The new semester is fast approaching, and nature's vibrant green leaves are gradually transforming into shades of brown, gently descending to the ground. The familiar gentle breezes suddenly transformed into biting gusts,              compelling me to seek refuge and shield myself from their icy touch. 

Autumn is a stunning yet unforgiving season, and it's hard not to anticipate that this year won't be any less challenging.

 I notice the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet, causing me to glance down at the ground. Pausing to observe the tattered leaves, I can't help but reflect on how quickly time has passed since beginning college. 

It feels like just yesterday, yet here I am, starting my second year. 

I can't help but feel a bit startled when an arm suddenly wraps around my shoulder. In an instant, my gaze shifts upward, only to be met with a sudden obstruction as a pair of hands swiftly block my view, plunging me into darkness. 

 "Guess who?" They ask, making a feeble attempt to hide their underlying tone but falling short. 

I can't help but let out a gentle chuckle as I confidently stride forward, even with my vision obscured. "My favourite person of all time?" I speak in a gentle manner because I anticipate their reaction. 

All of a sudden, my sight returns, but I’m left breathless as the strong man envelops me in his arms, holding me tightly like a predator playing with its victim. 

A strong hand effortlessly lifts me off the ground, leaving me wide-eyed with surprise. 

"Benny," I say curtly. "I can't breathe." 

 "Apologies," he quickly says, releasing me from his grasp. At last, I gaze up at the towering giraffe, resembling a male, and offer him a warm smile. 

Even though I saw the male during the summer, he always managed to brighten my day. During his time off, his fair complexion had transformed into a sun-kissed glow, revealing the effects of his sunbathing. 

His dark hair is styled in a short and shaggy cut, giving him a relaxed and carefree appearance that suits the holiday season. "Are you prepared for another year of this nonsense?" He asks as he confidently walks alongside me. 

"Are you talking about college or..." I trail off, my words dripping with curiosity as I gaze up at him, an unpredictable glint in my eye. 

He quickly catches on to my suggestion, asking, "Both?" 

"Hopefully, this year will be much calmer than the previous one," I mutter quietly, shifting my focus forward. As I do, I notice a set of intense eyes fixed on me. 

The iconic brunette and blonde duo. 

They're positioned against the brick wall, their eyes burning holes into my head. 

If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under by now

“Why is Theo giving us the death stare?” Benji asks as we both stroll past them, yet the atmosphere between me and the man is palpable, almost tangible. 

I tear my gaze away from the male, only to glance at Benji and casually remark, "It's a rather long story where, as per usual, I'm the bad one."

As I walk along the familiar route from last semester, a horde of first-year students comes into my sight. The bustling hallway is alive with a flurry of activity as students rush in various directions, each with their own destination in mind. "We have plenty of time," the man next to me remarks. 

I feel uncertain about how to respond, torn between being completely honest or softening the truth. I can sense his gaze fixed on me, anticipating a reply to his remark. A gentle exhale escapes his mouth when I choose not to respond. “It can't be worse than anything you’ve done before.” 

"We had a little something going on before the summer," I begin to say as I make my way to class. However, my attention is quickly diverted by another set of eyes that capture my gaze. 

A pair of captivating, bright blue eyes effortlessly catch my attention amidst the bustling crowd. 

Her jet black hair beautifully complements her fair skin, flowing down her back with a few strands delicately framing her face. Her gaze remains focused, tracking my every move. "Don't tell me he caught fee-" I abruptly walk away from Benji before he can even complete his sentence. 

Confidently, I make my way towards the girl, who is casually leaning against the wall. Her gaze remains fixed on me as I move towards her. “For someone who is staring so incredibly hard, I can only assume you have a lot to say. So please, speak your mind, Mika”  

"I simply don't know what he could have possibly found appealing about you," she retorts, tilting her head in a mocking manner. “Well, I mean, you are a walking free blowjob sign, so that definitely helped his decision to pursue you.” 

Benji quietly observes from the background, attentively taking in the conversation to gauge its potential. 

Unintentionally, a smile forms on my face as I come face to face with her. “And maybe if you weren’t such a prude nun, then you would have had him by now.” 

She becomes tense and visibly uneasy in response to my comment. “I will happily talk to Theo about this when he decides to grow up instead of staring me down like a toddler and instead of being his little bitch, I advise you to do the same because you’re not intimidating anyone, especially not me.” 

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“But please, do enjoy my sloppy seconds,” you say with a smirk, stepping away from her. 

Since the start of college, me and Mika have shared a complicated relationship, with an underlying tension that seems to stem from her side. Whenever Theo was involved, she displayed a strong sense of protectiveness. 

"Wait a moment..." Benji says, his voice trailing off as he catches up to walk with me. "What did you do with Theo?" 

I spot the door to my classroom wide open and instinctively take a step back from Benji, heading towards the door. “Let’s just say someone got deflowered this summer and it wasn’t me." With a playful gesture, I give Benji a wink before stepping into my classroom, letting my words flow freely. 

As I turn away from Benji, I suddenly realise that I have a psychology class waiting for me. It's a class that I have a deep affection for because it provides valuable insights into my own mind. However, it's also a source of frustration because I know why I am the way I am but can't change anything about it. 

It didn't make things any better that I didn't have any friends in the class. This made it less enjoyable, but it also provided a sense of peace, as I could relax without any distractions. 

"Good morning," the voice greets the classroom as her presence fills the room from behind. "Sorry for the delay; I was caught up in a meeting on the other side of campus," she says, forcefully throwing the stack of papers on her desk. 

As she takes her seat, I casually walk towards the rear of the classroom. As I pass by, I catch a compliment being shouted, "Your hair looks great, (y/n), the change suits you." Her voice echoes through the room, capturing my attention as I instinctively turn to face her. 

"Thanks," I can't help but smile as I gaze at the woman who reflects my joy. I find a cosy spot towards the rear, conveniently positioned by a window that offers a picturesque view of the campus. 

“Good morning, everyone." Mrs Carvel clears their throat and switches on the brighter lights, offering a warm greeting. I find myself momentarily taken aback, prompting me to take a few blinks to readjust my vision. “Welcome to your first semester of your second year.” 

I shift my focus to my bag as Mrs Carvel continues her usual ramblings, just like she does every semester. I reach for my laptop in my bag and as I’m about to set it on the desk, the grating sound of a chair being dragged across the floor sends a shiver down my spine, causing my entire body to tense up and a wave of goosebumps to wash over me.  

As I shift my focus to the commotion with a disdainful expression, I unintentionally lock eyes with a set of green, nearly hazel orbs, an encounter that immediately fills me with regret. 

Mr. Untouchable. 

The male has the ability to attract any girl he desires but deliberately refrains from doing so. 

He glances around nervously, as if worried about attracting attention. Once he's sure no one is watching, a strand of his light ash-brown hair falls out of place as he sits down beside me. 

He purposely avoids eye contact as he retrieves his laptop from his bag. 

He’s a quiet person—sometimes too quiet.

Elias Cardenas is widely admired, yet he doesn't consider himself to be part of the popular crowd. He’d constantly keep to himself and the only thing I knew about him was that he enjoyed art—loved it, in fact. He’d never be caught for more than a few hours without his sketchbook and he mainly resided in the library. 

One can't help but wonder, what could possibly cause an incredibly attractive individual to completely isolate themselves from the rest of the world?

"Welcome to another year of AP psychology," Mrs Carvel declares, capturing my interest. "If you happen to take a look at your emails, which I understand may not be a common occurrence for many of you..." She briefly pauses to give a stern look to a few students. 

"Make sure to review the syllabus for this year as it will not be re-sent," Her demeanour exudes a sense of menace, despite the pleasant expression she wears. 

She pulls off the glasses that frame her face and places them on her desk while she rubs her eyes. “We have seven months until your exams and I don’t want to waste a single second.” She claps her hands as she finishes speaking and the sudden noise startles me. 

Briefly, I glance around to make sure that no one has caught me but in the corner of my eyes, I see the left side of Elias’s lip curve upward into a half smile. 

It quickly disappears, just as fast as it appeared.

She says, “We are starting on developmental psychology, so you have five minutes to discuss what you already know, which I hope is a decent amount.” before walking back to her desk and taking a seat. 

I shift my eyes around the room, looking at everyone beginning to speak while I awkwardly shift in my seat. I had no problem speaking to Elias; however, his being friends with Theo made everything a little more awkward. 

“You don’t have to speak to me if you don’t want to,” I softly say before bringing my eyes to look at him fully for the first time. “I won’t be offended.” 

As my eyes land on the male, I take the opportunity to roam around his features. He looked a little different from before the summer; his skin was tanned and his dark hair was lighter. The strands of his mane framed his face and I can tell that he recently showered because a few strands were still wet. 

His sharp jawline moved as he brought his attention to me and I can’t help but notice the light stubble growing along his jaw, making him appear older than he is. 

It dawns on me that I’ve never been this close to Elias before. 

“Why wouldn’t I speak to you?” He asks, causing a dip between his eyebrows to form. His voice is completely different from how I remember it; it’s far deeper but smooth enough for the words to glide off of his tongue. 

As he asks the question, I mirror his confused expression. “Because it seems as if everyone in your group has a personal vendetta against me without even knowing the full story.”

Ever so slightly, he narrows his eyes in further confusion, trying to digest my words. Until, slowly, realisation dawns on his features, causing his face to relax “Are you talking about the Theo situation?” 

“What else could I be talking about?” I ask while keeping my eyes on the male, who continues to look away from me. 

Briefly, it falls silent between the two of us. The only noise to be heard is from the other students following the task given by Mrs Carvel. 

“I don’t get involved with these things, especially when it’s to do with Theo but can you blame us for not liking you?” He opens his mouth to continue but pauses, allowing himself to swallow thickly before averting his gaze from me. “The people that you hang out with are rich, pretentious assholes who shit on people for fun.”

It’s hard for me to control my facial expressions as my eyes widen, visibly shocked by Elias’s harsh words. “So, you think I’m a rich, pretentious asshole who shits on people for fun?” I ask, trying to refrain from being snappy. 

His head hangs low, as if he’s full of regret. 

After what feels like a lifetime of waiting for Elias to respond, he slowly raises his head to look at me. His dark green orbs traipse across my features, moving erratically before saying, “You shouldn’t care what I think about you, but if you’re going to hang out with people and present yourself in a certain way, then you can’t expect people to see you differently.” 

“And what you did to Theo just helped to confirm people's assumptions,” he adds before going silent. 

Slowly, I draw my eyes away from the male because he’s left me speechless. I didn’t suspect Elias to be the one to shut me down like this, so for the rest of the class, I don’t dare to look in his direction.