RING RING RING


    Asher woke up to the sound of his annoying rm. He felt tired from the events of the previous day but forced himself to get up around 8:30 a.m.


    School started at 8:00 a.m., so he was alreadyte and had to rush through his morning routine.


    He stumbled to the bathroom, still half-asleep.


    The room was dim, with only a sliver of morning light sneaking through the small window.


    He sshed water on his face, hoping to shake off the sleepiness.


    Looking in the mirror, he noticed his messy hair and tired eyes.


    ''I look terrible,'' he sighed. Dark circles under his eyes revealed that he hadn''t slept well at all.


    ''I''m also sweaty,'' he said, pulling off his white shirt to reveal his well-toned body.


    He wasn''t bulky or too thin; it was just the right build, and he barely had to work for it. He figured he must have very good genes.


    For breakfast, he had fried chicken, a sunny-side-up egg, and rice.


    He tossed everything into his old oven, a steal he got from a second hand market vendor for only 150 credits instead of the usual 2,000.


    CLICK!


    CLICK!


    He arranged the utensils on his tiny tabletop, eager to enjoy his meal.


    Asher wasn''t one to waste food; he relished every vor, making sure not to leave a single morsel behind.


    Afterward, he headed back to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and put on his worn-out school uniform.


    It consisted of a familiar white T-shirt with long sleeves, a tailored blue zer with the school''s logo, and a pair of ck pants. Hepleted the look with a ck shoes.


    He snatched his backpack from the floor and rushed out, mming the door behind him.


    ''A new neighbor?'' he paused, noticing some boxes in the room next to his.


    It had been ages since he had a neighbor, so it caught him off guard. But, he didn''t have time to dwell on it.


    ''I''ll bete for the second ss,''


    The fresh air hit his face as he ran toward school, hoping to arrive before the second period.


    As he hurried along, he noticed the street was unusually quiet.


    Most people were either at work or school by now, which was great for him—he could move faster without dodging crowds.


    He picked up his pace, feeling a sense of freedom in the nearly empty streets.


    His footsteps echoed more than usual, and asionally a car would pass by, breaking the silence with its distant rumble.


    As he approached the school wall, his confidence grew.


    However, going through the main entrance was not an option.


    He sprinted faster, leaping onto a garbage box. Using it as a step, he smoothly hopped over the wall,nding in the schoolyard.


    ''Five more minutes,'' he nced at his watch, wasting no time weaving through the hallways.


    When he reached his ssroom, he saw the teacher was still there. Not wanting to be caught, he decided to wait for the bell before entering.


    RING RING RING!


    Finally, the school bell rang, signaling Asher to slip into the ssroom.@@novelbin@@


    Some ssmates noticed him, but no one said a word.


    It was his usual routine, and by now, nobody really cared.


    Besides, talking behind the back of one of the toughest guys in school was just asking for trouble.


    However—


    "You''rete again!" ine walked over to him and pped something onto his desk.


    "What are you doing?" he raised his eyebrows in confusion.


    Why was this popr girl approaching him so early in the morning?


    "This is the note from our first ss. You can borrow it," she replied, then turned and returned to her seat.


    ''What''s her deal?'' Asher wondered. He had never paid much attention to understanding girls, so her actions left him puzzled and a bit bewildered.


    His gaze instinctivelynded on her, and he caught her looking back. Just as quickly, she turned her head to avoid eye contact.


    ''Did she fall for me?''


    It wasn''t that surprising, really—after all, he was pretty attractive.


    Unfortunately for her, romance was thest thing on his mind. High school girls tended to be immature and full of drama, and he had enough of that already.


    If he ever considered dating, it would be someone more mature—someone who knew what they wanted in life.


    "You look tired. Did you sleep well? Are you sick?" Another voice echoed from behind him.


    When he turned around, he saw a young beautiful woman with orange hair and bright green eyes.


    Rather than piling on thick makeup, she wore just a bit of powder and lipstick, whichplemented her naturally attractive face perfectly.


    It was their English teacher, Lyka. She was quite popr with the male students because of super obvious reasons.


    Any boy going through puberty would be stunned if she talked to them, but Asher knew how to hold his own in front of older women.


    "Teacher, people might talk if you keep giving me special attention," he said bluntly, catching her off guard.


    "I... " Her cheeks flushed slightly as she realized what he meant.


    Quickly regaining herposure, she walked toward the front of the ssroom, and shook of the embarrassment.