first impressions

Ayame stood outside her school, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open. It had been a week since her accident, and she had finally recovered enough to return to her normal routine. As she walked down the hallway, her classmates gazes lingered on her, their whispers filling her ears.

She tried to push the attention aside, focusing on her classes instead. Her first class was history, a subject she usually enjoyed, but today it felt different. The teacher's voice droned on, and Ayame found herself struggling to pay attention.

She glanced around the room, her eyes meeting those of her classmates. They mostly looked away quickly, averting their gazes, but Ayame could feel their judgment, as if they were all whispering about her behind her back.

Her heart sank as she overheard the whispered comment from one of the girls in her class. "O look it's that crazy girl who sees ghost," the girl muttered, and a few of her class mates giggled. Ayame felt a pang in her chest, stung by their words.

She knew that rumors had probably spread about her after the accident, but she hadn't expected it to reach the point of her being labeled as crazy. It was unfair, and it hurt more than she cared to admit.

Ayame tried to focus on the teacher lecture, but the girls whispers and giggles echoed in her head. Her heart sank as she realized that her accident and the rumors had painted her as an outsider among her classmates.

She clenched her fists, suddenly feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness. She wanted to shout, to defend herself, but the words stuck in her throat. The bell rang, signaling the end of the class, and the room filled with the sound of chairs scraping the floor as students gathered their books and hurried to their next classes.

"Hey," one of her class mate began hesitantly, his gaze fixed on the ground. "I know you heard them talking about you. I just wanted you to know, I'm sorry about that. I overheard it from my brother, he's a paramedic. He shouldn't have spread it around like that."

Ayame felt a mix of emotions at his words. She was hurt by the rumors, but she was also grateful for the apology. She took a deep breath before nodding slightly.

"Thanks for apologizing," she said quietly. "But... do you really believe them? That I'm crazy?"

The classmate looked up, meeting her gaze. He looked uncomfortable, but he seemed sincere.

"No, not really. But people like gossip, you know? I just wish... I just wish they'd stop making things up."

Ayame sighed, knowing that he was right. Rumors once started were hard to stop. She looked at her classmate, appreciating his honesty.

The teacher, Mr. Thompson, stood at the front of the class, his eyes roaming over the students. He noticed that Ayame had been quietly talking with her classmate instead of paying attention in class.

"Ms. Ayame," he said, his tone firm. "Since you seemed so deeply engrossed in your conversation, perhaps you could tell us when Napoleon Bonaparte was born."

Ayame's heart skipped a beat as all her classmates' gazes turned towards her. She had not been paying attention to the class, and the question caught her off guard. She took a deep breath, her mind racing to recall the information.

"Um... Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769," she managed to say, her voice surprisingly steady.

Mr. Thompson looked slightly surprised that she had answered correctly. He nodded, a hint of annoyance still lingering in his eyes. "Indeed," he replied. "But remember, Ms. Ayame, it's important to pay attention in class. Gossiping with your classmates won't help you in exams."

Ayame felt her cheeks flush slightly with embarrassment. "Yes, Mr. Thompson," she mumbled, casting a quick glance at the classmate who had been speaking to earlier.

The classmate gave her a small, apologetic smile, as if to say 'sorry'. The rest of the class seemed to have lost interest in the exchange, and they started to murmur among themselves.

The incident had definitely not helped Ayame image among her classmates. She could still feel their eyes on her as the lesson continued, making her feel even more self-conscious.

She tried to focus on the teacher's lectures, but it was difficult to shake off the feeling of being an outsider. Even though the classmate had apologized, the damage was already done. Rumors had spread and it seemed like the whole class now viewed her as the "crazy girl who sees ghost".

The rest of the class passed in a blur for Ayame. She wrote notes and tried to keep up with the lesson, but her mind was preoccupied with the whispers and giggles that followed her.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, she quickly packed her things, eager to get out of the classroom. She caught sight of her classmate giving her another apologetic glance as he left.

As she walked through the hallways, she could hear the murmurs and whispers of her classmates, and she knew that the rumors were still spreading. She put her head down and quickened her pace, trying to ignore them.

As she walked to the next lesson, she noticed several of her classmates giving her strange looks and exchanging whispers. It seemed that the rumors had traveled beyond her history class. She took a deep breath and found an empty seat at the back of the class.

The physics class teacher, Mis Juliette, welcomed Ayame as she hurried into the room.

"Ah, Ms. Ayame," Ms. Johnson said, looking at her with a slight frown. "Glad you could join us."

Ayame mumbled an apology, her gaze darting around the classroom. She could feel her classmates' eyes on her, and their whispers seemed to grow louder.

"Now, class," Professor Juliette continued, her gaze roaming over the students. "Can anyone tell me about massless particles?"

She pointed at Ayame, who looked up, taken slightly by surprise by being called on.

She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Uh... well, massless particles are particles that have no rest mass, like the photon and gluon. They travel at the speed of light and are important in quantum field theory."

Professor Juliette nodded, her annoyance from her tardiness momentarily forgotten. "That's correct, Ms. Ayame. Good job. However, you should pay more attention to being punctual in the future."

Ayame nodded, her cheeks flushing a little from the attention. Her classmates, who had been whispering about her, now looked at her with a mix of surprise and what seemed like begrudging respect.

The physics class continued, and despite her initial jitters, Ayame found herself answering more questions correctly. Her knowledge and intelligence seemed to be making an impression, even on her skeptical classmates.

During the class, Ayame noticed that some students started to glance at her with less hostility and more curiosity. It seemed that her knowledge was slowly redeeming her in their eyes.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Students began packing up, getting ready to leave. Ayame quickly gathered her things, feeling a mix of relief and pride that the class had gone somewhat better than she'd expected.

As she left the classroom, a few of her classmates gave her small smiles and nods, as if they were seeing her in a new light. The rumors seemed to have lessened a bit, and she had proven herself as a smart and knowledgeable student.

As she walked down the hallway, she could still hear some whispered comments about the rumors, but they seemed less malicious now. The class had shown her that there was more to her than just the label of "crazy girl who sees ghost".

Despite the progress made in the class, Ayame couldn't shake off the feeling that the rumors would still follow her. She knew it would take more than a good physics class to convince her classmates that she was completely normal.

But for now, she felt a sense of accomplishment and slight relief that she had at least made a small change in how she was perceived by her peers.

As she continued to walk down the hallway, she heard a familiar voice calling out to her.

"Ayame!" a female voice exclaimed from behind her. She turned around to see one of her classmates, Amy, hurrying towards her.

Amy, a bubbly girl with a friendly smile, caught up to Ayame. "Hey," she said. "Mind if I walk with you?"

Ayame felt surprised by the question. Most of her classmates had been avoiding her lately. "Uh... sure," she replied, adjusting her backpack.

Amy fell into step beside her, and they walked down the hallway together. "I saw you in physics class," Amy said. "You know a lot, huh?"

Ayame shrugged, feeling a bit awkward. "Just stuff I've read, I guess," she mumbled. "Why? You need help with your work or something?"

Ayame felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment. "It's no big deal," she muttered, looking away. "I just like reading about science and stuff."

Amy smiled, seeming unfazed by Ayame's humility. "Well, I think it's pretty awesome," she replied. "It's nice to know someone who knows things, you know? So many people here are just boring."

Ayame didn't know how to respond. No one had ever talked to her like this before. She was used to being an outsider, and having Amy walk with her and compliment her felt strange but also kind of nice.

As they continued down the hallway, they passed a group of students who whispered and glanced in Ayame's direction. Ayame stiffened, bracing herself for more whispers and gossip, but Amy didn't seem to notice or care.

As they walked out of the science building, Amy turned to Ayame. "Hey, you have math now, right?"

Ayame nodded, looking at the time on her phone. "Yeah, I have math next period," she said, feeling a familiar knot of dread in her stomach. Math was never her strongest subject, and she wasn't looking forward to sitting through another class of struggling while her classmates sniggered at her.

Amy seemed to notice the look on her face. "You don't seem too excited," she remarked, grinning.

Ayame couldn't help but chuckle weakly. "Yeah, let's just say math and me... don't get along well," she confessed. "I'm decent in all other subjects, but math has always been a pain."

Amy nodded understandingly. "I get it," she said. "Math can be a bummer. I always mess up on the calculations. But hey, at least it's the last class of the day, right?"

Ayame smiled slightly. She knew Amy was trying to cheer her up, and she appreciated it. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she conceded. "One more class to go through, and then the day is over."

As they approached the building where the mathematics class was held, the atmosphere changed. The hum of conversation and laughter from other students suddenly fell silent, and several heads turned in Ayame's direction.

Ayame felt her heart sink. The rumors must have spread further, and everyone seemed to be aware of her now. She tensed, waiting for the usual whispers and snickers to start again.

But instead, Amy reached out and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Just ignore them, alright?" she whispered in Ayame's ear. "Focus on the class and forget about the rest."

Ayame gave Amy a grateful look, feeling a wave of appreciation for her newfound friend. She took a deep breath before entering the building.

The moment she walked into the math class, the whispers and glances started again. Students turned in their seats to look at her, and the teacher raised an eyebrow as if surprised that she had dared to show up.

Ayame tried her best to ignore them, focusing on finding an empty seat. Most of the desks were already taken, and as she passed by each row, the students either avoided looking at her or shot her dirty looks.

Finally, she found a seat at the back of the class, close to the window. She took her place, setting her backpack down next to her and avoiding making eye contact with anyone.

As Ayame settled in her seat, she tried to concentrate on getting out her notebooks and other materials for the math class. Her mind was occupied with the whispers and the feeling of being an outcast.

Amy, sitting next to her, leaned over after a few minutes. "Hey," she whispered, trying not to disturb the class. "Can I ask you something?"

Ayame glanced at Amy, grateful for the distraction, even though she had a feeling she knew what Amy was going to ask. "Sure," she whispered back, feigning nonchalance.

Amy hesitated for a moment, Amy hesitated for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to phrase her question. "Well..." she began, her voice low. "I've been hearing them talking about you, you know. About you seeing... things. Ghosts, I think? I don't believe in that but..."

Amy look at the wall to avoid eye to eye contact with Ayame

"you know I protect you so don't worry I won't judge you" Amy said softly

Ayame felt a mix of surprise and relief at Amy's gentle question. She had expected more skepticism or mockery, but Amy's tone was one of genuine curiosity rather than judgment.

Ayame took a deep breath, looking down at her desk. "Yeah," she said quietly. "I know they've been talking. And...that wasn't a ghost. that was a real person."

Amy seemed to be taken aback by this, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "A real person?" she repeated, keeping her voice low. "What do you mean?"

Ayame glanced around the classroom to make sure no one was listening. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she leaned closer to Amy. "It happened a few days ago," she began in a hushed tone. "I was walking home, and... I saw a new Cafe named cat cafe if I remember I just get inside and order a coffee..." She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "...Unusual."

Amy listened intently, her gaze fixed on Ayame. "Unusual in what way?" she asked, prompting Ayame to go on.

Ayame took another breath, feeling the weight of the memory as she relived it. "he walked inside of Cafe and ordered cookie and coffee he walked towards me smiled and sit somewhere else." She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "And then I looked through the window I saw him there walking and suddenly disappearing."

Amy's eyes widened in astonishment. "He disappeared?" she whispered, her curiosity clearly piqued.

Ayame nodded, feeling a shiver run down her spine as she remembered the inexplicable sight. "It was like he vanished into thin air. One second, he was there, and then... gone."

"And you're sure it wasn't just a trick of the light or something?" Amy asked, her scientific mind trying to make sense of what she was hearing.

Ayame shook her head vehemently, her eyes meeting Amy's earnest gaze. "No, it was real. I swear. I saw it with my own eyes. He was there, and then he wasn't. I...even ask bartender and he said no one was here for few minutes" she trailed off, her voice catching in her throat.

Amy studied her face for a few moments, seemingly trying to gauge how sincere she was being. After a beat, she let out a heavy sigh. "Alright," she said, a hint of disbelief still in her tone. "Suppose I believe you. What does it mean? You think he was a ghost?"

Ayame shrugged, feeling more frustrated and confused than ever. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice taut with frustration. "It doesn't make sense. I don't believe in ghosts either, but I can't explain what I saw. It was like he was there one moment and gone the next."

Amy leaned back in her seat, running a hand through her hair. "Hmmm," she mused, looking thoughtful. "This is heavy. So...you think you're seeing things that other people can't see?"

Ayame fidgeted with her pen, feeling vulnerable and exposed. "I don't know," she whispered, her gaze falling to her hands. "I don't want to think I'm crazy or something, but this..." she struggled to find the right words. "This feels real. I know what I saw. I'm not inventing things."

The sudden ring of the bell jolts both girls back to reality. They glance at each other, both realizing that they had gotten swept up in the conversation and had forgotten where they were....