeling uncomfortable, I quickly averted my eyes and mouthed an apology to him for the awkward situation.

"Jamie, I thought you wanted to keep our relationship a secret," Brent whispered in a low voice, leaving me momentarily speechless.

"I'm sorry," I managed to say, the words slipping out in a soft voice.

"It's okay, my love. We'll talk about this during lunch," Brent said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. His statement left Michelle in an awkward position, unsure of how to react.

I was also taken aback by Brent's response. When I glanced at him again, he was smiling from ear to ear, seemingly enjoying the attention. My classmates cheered with delight when Brent winked at me once more before promptly falling back asleep.

Inwardly, I couldn't help but wish that Michelle would have nightmares!

Just as I was about to address Michelle, our teacher entered the classroom, putting an end to the tense situation. To worsen matters, our adviser seemed to be in a foul mood. The teacher frowned upon taking her seat, her raised eyebrows silently commanding our attention.

"Good morning, students," she greeted with a stern tone.

"Good morning, Miss Chen!" we all responded in unison, trying our best to appear attentive.

"Prepare for the exam," she announced, catching us off guard. The news sent shockwaves through the classroom. However, we knew better than to make any noise or complain when our teacher was in a bad mood. Even the slightest mistake could result in more challenging test questions.

Slowly, I opened my bag, took out paper and pen, and focused my attention on the teacher. My classmates followed suit, determined to concentrate on the upcoming exam. Yet, despite my efforts to focus, my gaze involuntarily drifted toward the sleeping figure at the other end of the room.

I scolded myself for being unable to concentrate because of Brent. As a graduating student aspiring for a scholarship grant, I needed to achieve excellent grades. It was my ticket to college, as my parents couldn't afford the tuition fees on their own.

Lost in my thoughts, I momentarily forgot about Brent. It wasn't until the lunch break approached that I snapped back to reality. Glancing at my wristwatch, I realized the time had slipped away, and the bell would ring in fifteen minutes. Hastily packing my belongings, I prepared to leave for home and have lunch.

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!

First, our teacher bid us farewell, granting us permission to leave. When I glanced at the main gate, chaos ensued as students rushed to exit the school premises. Opting for the back gate, I knew a shortcut that would take me home more quickly. I quickened my pace, eager to reach home as soon as possible.

"Jamie!"

Startled by the sound of someone calling my name, I turned around to find Brent approaching me. "Brent, what do you want?" I asked, slightly wary.

"I told you we would have lunch together today," Brent reminded me.

Raising an eyebrow, I questioned his statement. "Ah... maybe some other time, Brent. They are waiting for me at home," I replied, hoping he would understand.

"And you're just going to walk?" Brent frowned as if finding my decision hard to believe.

"Is walking forbidden?" I quipped, taken aback by his reaction.

"It's not that, but your house is quite far away."

"I'm used to it. Let's talk later, okay? I really need to get home," I insisted, hoping he would respect my wishes.

"In that case, I'll accompany you," he said with determination. "Wait here; I'll grab my motorbike."

"What? Are you crazy? Do you want to give my father a heart attack?" I exclaimed, glancing at my watch and realizing that fifteen minutes had already been wasted.

"So? Come on, I'm hungry too," Brent teased, seemingly unfazed by my concerns.

"Why are you doing this, Brent?" I inquired, puzzled by his persistence.

"Because I am your boyfriend," he replied, grinning mischievously.