Chapter 5
The next morning arrived with a crisp clarity.
Aleza rose from her bed, moving through her morning routine with the quiet discipline of a soldier. She brushed her teeth, prepared a simple breakfast, and savored each bite in the morning silence. Then, she stood before the mirror.
"Time to look even cuter today, Aleza," she whispered to her reflection.
With surgical precision, she began her transformation. She applied a delicate orange-tinted blush to her dusky cheeks and mirrored the shade lightly across her eyelids. Her lips were graced with a subtle, petal-pink gloss. She lengthened her lashes, making them fan out like dark silk.
She offered herself a triumphant smile. "You look breathtaking today."
Aleza knew the secret of her own beauty; she understood which colors harmonized with her golden skin. But her violet eyes—those were a divine gift, a natural anomaly that she guarded fiercely. Grabbing her bag, she stepped out, heading toward The Royal Guardian High School.
She walked with the grace of a queen, her confidence radiating from her. As she entered the school grounds, a sea of heads turned. Boys and girls alike stood frozen, captivated by her new look. Aleza kept her gaze fixed forward, the world around her becoming nothing but background noise.
Suddenly, a sleek, exorbitantly expensive car glided to a halt beside her. Aleza didn't even blink. She kept walking, ignoring the hum of the engine.
"Aleza! Wait!"
Rayzon's voice sliced through the air. Aleza stopped, turning only slightly, her eyes narrowing as she looked over her shoulder. The car pulled up alongside her. When Rayzon's eyes met Aleza's, his breath caught. He was lost in her gaze, his mind a whirlwind of admiration.
"Stop trying to show off with your car," Aleza snapped, her voice dripping with attitude. "I'm busy."
She took a step forward, but Rayzon leaned out of the window, his voice desperate. "Aleza, please... will you let me drive you to school?"
Aleza didn't look back. "I have no interest in your car."
She continued walking, but the smile had vanished from her face, replaced by a cold, melancholic shadow. I will keep my distance, Rayzon, she thought bitterly. I didn't even forgive my own sister. You are nothing to me. I hate you, and I always will.
Lost in her dark thoughts, she didn't hear him approach. Suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder.
In a flash of instinct and fear, Aleza spun around, swinging her heavy school bag with the force of a boxer's punch. The bag collided squarely with Rayzon's face, sending him reeling backward through the air. He hit the ground hard.
Rayzon didn't scream. He simply clutched his face, his body trembling with the shock of the impact.
Aleza gasped, her eyes wide as she looked at the boy on the pavement. "What are you doing down there? Weren't you just in your car?"
Rayzon looked up, a pained yet amused smile on his lips. Should I laugh or cry at this point? he wondered. He stood up, dusting off his pristine uniform, and looked at Aleza. "You're the one who swung that bag like a weapon because you got startled."
Aleza crossed her arms, a stubborn pout on her face. "If you sneak up on someone and grab their shoulder, that's exactly what's going to happen!"
Then, her eyes narrowed as she looked closer at his face. "Wait... your lip. It's bleeding."
Before Rayzon could respond, Aleza was in his space. She moved so close that he could feel the warmth of her body. Rayzon froze, his heart skipping a beat as she took his face in both of her hands.
Aleza began to blow softly on his injured lip—gentle, warm breaths meant to soothe the sting.
Around them, students gasped, covering their mouths in shock. A murmur rippled through the crowd: "Is Aleza going to kiss him? On the second day of school?!"
But Aleza was oblivious to the rumors. She let go of his head with a cold finality and stepped back. "That was just to pay you back for the dinner last night. I don't like being in anyone's debt."
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
Rayzon stood there, paralyzed by the sweetness of her breath. "Pain? What pain?" he whispered, touching his lip. "It feels like my whole body is in heaven. Her breath... it had a sweetness I've never known before."
He looked at her retreating figure and shouted with a joyful grin, "You're a real doctor, Aleza! From now on, you're the only one I'm coming to for treatment!"
Aleza felt a tiny smile tug at her lips, but she suppressed it instantly, her expression returning to its habitual gloom.
In class, Rayzon's desk was right next to Aleza's.
Aleza was a model student, her focus entirely on the teacher's lecture. Rayzon, however, was a disaster. He spent the entire period stealing glances at Aleza, her profile silhouetted against the window light. He didn't hear a single word the teacher said.
The teacher's eyes narrowed as he caught Rayzon daydreaming. He turned to the blackboard and wrote a complex chemistry equation. "Who would like to answer this?" he asked, turning back to the class.
Aleza's hand shot up instantly.
"No, not Aleza," the teacher smiled. "Let's hear from the person sitting next to her."
Every eye in the room landed on Rayzon. He blinked, looking around in a panic. "What? Why is everyone looking at me?"
"Rayzon," the teacher said kindly, "we all know how brilliant you are. Can you solve this for us?"
Rayzon stood up, sweating as he stared at the board. Chemistry? This is a nightmare. What is the answer? He looked at Aleza for help. She smirked and pointed subtly toward a specific line in his book.
Rayzon grinned. "The answer is... CH + Copper, sir!"
The teacher's smile faltered. "So... water creates CH + Copper now? Congratulations, Rayzon, you've discovered a new law of science."
The class erupted in titters. The teacher looked at Aleza. "Aleza, your turn."
Aleza stood up gracefully. "The answer is CH + Oxygen, Sir."
"Exactly," the teacher said, looking back at Rayzon. "You see, Rayzon? Those who pay attention in class know the answers. This was a basic question, yet you failed. It's clear your mind was elsewhere."
Rayzon sat down, his face burning with embarrassment. "Why did you give me the wrong answer?" he whispered to Aleza. "You ruined my reputation!"
Aleza didn't even look at him. "I didn't give you any answer. You saw what you wanted to see."
Rayzon sighed, but a small smile touched his lips. He was captivated by her even when she was being difficult.
During lunch break, Rayzon approached her again. "Will you come to the rooftop to eat with me today?"
Aleza took a final bite of her lunch and closed her container. "Look, I've already finished my food. I can't go." She stood up, her chin high. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to the washroom."
She walked away without a second glance.
Rayzon watched her, a bittersweet smile on his face. My heart tells me you're Sofia, he thought. But Sofia didn't have this much fire, this much attitude. You're perfect in everything you do, while the Sofia I knew was perfect in nothing. Our eyes and skin match, but the soul is different... and yet, I'm starting to believe you're her.
In the washroom, Aleza stared at herself in the mirror. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. She pressed a hand to her chest, closing her eyes to listen to the rhythm. Nothing, she told herself. There is nothing in the depths of my heart. It is empty.
She touched up her makeup and stepped back out into the hall.
During the final period, the teacher made an announcement. "Students, as every year, our school festivals are approaching. We will have various competitions: singing, anime cosplay, cooking, and the grand Beauty Competition. The boy and girl voted most beautiful this year will be crowned champions."
The class immediately turned toward Rayzon.
"Rayzon-chan will win for the boys, as always!" a girl shouted.
"And Mami-chan will win for the girls!" a boy added.
They seemed to have forgotten the newcomer in their midst. But then, one student stood up and pointed toward Aleza. "All of you, listen! This year, records will be shattered. And Aleza will be the one to do it!"
A wave of whispers flooded the room. "Aleza will definitely beat Mami-chan!"
The teacher walked over to Aleza, smiling warmly. "We are confident you will bring glory to our class this year, Aleza."
Aleza's cheeks flushed. "But teacher... I wanted to enter the singing competition, not the beauty one."
"Why not both?" the teacher laughed. "You can sing and compete for the crown."
Aleza nodded slowly. "I understand, Sir."
Rayzon leaned over, tapping Aleza's desk with a smirk. "Don't worry. I'll be by your side. I'll do whatever it takes to help you win."
Aleza turned her head, her expression icy. "I don't need your help. And stop following me so closely."
Rayzon rested his chin on his hand, looking at her with an intensity that was almost possessive. As beautiful as I am, I believe everything beautiful in this world belongs to me, he thought. But I won't claim you as mine, Aleza. Because you look best when you're being yourself.