In the halls of St. Claire Academy, there was one thing everyone knew for sure: the top spot on the honor roll was a war between two people.
Luna and Rina.
Luna was the definition of effortless genius. She was calm, cool, and always had a lazy smirk on her face. She could get the highest score without even seeming to study, which drove everyone crazy.
Rina, on the other hand, was the picture of perfection. She was serious, disciplined, and wore her uniform perfectly. She studied day and night, her brows always furrowed in concentration. To Rina, grades weren't just numbers they were her way of making her parents proud. She needed to be number one. It was her whole world.
Every exam, every recitation, it was always Luna vs. Rina.
"Congratulations, Rina," Luna would say, leaning against the doorframe with her hands in her pockets after Rina won a quiz. "Second place looks good on you. suits you."
Rina would glare, adjusting her glasses. "Don't get too comfortable, Luna. Next time, I will surpass you. I always do."
"Is that a challenge?" Luna would laugh, her eyes sparkling. "I accept. But don't cry when I win again."
But nobody knew the truth.
Behind that cool, unbothered face, Luna was screaming internally.
Because Luna wasn't just competing with Rina. She was completely, hopelessly in love with her.
Every night, while everyone was asleep, Luna was wide awake. Not studying but scrolling.
She opened Rina's social media profile for the hundredth time that day. She liked every single post, saved every photo, and read every caption twice. She knew Rina liked drinking matcha latte, that she hated rainy days, and that she posted quotes about hard work every morning.
'She's so cute even when she's being inspirational,' Luna thought, hugging her pillow and kicking her feet like a crazy person.
At school, Luna's favorite hobby was "stalking" Rina from a distance. She would sit at the back of the library, pretending to read a book, but her eyes were glued to Rina's serious face. She watched how Rina bit her lip when she was thinking, how she tucked her hair behind her ear, and how her eyes widened when she found a difficult question.
"God, she's so perfect," Luna whispered to herself.
But when Rina looked up and caught her staring, Luna would instantly switch back to her cold, teasing mode.
"What are you looking at?" Rina would ask sharply.
"Nothing," Luna would shrug, looking bored. "Just wondering how someone can study so hard and still be behind me. It's fascinating."
Rina would huff and turn away, annoyed. "You are so arrogant, Luna!"
And Luna would just smile, because making Rina angry was the only way she could interact with her. It hurt a little, but it was better than being ignored.
໒꒰ྀི ˶• ༝ •˶ ྀི১
One day, the final exams were coming up. The pressure was huge. Rina was working harder than ever. She looked tired, her eyes had dark circles, and she wasn't eating lunch properly.
Luna noticed.
During lunch break, Rina was sitting alone under a tree, reading her notes with a worried expression. Luna walked over and dropped a bottle of milk and a sandwich right on top of Rina's book.
"Hey," Luna said, her voice softer than usual. "You're going to burn out if you keep this up."
Rina looked up, startled. "I don't have time to eat, Luna. I have to beat you this time. My parents are expecting so much from me..." Her voice trailed off, and for a second, Luna saw the stress and fear in her eyes.
Luna sat down next to her, leaving a comfortable space between them. She didn't tease her this time.
"Hey," Luna said, looking serious. "You're already amazing, Rina. Even if you are second, or third... you're still incredible. Your parents should be proud of you just for being you."
Rina blinked, surprised by the sudden kindness. She looked at Luna, really looked at her. For the first time, she didn't see a rival. She saw someone who was actually looking at her with warmth.
"Why..." Rina stammered. "Why are you saying this?"
Luna panicked slightly, feeling her cheeks heat up, so she quickly put her mask back on and smirked.
"Because I want you at your best when I beat you," Luna teased, poking Rina's arm. "I don't want to win against a tired zombie. Eat up, rival."
Rina couldn't help but smile a tiny smile. She opened the sandwich. "You are so weird, Luna."
They sat there in silence for a while. The sun was shining, and the air smelled like flowers.
Luna's heart was beating so fast she was scared Rina could hear it.
'Someday,' Luna thought, looking at Rina's profile. 'Someday I won't just be your rival. I hope you'll look at me the way I look at you.'
But for now, being the rival who gets to sit next to her, tease her, and secretly adore her from up close... was enough.
To be continued in chapter 2>>>˃͈◡˂͈