Have you ever thought about how people would look at you and judge you for doing something that seems absolutely diverting from the normal norm?

That's absolutely like what I've been thinking about lately. When people make remarks based on prejudices, it becomes really difficult for one to act like their true self. That exactly is what happened with me recently. Well, actually not directly with me, but more like with someone I had gotten close with back in the day.

It was in the summer of the second semester in high school when I met him for the first time. It was a hot day but with a mild breeze going up and about. The classrooms were filled with noises resounding from students talking about favourite idols, anime and what not. Some were on their phones while there were others who were revising and preparing for the class. And I, on the other hand, was keeping my head on the table and watching outside the window. That was when the bell for the classes to commence rang, and everyone hurriedly tidied up their seats, some of them went back to their classrooms and everyone was now getting ready for the class.

It was about five minutes through when a stranger with the attendance register came. I could make out from the opposite window that someone was following behind him. The person came up to the classroom podium and tapped with the attendance register on it, so as to silence everyone,

"Alright everyone, settle down. First of all, good morning to all. I am James Brown, and I am going to be your new homeroom teacher. Some changes were made since the last faculty meeting and so your previous homeroom teacher, Ms. Bloom is not going to take your classes anymore. I'll be teaching you all social sciences, mostly history. There will be other teachers who will be focussing on the rest. Anyways, now I would like to introduce a transfer student who will be joining our class".

A transfer student was always given preference since they are thought to be some precious gemstones I guess. But anyways, as the teacher made the announcement, the girls started chatting, whispering that it should be a guy and stuff. While the dudes, including me, were kinda least bothered.

Mr. Brown gestured for the person to come in and for the first time (in a long time), I was intrigued by a person. The person or rather the student who came in was if to explain in one word, handsome.

The transfer student who came in looked absolutely well-crafted. I mean he just seemed perfect in whichever direction. He had black hair, which was quite peculiar in our school, I guess. I mean I have reddish brown hair while no one in my class had black hair. He had silver eyes with a tint of black and I could make out from his features that maybe he was Asian. And so, he introduced himself,

"Hi everyone!! My name is Kim Jaehwan, english name, Kim Jason. I transferred to Florida because of my father's work and I am a swimmer".

After that, all the girls started squealing on the top of their lungs. I mean yeah, he was handsome, but please stop making noise, of course. Anyways after the brief intro l, along with everyone clapped for his arrival and then he was told by the teach to sit wherever he wanted. There was a seat beside me, but as usual, nobody would want to sit with a gloomy guy like me anyway. *sigh* But truth be told, for a tiny bit, I did wanted him to sit with me but I knew that was near impossible. So, I just again put my head on the table and started my usual schedule of watching the birds on the jacaranda tree on the school campus.

But while I was watching outside, there was a brief silence in the class. As if the calm before a calamity, I presumed. Then I heard a chair being pulled and then came the surprise. "Hey", I heard a low voice which was bold and sort of soothing to the ears. And so, I looked up and saw him, Kim Jason. I was kinda taken aback, because inspite of other empty seats in the class he sat with none other than, me. He looked kinda perplexed because of my expression, I guess. So, I regained my composure, and greeted him back.

I was kinda confused as to why he sat with me, but when I was about to ask him the reason, the teacher started teaching. Missing the timing to ask, I just let it be, though it would be a lie if I said I didn't like it. I mean after such a long time, someone had decided to sit beside me. Well, being a rich kid with grades not that bad, the others, of course, didn't dare to get on my wrong side, thereby making initiatives to remain on good terms with me, but there always seemed to be a fine line between them and me, and therefore, I never really made any good friends.

After all the classes of the first half ended, it was finally time for break. I just usually bought a bun with a filling and went to the rooftop to eat my lunch, and today too, that was my plan. But as soon as I was about to leave, the exit door was sort of blocked, not because of some emergency but rather due to the frolicking students who were eager to meet and talk with the new transfer student.

I kept on trying to walk out through the spaces that they left in the sideways but to my agony, I couldn't escape. After trying for about five minutes or so, I finally gave up the idea of eating in the rooftop. I sighed and just sat down on my seat, about to eat my lunch, when suddenly, someone did something unexpected.

Jason stood up and told the others that it was break time so he needed to eat something thereby telling the other students to move away. When some of the girls after hearing that, offered to share their lunches with him. He just rejected and so, dejected by his refusal, all the students dispersed away. Meanwhile, I had started eating my bun with a sullen mood, when suddenly someone spoke or rather whispered to me.

The students blocking the entrance are gone now so I guess you can go where you were trying to go earlier.

I was sort of confused about who just spoke to me and when I looked up, it was none other than Jason, he was now walking out of the room but then he paused for a moment and turned back looking at me as I was gazing at him, and he just gently smiled and went out. That was one of the biggest shocks of my life, I mean it should be illegal for someone to look so good even when they just smiled.

Finding the entrance free from the earlier commotion, I was about to head to the rooftop but since the class was already about to commence so I just decided to go to the cafeteria which was located in the ground floor, a little away from the classrooms.

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Fig: the cafeteria