Chapter 3 - How to be a normal highschool girl 2

Step 2: Have a quirky best friend who makes everything fun.

I don't have a best friend yet, but I do have a gyaru girl in my class who keeps throwing me curious glances. Maybe she could be my quirky best friend? But then again, another goal of mine is to make it into the school's rankings... She seems like she barely studies, and honestly, if I'm trying to maintain some level of anonymity, I can't exactly be seen hanging around with the girl who's always in the spotlight, even if she is fun to watch.

Maybe I should befriend the one nerdy girl in class instead? She looks like she spends her entire day studying. Perfect for avoiding any kind of trouble, right?

The whole idea of fitting in is so much harder than it looks in the movies. I mean, you just meet someone, exchange a few laughs, and bam, you're best friends. In real life? Not so much.

I glance at the gyaru girl again as she flips her hair and laughs loudly with her group of friends. She's wearing bright pink and white, and her makeup is bold, in stark contrast to the monochrome world I've been trying to blend into. She's definitely not normal, but maybe that's the point. Her laugh carries through the classroom like a drumbeat, and for some reason, it makes me a little nervous.

Her name is Rika.

She always seems to be surrounded by her friends, talking, laughing, and making everyone look like they're having the time of their lives. I could tell she didn't exactly have a "study-first" mentality—no, she had the let's-have-fun-while-we-can approach. And honestly, part of me admired that. But another part of me... feared it.

I'm not normal. Never have been, probably never will be. But I want to at least pretend to be. And if that means picking the nerdy girl over Rika, then so be it.

I glance to the other side of the room.

Yui.

The nerdy girl who looks like she spends more time with books than with people. She's sitting in the back of the class, her glasses perched perfectly on her nose as she writes down every word the teacher says, scribbling furiously. If I'm going to get close to anyone in this school, Yui seems like my safest bet. She probably wouldn't judge me for being quiet, and maybe we'd bond over our shared awkwardness.

But as I'm about to make a decision, I hear a loud snap followed by a sharp, high-pitched laugh.

Rika.

And just like that, I find myself staring again. Her fingers snap as she makes some joke to a friend, her whole group erupting into laughter. She's magnetic, impossible to ignore. A part of me is drawn to her like a moth to a flame, even though I know it could end up singeing me.

I can feel the tug-of-war inside me—do I follow what's safe, or do I embrace the chaos?

"Oi, Aika!" a voice suddenly calls from the front of the classroom.

I snap out of my thoughts to find Rika leaning across the aisle, grinning at me. "You're Aika, right?"

My heart skips a beat.

"No," I mutter under my breath, "no, I'm not."

I glance around, trying to see if anyone is paying attention. Thankfully, no one seems to be listening. It's just Rika, her flashy smile, and her uninvited attention.

She narrows her eyes, leaning in a little closer. "Yeah, you are. I saw you outside earlier, right? The one who tripped?" Her smile widens into a playful grin. "I won't tell anyone. Promise."

My cheeks burn with embarrassment. I try to avoid her gaze, hoping she's talking to someone else. She's not, though. She's very much talking to me.

"I'm Rika, by the way," she continues casually. "You should join the fashion club with me sometime. We could totally turn you into a superstar. What do you say?"

I nod stiffly, not entirely sure what to say. "I... I'm good for now."

Her gaze sharpens for a moment, then she shrugs, the smile never leaving her face. "No worries. You're way too cute to hide in the back all the time. Don't be shy, okay?"

I blink. What was that about? Too cute to hide? I don't know how to respond, so I just look away and focus on the classwork.

Is she trying to be friendly?

That thought lingers, even though my gut tells me she's someone I need to steer clear of if I don't want my life to get even more complicated.

The bell rings, signaling the end of class, and my thoughts swirl around like a whirlwind. Everyone starts gathering their things, but I'm still frozen in my seat, thinking about everything Rika said. I should be more worried about blending in, about staying invisible, not standing out for something as stupid as tripping on the sidewalk.

But for some reason, it feels like the universe keeps pushing me toward her.

"Hey, Aika!" a voice suddenly calls.

I turn to find the nerdy girl—Yui—beaming at me, her face scrunched up in excitement. "I saw you earlier! You're Aika, right?"

I nod. "Yeah."

As she goes on talking, I catch a glimpse of Rika out of the corner of my eye. She's with her friends, and it's clear she's still keeping an eye on me.

I feel like I'm stuck between two worlds—Rika, with her easy confidence and boldness, and Yui, who's safe and... a little bit too much like a fish out of water for my taste.

I just wanted to blend in, and yet here I am, the center of attention again.

The rest of the day drags on like a never-ending battle. Rika continues to throw me glances, and I can't help but feel like she's watching me, waiting for me to do something... anything. Every time I look up, I catch her eyes, and her smile is always there—bright and unapologetically loud.

And then there's Yui, who won't stop talking to me. Every time we pass in the hallway, she gives me a cheery wave and a reminder to study together. It's almost too much, too fast, and it makes my head spin.

I'm trying my best to avoid both of them, but it's hard when they're so determined to be my friend. I guess that's what I wanted in the first place but deep inside I do feel uneasy, what if they found out who I truly am? Will they make me an outcast? Will they leave?

I sigh, feeling the weight of the whole day crash down on me. I wanted to be normal. But what's normal when everything you do feels like an accident waiting to happen?