Chapter 21: Marie Joyce

No one at LNHS expected Marie Joyce to show up at the school meeting for all the classroom presidents. So when she stepped through the office door, every pair of eyes snapped to her. 

She wasn't surprised. It was nothing new. People at this school had always been cruel. Over time, she had learned to shield herself against their cold shoulders and judgmental stares. They treated her like an outsider—insignificant and invisible.

And she had long since decided to return the favor by giving them back the same energy.

She craned her neck, scanning for an empty seat. Just her luck—the only vacant chair was right beside the famous Steffy Rivera.

Marie inwardly groaned. The last thing she wanted was to sit next to the most talked-about girl in school. Nearly everyone here was either intimidated by Steffy or wanted to be her friend. Marie wanted neither. She preferred keeping her distance, especially since they often called her names like anti-social freak, or simply, freaky Marie.

For her, being elected class president wasn't an achievement. It was punishment. Her stupid classmates only wanted her to be their slave. They stole her assignments, pulled pranks on her whenever she refused to hand over test answers, and did far worse—things she had learned to endure for as long as she remained a student here.

Sure, she was the smartest in her class—maybe that was why her adviser had chosen her for the role. The teacher probably had no one else to rely on, given that most of her classmates were troublemakers and bullies.

Marie's intelligence had always set her apart, and teachers saw her potential. But potential meant nothing when the rest of the school saw her as a walking target. She despised the way LNHS operated—the ever-present divide between the so-called achievers and failures. She had chosen the last section for a reason. Despite being top of the class, she had begged to be placed there. It was the only place that felt close to a haven. Being invisible was easier in a section the school barely acknowledged. But even among the disregarded, there was no real escape. The last section was its own kind of hell.

And standing in this very room only confirmed how out of place she was.

Keeping her head low, Marie slowly backed away, hoping to go unnoticed. But she wasn't that lucky. A familiar voice called her name—sweet, confident, and far too close to her ears.

"Hi, Marie Joyce."

She froze.

Steffy Rivera was standing beside her, flashing a dazzling smile.

"My name's Steffy. Come, sit beside me."

Marie's stomach twisted. She could feel the way the other students were staring at them, their amusement practically radiating in the air.

'Why is she asking me to sit with her?'

"I-I don't want to," she murmured.

Steffy stepped closer, and Marie nearly jolted when a warm palm touched her right arm.

"Why not?"

Marie swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak. "I just don't want to draw too much attention."

Steffy leaned in slightly, and panic seized Marie. She squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to meet her gaze.

"Well," Steffy whispered, amusement lacing her tone, "judging from what you're doing now, you're already drawing attention—a lot of it, actually. You're basically blocking the view of the people behind you."

Heat crept up Marie's neck. Mortified, she nodded and hesitantly followed Steffy to the empty seat.

Steffy's grip on her arm was gentle but firm—like they'd been friends for years instead of total strangers. Once seated, Steffy crossed her legs with effortless grace, exuding the kind of confidence Marie could never dream of possessing.

She, on the other hand, sat stiffly, her hands clenched into fists on her lap.

She could feel Steffy's gaze on her. And when she finally glanced up, Steffy winked. Marie's face burned.

"T-Thank you," she mumbled, quickly looking away.

"You're most welcome," Steffy replied, tilting her head with a smile. "Let's have lunch together tomorrow, shall we?"

Marie blinked. Steffy asked her like it was the most natural thing to say in the world.

"What? Why?" she blurted out, completely caught off guard.

Steffy chuckled. "What do you mean, 'why?'"

Marie opened her mouth but couldn't bring herself to say what she was really thinking—'why would someone like you want to have lunch with someone like me?'

Steffy's smile didn't waver. "Don't worry, Marie. I won't bite."

Before Marie could form a response, the principal walked in, greeting them in an energetic tone.

Steffy turned her attention to him, her focus shifting with ease. Meanwhile, Marie sat there, still reeling, completely confused and wondering how the hell did Steffy Rivera know her name?