Chapter 3- Their POV's
Care's POV
Care sat at the corner of the cafeteria, plate untouched, eyes fixed on her phone. The room was buzzing, everyone laughing, shouting, moving in cliques. She didn't belong here—she knew it. Not yet. She didn't need friends. She didn't need validation. Survival was enough. They whispered about her, eyes flicking to her corner, voices low but sharp: "Who does she think she is?" "Arrogant, egotistic." "Sitting alone like she's better than everyone."
She felt their stares, their judgment, but she didn't flinch. Let them talk. Let them misunderstand. She had fought through worse.
Cole's POV
Cole leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, frowning. That girl—Care—sat like she owned the room, but she didn't even know anyone here. Arrogant. Egotistic. Everything about her screamed challenge. He didn't like it. Didn't like her posture, the way she ignored everyone, the smug little smirk she probably thought she was hiding.
"I don't get it," he muttered to Ben and Daisy. "Who does she think she is? Sitting there like she's untouchable."
Every instinct in him screamed to confront her, to put her in her place. But he hesitated, because there was… something else. Something he couldn't quite name.
Ben's POV
Ben rolled his eyes. She was loud in her silence, visible in her invisibility. "She's so full of herself," he whispered to Cole. "Acting like she's untouchable. Doesn't talk, doesn't interact, just… watches. Egotistic, that's what she is."
He wanted to warn her, teach her some humility—but instead he just watched, sharp judgment in every glance. Protectiveness? No. Not yet. Just… irritation and disbelief.
Daisy's POV
Daisy's jaw tightened as she stared. That girl, sitting alone, ignored, confident—she triggered something Daisy didn't like: envy. She looked like she thought she was better than everyone. How dare she sit there like she's a queen without even acknowledging us? Daisy's voice in her head repeated, over and over: Arrogant. Full of herself. Egoistic.
And yet, her curiosity flared. Who was this girl? Where did this arrogance come from? She didn't like it… but she wanted to know.
Alex's POV
Alex adjusted his glasses, frowning. She was too composed for someone new. Too… contained. She didn't laugh, didn't interact, didn't bend. Something about her irked him. "Why doesn't she talk to anyone?" he muttered to Kevin. "Who raised her? Ego like this… she'll fall hard."
Kevin's POV
Kevin leaned forward, arms on the table. That girl was insufferable. Silent, self-contained, her gaze cold, her demeanor challenging. Arrogant. Egotistic. That was all he could think. He didn't trust anyone like this. He didn't understand her, and that made him suspicious.
Joong's POV
Joong, quiet as ever, observed. Most people he studied were predictable, but Care was… not. She didn't mingle, didn't seek attention, didn't respond to jokes or whispers. She seemed untouchable, self-possessed. Annoying, arrogant, egotistic. He didn't like it, didn't understand it, but he couldn't look away either.
Lyra's POV
Lyra sat in the back, notebook open but unused. She watched Care, feeling… uneasy. Something about her wasn't right. Not the arrogance, not the silence—it was something deeper, a storm under the calm, a fire hidden in the quiet. Most people only saw the arrogance. Lyra felt the pain behind it, the strength, the struggle. But she kept her distance, curious and cautious.
Ash's POV
Ash's pen hovered over her notebook, frowning. That girl—the quiet one in the corner—struck a chord deep inside her. She had seen this before, somewhere, in another life maybe. Or perhaps it was the fire in her eyes, the defiance in her posture. Something told Ash she was stronger than anyone imagined. Strong… but misunderstood.
Nova's POV
Nova's gaze lingered on Care, sharp and protective. Everyone else was judging, whispering, pointing, laughing under their breaths. She felt it all—every accusation, every insult—but she didn't need to hear them. She knew Care's worth. She silently rooted for her, a shadow of support. If anyone got out of line, Nova would step in—but for now, Care didn't know.
The whispers continued: "Arrogant. Egoistic. Thinks she's better than everyone." Cole shook his head. Daisy sneered internally. Ben pressed his jaw tight. Alex and Kevin whispered to each other. Joong just observed, silent but judging.
And through it all, Care didn't flinch. She ate slowly, watched the room with calculating eyes, and returned to her phone.
They didn't know yet that this girl was stronger than all their judgments combined. They didn't know that one day, she would be the storm they couldn't ignore.