I Transferred for My Childhood Crush, Only to Find His Seat Was Taken

I’m a transfer student. I worked so hard for so long just to get into my childhood crush's Honors class. But when I finally transferred over, I realized he already had a very pretty desk mate. She smiled at me gently and said, "Ethan still needs to tutor me. I can't give up this seat for you, sweetie." Ethan's eyes landed on her, a look of unmistakable joy on his face. I froze in place, my face burning. I had no choice but to find an empty seat somewhere else, not daring to speak to him again. But later, Ethan cornered me, looking completely lost and panicked: "Tutoring? Why didn't you come to me...?" 1 Everyone's eyes in the classroom focused on me. Her tone was so soft and sweet. "Sweetie, cutting in line isn't nice. Ethan still needs to tutor me." In an instant, whispers erupted across the room. "She just transferred and already wants to steal someone's seat? This new girl is so arrogant." "Isn't that Ethan's childhood friend? I used to see her waiting for him at the door every day." "That still doesn't mean she can just barge in and demand a seat!" "She was top of the Regular class, so she thinks she owns the place now." It wasn't like that... I wanted to explain, but my throat felt completely blocked. I didn't even know where to start telling them that Ethan and I had agreed on this a long time ago. I worked so hard to test into the Honors class just so we could sit together. He told me he had already arranged our seats. My palms began to sweat as I gripped my backpack straps. I looked at Ethan, pleading for help. Hoping he would speak up and explain that I wasn't acting like this... But he turned his face away and looked at that girl. His eyes were smiling. "Yeah, I'm tutoring you." The classroom fell silent for a split second. I don't know who started it, but someone let out a scoff. Then, the entire room erupted into laughter and mocking giggles. I blushed, completely at a loss. My mind went entirely blank. I didn't understand. Didn't he say... once I tested into the Honors class, we would work hard together...? 2 The bell rang. All the students obediently took their seats. Ethan looked at me and casually pointed to the back. "Just find a spot back there for now." I took a deep breath. Enduring the burning sensation on my face, I walked to the back. Behind me, I heard that girl's lowered voice, "Ethan, your childhood friend looks a little upset." "It's fine. Class is starting, just focus on the lecture." "Oh." Her voice was tiny. I couldn't see her. But I could imagine her adorably innocent expression. I don't remember how I walked the rest of the way, just that I stiffly sat down in the only empty seat in the last row. There was someone next to me. He seemed to hear the noise. He lifted his eyelids, gave me a single glance, and then buried his head back into his arms. For the entire class period... I was in a daze. I couldn't absorb a single word the Honors teacher was saying. Until class ended. Ethan stood up from his seat at the front and walked over, placing a notebook on my desk. "Honors class notes. "I didn't expect you to actually pass the exam. Look over these first and try to teach yourself." The cover of the notebook was pink. It was the same one I had given him at the start of the school year, filled with pages of meticulous writing. For some reason, a wave of grievance surged in my chest, and my eyes grew red. Ethan paused, startled. "What, are you that touched?" The girl sitting behind him suddenly stood up, clutching her forehead looking frustrated. "Ethan, I still didn't catch what you were explaining earlier!" He looked back at her. The notebook I had just accepted was immediately snatched back from my hands. "Wait a bit. Let Chloe copy them first." He took the notes and walked away. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore; they fell on their own. The next moment. A pack of tissues was tossed onto my lap from out of nowhere. My new desk mate, who had been sleeping all class, suddenly looked up, his cold eyes laced with annoyance. "Don't cry next to me." He startled me. I frantically grabbed a tissue and wiped my tears away. But my eyes uncontrollably locked onto the boy and girl sitting in the front, heads bent together as they went over a math problem. My eyes stung fiercely. The unfamiliarity of a new environment. The crushing of my expectations and the coldness of my new classmates. All of it rushed into my brain at once, fighting for space. I tried to push it down. But the harder I pushed, the more I felt like I couldn't breathe. My new desk mate looked visibly irritated. He simply pulled his hoodie off, draped it over his head, and went back to sleep on his desk. 3 The bell rang again. The teacher walked in with his lesson plans. Class began. I don't know if the Honors class paced itself too fast, but I struggled to keep up this period, finding everything obscure and incredibly difficult. My desk mate woke up. He looked at me with an indifferent gaze. Then he suddenly spoke, "You copied that wrong." My heart skipped a beat, and I looked at him blankly. He forcefully grabbed my pen and quickly jotted down the calculation steps for the major problem on the board. My eyes understood it. But my brain didn't. I just stared, bewildered. He frowned. "Is the Honors class really this easy to get into?" He lowered his voice again, resting his head back down. "The standard is seriously dropping." It wasn't until I went to the restroom that I learned his name. Caleb Wright. The girls from the Honors class were whispering in the bathroom. "The transfer student ended up sitting with Caleb Wright." "Isn't that perfect? The one who bought his way in and the one who barely scraped by. They're a match made in heaven." Followed by snickering. I don't know where my courage came from. I burst out of the bathroom stall. I couldn't catch them; I only saw the backs of two girls turning the corner. 4 The academic pressure in the Honors class was intense. Every student was grinding to get into a top-tier college. When the evening study hall for the Honors class finally ended... My old class had already been dismissed for hours. I packed my backpack, intending to wait and walk out with Ethan. After a brief moment of hesitation, most of the class had already emptied out. Ethan stood up and finally walked toward me. But Chloe called out to him. Her pale cheeks were slightly flushed, looking almost embarrassed. "Ethan, I still don't get how to apply the formula for this problem..." Ethan stopped in his tracks. He looked at her, then looked at me, torn. "It's getting really late..." I couldn't help but remind him. Chloe bit her lip. "Yeah, it's so late. No one is coming to pick me up today..." Ethan immediately frowned. He shot me an apologetic look. "You should head back first. I'm going to help Chloe study." He turned back to her. Chloe gave me a look—whether intentional or not, I couldn't tell. Then, she asked tentatively, "Could you maybe walk me home after...?" In that moment. My heart felt like it leaped into my throat. Then I heard him say, "Sure." My heart instantly went dead silent. My blank gaze met Chloe's eyes. The corners of her lips curled up. And she gave me a small smile. 5 I had never left the school campus after nine o'clock. It was completely pitch black out. Only the lights from the Honors building were still on. But the further I walked, the further away the light source became. I quickened my pace. But in the shadows, I thought I saw a figure moving ahead. My heart hammered in my chest. I stopped, but the figure kept getting closer. Instinctively, I pulled out my phone and dialed my speed dial. The screen emitted a faint glow in the dark night. Ring... It connected! But the very next second, the call was hung up. I froze. Dumbfounded, I forgot my fear. Until the figure walked right up to me, and I let out a yelp. Before I could even scream. The person spoke. "With a coward's guts like that, why even transfer to the Honors class?" I looked up, stunned, meeting Caleb's eyes. He said he hated weaklings. He told me that if I couldn't even handle the late hours of the Honors class, I should have quit while I was ahead. He said, in this world, nobody is born obligated to help you. With that, he turned and walked away. Leaving me behind in the dark. I don't know how much time passed. Faintly, from the direction of the school building, I heard a girl's silvery laughter. I heard Ethan's promise. He said, "Chloe, I've got your studying covered from now on." She sounded so delicate and fragile. "But what about your childhood friend? She worked so hard to get into the Honors class. Are you just going to ignore her?" Ethan's voice paused. "I honestly didn't expect her to actually pass the test..." The night breeze carried their conversation further and further away. Behind me, not a single trace of light remained. I gripped my phone tightly and sprinted forward. No one is going to help me. Then I'll walk by myself! 6 I don't remember how I ran home. I only remember bawling my eyes out once I got there. I couldn't even articulate why I was crying. When I woke up, my eyes were swollen like peaches. When I went downstairs, I unexpectedly saw Ethan waiting there. He had his hands in his pockets. "What happened to your eyes? "Did transferring classes make you cry?" Just like always, he reached out to pat my head. "I was busy last night when you called. Did you need something?" I dodged his hand. "Nothing. Pocket dial." Ethan froze. He looked at his hand, then studied me for a moment. "What's wrong, Mia?" "Nothing." He suddenly grabbed my arm, looking at me with a complex expression. "What is it? Are you mad?" I turned back, feigning confusion. "No? I just need to get to school." Ethan followed me. He watched me the whole way, looking like he wanted to say something but swallowing it back. I knew why he was surprised. Ethan and I were the textbook definition of childhood best friends. His dad passed away when he was very young. Back in elementary school, when Mrs. Carter had to work overtime and couldn't make it home, he was left alone, starving. He would just stare eagerly at my house across the hall. I noticed him and brought over a huge bowl of ribs my mom had cooked. He ate with such relish. He scarfed down two huge bowls. So I brought him two more. After he finished, his eyes sparkled as he looked at me. "Mia, you're the best. "I want to stay with you forever!" In middle school, some pubescent boys bullied me. They snipped off the braids I had grown out for years. He went absolutely feral and fought the kid single-handedly. Even though he was losing the fight, he viciously yelled at the guy, "Mia is mine! If you bully her, I'll kill you!" That's why he loved patting my hair when greeting me. He was terrified someone would cut it again. And I... I had never once dodged his hand before.

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