Tick. Tick. The clock droned on, each second feeling like an eternity as the minutes crawled by. Sam was utterly bored, counting the seconds until class would finally be over.

"Girl, you know that I can't accept that. Now I'm stuck in your head. While I lie in your bed," she muttered under her breath, singing the lyrics to a song as she kept her eyes fixed on the slow-moving clock.

At long last, the bell rang, and with a sigh of relief, Sam gathered her belongings. As she slung her backpack over her shoulder, she gave a quick wave to Charlie before heading out to her next class.

As she walked down the hallway, she noticed a group of girls who were known as the "popular girls" of the school. Most of them struck Sam as the typical "basic bitches," but one girl stood out to her.

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Her name was Emily. She had a warm tan complexion, blonde hair streaked with pink highlights, and an aura of confidence that was impossible to ignore. Sam couldn't help but think to herself, "Is this what a gyaru looks like?" She was hesitant to admit it, but she had a secret obsession with anime and all things Japanese. When she was younger, she had even called herself a "weeb," a term that now made her cringe with embarrassment.

Sam quickly turned around, intending to avoid any interaction with the group. But just as she was about to walk away, she heard Emily say, "Oh, I gotta check something," and before Sam knew it, Emily was running in her direction. Neither of them was paying attention, and they collided, both tumbling to the ground.

"Ow," they both exclaimed in unison.

As they scrambled to their feet, Emily was quick to apologize. "I'm terribly sorry!"

Sam was taken aback. It was the first time a popular kid had spoken to her like she was an equal. "It... it's alright," she whispered, still in shock.

"Hey, how about I make it up to you by buying you a drink?" Emily offered, flashing a bright smile. Sam's mind raced, wondering why someone like Emily would be so nice to a nobody like her.

She nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Great, come on, let's go!" Emily said enthusiastically, grabbing Sam's hand and leading her toward the vending machines.