Chapter 11: A New Face

I only returned to school after two days of rest.

My backpack felt heavier than usual, the air in the hallway thick with whispers. I kept my eyes on the floor tiles as I limped to my homeroom.

That morning, I only had a whole wheat egg sandwich Grandma made, and I felt a bit down.

My stomach rumbled. I missed Saturday pancakes and syrup. But guilt was stronger than hunger.

But soon, the appearance of the homeroom teacher caught my attention. Trailing behind her was a very unfamiliar transfer student.

The classroom buzzed with curiosity. Everyone craned their necks, trying to get a look at the newcomer.

He looked like he’d walked off the set of a Netflix mystery—hood up, cap pulled low, face hidden.

A few kids snickered. Some whispered wild rumors—maybe he was a child star in hiding, or a burn victim, or something worse.

The homeroom teacher scanned the classroom and finally fixed her gaze on me.

She was always sharp, missing nothing. I felt her eyes on me, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Ryan Sullivan, sit next to Emily."

I tensed. So did everyone else. It was like being picked for a team no one wanted to be on.

After giving her instructions, she hurried back to the office.

She barely glanced back, leaving Ryan to find his way on his own.

The boy named Ryan Sullivan sat beside me, neither of us intending to speak.

He slid into the seat, hands stuffed in his pockets. He smelled faintly of laundry detergent and something sharp, like peppermint.

Instead, the PE assistant, who could never keep his voice down, turned and raised his chin at Jason.

It was just a matter of seconds before he started in.

"Jason, look at that guy—he looks like a ghost, hiding his whole face. Maybe he's disfigured?"

He was practically gleeful, like a kid with a new toy to break.

Madison, sitting next to Jason, chimed in, "Definitely. If he was good-looking, why hide his face?"

Her voice was light, but her eyes narrowed, scanning Ryan like she was looking for flaws.

The PE assistant shook his head and clicked his tongue. "Ghost Boy and Chubby—what a pair. A new couple, huh?"

A few snickers rippled through the room. I hunched my shoulders and stared at my notebook.

Jason didn't react, just spun his pen idly, saying nothing.

His gaze slid over me, bored and cold. I pretended not to notice.