Morning arrived, and Nova was already prepared for school.
At first glance, his nerdy behavior made people assume he wasn't very popular. In reality, it was the opposite. He was kind, gentle, and naturally charming—so much so that he was popular with both girls and boys.
But despite that, he was still an introvert. Whenever someone suddenly talked to him, he would flinch slightly, as if caught off guard.
As Nova walked down the hallway toward his classroom, he bumped into someone very familiar.
Stacy.
She was his crush. They were in the same class, but to her, Nova was nothing more than a friend.
The school was chaotic as usual—students shouting, lockers slamming, laughter echoing through the corridors.
Soon, Nova spotted his best friend.
"Hey, Nova! Why didn't you come yesterday?" Zeyden asked.
Even though Nova was shy, he was comfortable around the people he trusted.
"I was kinda… sick," he replied.
The bell rang, and they headed to class together, chatting casually.
Suddenly—
"Boo!"
Both of them jumped.
"AAH! What the heck, man? Not cool!" they shouted.
It was Liam, the third member of their friend group, laughing at their reaction.
After a few minutes, they reached the classroom and took their seats, waiting for the teacher to arrive. Nova looked around, searching for his friend who was like a sister to him, Alice.
She wasn't there.
I wonder why…