[Damien's POV]
Chatter~ Chatter~
'Noisy.'
That's my impression of school—always too loud, too suffocating.
The moment I step into class, the endless voices of my classmates blend into a constant hum, their conversations meaningless to me. I take my usual seat in the back corner, close to the window. It's the perfect spot—out of sight, out of mind.
"Hey! Loser, sleepy already?"
A mocking voice cuts through the noise. I don't need to turn around to know who it is—Joseph smith.
I sigh inwardly, already regretting coming to school today.
Joseph Smith—the ever-faithful lapdog of Ace Matthews. Tall, built like a wannabe bodybuilder, and about as smart as a bag of rocks. He thrives on picking on anyone weaker than him, and unfortunately, that includes me.
I don't bother looking at him. Instead, I rest my chin on my hand and stare out the window, watching the clouds drift by.
"Oi, ignoring me now?" Joseph sneers, slapping his hand down on my desk. "You got a death wish, loser?"
I can hear the snickers from his friends. Typical.
Still, I keep my mouth shut. Engaging with him is pointless—like arguing with a brick wall. Besides, he doesn't actually want a fight. He just wants a reaction.
Before Joseph can push further, another voice cuts in.
"Knock it off, Joseph," a girl sighs. "Class is about to start."
...
The moment our homeroom teacher, Ms. Carter, stepped inside, the classroom fell into reluctant silence. Despite her gentle smile, she had an unspoken authority that kept most students in check—including idiots like Joseph.
"Alright, settle down, everyone," Ms. Carter said, setting a stack of papers on her desk. "Before we begin today's lesson, we have an announcement."
An announcement? That's unusual.
Curious murmurs rippled through the classroom as Ms. Carter gestured toward the door.
"Come in," she called.
A moment later, the door slid open, and a girl stepped inside.
Silver locks pulled into a neat braid, deep violet eyes that shimmered under the fluorescent lights—she was stunning. Yet, despite her striking beauty, there was something undeniably fragile about her. Her small hands gripped the hem of her blazer, and her gaze remained fixed on the floor, as if trying to make herself as invisible as possible.
"This is Elena Angelus," Ms. Carter introduced, placing a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "She's a transfer student, so please make her feel welcome."
A hushed silence fell over the class before the inevitable whispers started.
"Whoa… she's gorgeous."
"Is she a foreigner? Look at those eyes!"
"Bet Ace is gonna try something."
Ace Matthews—the golden boy of the school, star athlete, and self-proclaimed king of the classroom—leaned back in his chair, flashing his usual arrogant smirk.
"Elena, why don't you introduce yourself?" Ms. Carter encouraged.
Elena hesitated for a moment before speaking in a soft, almost trembling voice. "I… I'm Elena Angelus. P-please take care of me."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough. Ace's smirk widened, his sharp gaze locking onto her like a predator eyeing its prey.
"Elena, you can take a seat next to Damien," Ms. Carter said, pointing to the empty desk beside me.
I stiffened as every eye in the room turned toward me.
Seriously? Why me?
Elena shuffled toward the desk, her movements careful, as if expecting someone to trip her. She sat down quietly, keeping her gaze lowered.
Joseph snickered. "Looks like the loser finally has a desk partner."
I ignored him, as usual.
But as I glanced at Elena out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something—the way her fingers trembled slightly as she gripped the edge of her desk. The way her eyes darted toward the door, as if mapping out an escape route.
She was afraid.
But whatever not my problem.
Putting my head down on my desk, I decided to tune out the world again. Whatever troubles she had, I wasn't interested. Life was easier when I kept my head down and stayed out of things.
...
[Later That Day – Lunchtime]
The cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos—students chatting, trays clattering, and the occasional outburst of laughter. I sat at my usual spot near the back, a quiet corner where no one bothered me.
As I picked at my food, my eyes drifted toward Elena, who stood awkwardly near the serving counter, clutching her tray as if it were a lifeline. She scanned the room, hesitating, before stepping forward—only for someone to "accidentally" bump into her.
Her tray crashed to the ground, food splattering across the floor.
Gasps and laughter erupted around her.
"Oh no, my bad," a sickly sweet voice cooed.
Sarah Miller. One of Ace's devoted fan club members.
Elena immediately crouched down to clean up the mess, her hands trembling. No one helped her. No one even moved.
Then—
"SARAH! What do you think you are doing?" Ace shouted at sarah who turned pale as her face drained of color.
"A-Ace, I—" she stammered, caught completely off guard.
Ace Matthews, the ever-popular golden boy, was glaring at her with an expression colder than usual. The usual cocky arrogance in his smirk was replaced by something unreadable.
"Elena's new here," Ace continued, crossing his arms. "Is this how we treat our classmates?"
Murmurs spread through the cafeteria. Sarah opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out.
"I— I didn't mean to…"
Ace sighed dramatically before turning to Elena, flashing her a dazzling smile. "Here, let me help." He bent down, picking up her tray and brushing some of the food aside.
Elena looked completely stunned, her violet eyes wide.
"Come on, I'll get you a new meal," Ace said smoothly, taking her by the wrist and guiding her toward the food counter.
The cafeteria watched in stunned silence before the whispers started again.
"Is Ace really helping her?"
"No way, is he interested in her?"
Sarah's expression twisted into something ugly, but she kept quiet, knowing better than to go against Ace.
"I-It's okay, I-I will...be fine on my own," Elena stammered, trying to pull her hand back.
Ace, however, tightened his grip just slightly, his smile never faltering. "No need to be shy, Elena. Friends help each other out."
Friends? That word felt wrong coming from him.
I almost scoffed but held it in. Ace Matthews didn't do anything without a reason. Everything about him was calculated—every smile, every gesture, every word.
And right now, he had his sights set on Elena.
I turned my attention back to my food, uninterested in whatever game Ace was playing.
But just as I stabbed my fork into my meal—
"What did you say?!"
A familiar loud voice resonated as everyone turned to look toward the commotion near the cafeteria entrance.
Ace's usual smirk was gone, replaced by a scowl as he looked at Elena with narrowed eyes. The cafeteria fell into uneasy silence as students whispered amongst themselves, watching the scene unfold.
Elena stood stiffly, her shoulders trembling slightly. "I-I said… I won't go out with y-you."
Ace Matthews froze. For the first time in a long while, someone had turned him down—publicly.
The cafeteria, once filled with murmurs, fell into dead silence. Every pair of eyes was locked onto the scene, waiting for Ace's reaction.
"What?" Ace's voice was quiet, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.
Elena gripped the hem of her blazer, her knuckles turning white. "I-I'm sorry… but I don't want to g-go out with you."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
No one rejected Ace Matthews.
The golden boy of the school, the one everyone either admired or feared, had just been turned down by a quiet, timid girl who had transferred in less than a day ago.
Sarah Miller, still sulking from earlier, suddenly perked up, her lips curling into a wicked smirk. The rest of Ace's followers exchanged glances, their eyes narrowing at Elena like a pack of wolves sizing up wounded prey.
Ace's jaw tightened, his usual charming façade faltering. For a split second, something dark flickered in his eyes—but it was gone just as quickly, replaced by a casual chuckle.
"Ah, I see," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a forced grin. "Guess I was a little too forward, huh?"
The tension in the air loosened, and students started whispering among themselves again.
"Did she seriously just reject Ace?"
"She's got guts… or she's insane."
"Ace is just being nice, but she'll regret that later."
I watched silently from my corner, taking another bite of my food. I wasn't surprised. I already had a feeling Ace wasn't genuinely interested in Elena—he was just testing the waters. And now that she had embarrassed him in front of everyone, I knew one thing for sure.
She had just made herself a target.
Elena didn't meet Ace's gaze as she turned and hurried toward the exit, her tray abandoned on a nearby table.
Ace stood still for a moment, then exhaled sharply, shaking his head. His smile was back, but his eyes remained cold.
"Man," he laughed, turning to his group. "Guess I'm not her type."
His friends chuckled, but I could tell—it wasn't over.
Not for Elena.
...
The rest of the day passed in a blur, but one thing was clear—Elena had just stepped into dangerous territory.
Ace Matthews never forgot a slight, and neither did his devoted followers. I saw the way Sarah Miller and the other girls whispered among themselves, their eyes flickering toward Elena with quiet malice. Even Joseph Smith, Ace's ever-loyal lackey, wore a smirk that promised trouble.
Elena, on the other hand, seemed oblivious. Or maybe, she was just good at pretending.
Her steps were careful, her hands clutching the straps of her school bag a little too tightly. She didn't make eye contact with anyone, but I noticed the way her shoulders stiffened every time someone snickered in her direction.
Tch.
Not my problem.
I leaned back in my chair, letting my eyes wander to the window. Outside, the sky was a dull gray, the sun barely visible behind the thick clouds.
A perfect reflection of the mood in this classroom.
But then—
A folded piece of paper landed on my desk.
Frowning, I unfolded it.
"You should stay away from Elena if you know what's good for you."
No name. Just an ugly scribble of a message.
I sighed. Subtlety was never Ace's strong suit.
Crumpling the note, I stuffed it into my pocket without a second thought.
I had no intention of getting involved.
But even as I told myself that, my eyes drifted toward Elena once more.
She was staring down at her desk, her long silver lashes casting shadows over her pale cheeks. Her fingers trembled as she gripped her pencil, but she kept writing, as if nothing had happened.
She wasn't crying. She wasn't reacting.
She was just... enduring.
Tch.
I clicked my tongue in annoyance and looked away.
Not. My. Problem.
...
[After School – Hallway]
I packed up my things and made my way toward the exit, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The less attention I drew to myself, the better.
But as I turned the corner—
SMACK!
A dull thud echoed down the empty hallway.
I froze.
A few steps ahead, Elena was on the floor, her school bag spilled across the ground. Standing over her, arms crossed with a smug expression, was Sarah Miller.
"Tsk, tsk," Sarah sighed dramatically, twirling a lock of her perfect blonde hair. "You should really watch where you're going, new girl."
Elena didn't respond. She only clenched her fists, slowly picking up her scattered books.
Sarah smirked. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
The other girls standing behind Sarah giggled.
"Maybe she thinks she's too good for us, rejecting Ace like that."
"Right? Acting all innocent and quiet—how annoying."
Elena remained silent, her hands tightening around her books.
I exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of my nose.
Tch.
I really didn't want to get involved.
Really.
But before I could turn away—
Sarah raised her foot.
She was going to step on Elena's notebook.
Before she could—
I moved.
Before I even realized it, my body acted on its own.
In an instant, I was there, grabbing Sarah's wrist mid-motion.
"What the hell?" Sarah yelped, yanking her arm back. "Who do you think you are?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I crouched down and picked up Elena's notebook before handing it to her.
She stared at me, wide-eyed.
I sighed. "Just take it."
Slowly, she reached out and took it from my hands.
Sarah scoffed. "Hah! So the loser finally found a girlfriend?"
Her words didn't bother me. What bothered me was the way Elena flinched at them, her hands gripping her notebook tightly.
I stood up, my gaze cool. "Are you done?"
Sarah glared. "Excuse me?"
"You got your little power trip," I said flatly. "Now move. I don't have time for this."
Her face twisted in irritation. "Ugh, whatever. Let's go, girls."
With a final sneer, Sarah flipped her hair and strutted away, her minions following closely behind.
The hallway was silent once more.
I turned back to Elena.
She was staring at me, those deep violet eyes unreadable.
"…Thank you," she said softly.
I shrugged. "Don't mention it."
Literally. Don't.
With that, I turned to leave.
"Wait."
I paused.
Elena hesitated before gripping her bag tighter. "…You're different."
I frowned. "What?"
She shook her head, her silver hair falling over her shoulders. "Nothing. Just… thank you, Damien."
I clicked my tongue and walked off without another word.
Not my problem.
At least, that's what I kept telling myself.
Little did I know—
That moment was just the beginning of everything.