From Low-Key to Spotlight

The next morning, I didn't arrive late to school. Despite everything that had happened, I still managed to sleep soundly. I went about my day as usual, attending classes. For some reason, I didn't feel sleepy during lessons today and didn't doze off. Maybe it was all thanks to Bubbly. Time passed by slowly, and soon it was the end of the school day.

After school, I headed to my locker to grab my backpack. As I walked down the hallway, a buzz of excitement filled the air. Students clustered in small groups, their hushed whispers and furtive glances focused on a newcomer.

"Have you seen that guy? He looks like he just stepped off a runway," one student murmured to her friend, trying to seem nonchalant but clearly still excited about the sight.

Her friend responded with enthusiasm, "Yes, I saw him too! Are you talking about the guy with silver hair?"

"No," the first student corrected. "I was talking about the one with the golden hair!"

Her friend looked surprised. "What? There are two of them? I thought there was only one who came to school today. I saw one near the school gate when I went to get something. A lot of girls were flocking around him."

The first student continued, "I only saw the tall guy with golden hair. He parked a black luxury car across three spaces, standing with his arms crossed, looking like he was waiting for someone. His car was so high-end, unlike anything we usually see around here."

The second student added, "The other guy was more low-key. He was standing by the school gate, wearing a cap and looking shy, as if he was waiting for his girlfriend."

The first student concluded, "Wow, what a day! Two handsome guys at the same time. I need to go and check it out, maybe even get their phone numbers."

Hearing this, I hugged my backpack tightly and quickly made my way outside. I walked faster than usual, almost running, but not quite, to avoid drawing too much attention. I just wanted to reach the school gate as soon as possible.

As I made my way from the hallway toward the school entrance, I spotted Walter standing at the school gate, wearing a cap and surrounded by a crowd of girls. A group of cheerleaders was approaching him, and he appeared embarrassed, looking down and remaining mostly silent as the girls asked for his phone number.

I lingered near the school entrance, feeling unsure of how to approach the situation without drawing too much attention. With Kelly occupied by her extracurricular activities, I was alone and had to find a solution on my own. I paced back and forth, trying to figure out my next move.

Suddenly, the noise around me grew louder. I looked up and saw Walter walking towards me, the crowd of girls following him. My heart sank; I knew I was about to become the talk of the school.

Walter, looking shy, said softly, "Let's go."

He reached out to take my hand, perhaps to avoid getting separated in the crowd. I grasped his hand, and we quickly moved away from the school entrance and toward the school gate. The girls stopped following when they saw him holding my hand, but I could still feel their intense stares.

As we passed through the parking lot, I saw Ezekiel standing next to his black Rolls-Royce, surrounded by a group of female students who kept stealing glances at him but were too intimidated to approach. When Ezekiel noticed Walter and me, our eyes met, and I tried to signal that there was an emergency. However, Walter quickened his pace, clearly wanting to avoid any interaction.

After walking a short distance, Walter looked around, making sure we were no longer being followed. He then let go of my hand. We exchanged an awkward glance, and just then, Ezekiel's black Rolls-Royce pulled up beside us with a beep-beep. Ezekiel got out, grabbed my hand, and helped me into the front passenger seat, closing the door behind me. He then turned to Walter, somewhat reluctantly saying, "If you want to come along, get in."

Walter opened the back door and got in, and Ezekiel returned to the driver's seat and started the car.

I asked, "Ezekiel, what did you want to talk about? I promised to answer your questions seriously."

Ezekiel replied, "No rush. We'll talk once we get to our destination."

I responded with a simple "Okay," while Walter remained silent. The car ride was quiet for about twenty minutes, with none of us saying a word.