1 Unexpected first day at Royal crystal academy

"That's the new girl, right?"

"Yeah, she looks too ordinary, doesn't she?"

"I just thought a celebrity's daughter would come, but here we have a four-eyed nerd."

Whispers followed Idhaya from the moment she entered the classroom.

Students from the next class tiptoed to get a look at her, but they were disappointed when they found out the rumor. They had heard that a celebrity's daughter would be transferred here, but she didn't look like one. So they realized it was just a rumor spread by some dang student.

Idhaya looked uncomfortable, but she tried her best to pretend she hadn't heard anything. She was something else, bringing a big, bright smile to her face and taking a deep breath. She knew how to keep her peace.

For Idhaya, this was nothing new. Gossip like this was all too normal for her. She had gained this experience from her previous school, and now she was in her second school, which happened to be more expensive than the first one.

She had just heard that the Royal Pearl School was conducting an entrance exam, and all the students who passed would receive free admission and have all their educational expenses covered.

She had heard a lot about this school from her friends and teachers, so she knew what an incredible opportunity it was to study there. She couldn't believe her luck when she found out about the free education offer. She would be a fool to let this opportunity slip away.

Nevertheless, Idhaya didn't particularly enjoy the introduction session. That's why she had declined her mother's offer to accompany her. Her mother had suggested going together, completing the admission procedure, and then exploring the school before joining the class.

However, she had refused because she strongly disliked the introduction part. She believed that in reality, things rarely turned out as fascinating as they seemed in novels or stories.

Everyone laughed at her appearance, the way she spoke, and even her choice of clothing. Idhaya despised these superficial rules and regulations imposed by high society.

That's why she preferred to arrive early, just to avoid the introduction in front of the entire class. She knew the teacher would ask her name and previous grade, but she hoped it would be done discreetly, not in the middle of the class while standing near the lecture stand.

She knew that if anyone asked, she could simply answer from her desk, making it less awkward. But deep down, she feared someone would still ask, despite her efforts to avoid attention.

Idhaya looked around the classroom, uncertain of where to sit. If she chose a seat in the front, some random classmate might fight her for it. So, she decided to go to the last row and sat on the last bench, near the window. It was a place where she could retreat into her own thoughts and observe without drawing too much attention to herself.

The girls continued to gossip about Idhaya, expressing their disappointment at her lack of interaction since she entered the classroom.

"So what if she's a scholar, at least she could greet us," one of them remarked.

Idhaya lowered her head, trying to tune out their words, and set an alarm on her digital watch.

"She's kinda weird," another girl commented.

"Look, she fell asleep," someone noticed, pointing at Idhaya.

"Maybe she forgot she's in school and not at home," another girl chuckled.

"Hey, haven't you noticed her school tag? She's from a public school," one of them added, as if that explained everything.

"How did she end up here?" one of the girls wondered aloud.

"Maybe she did some kind of favors for the higher-ups? She doesn't seem that smart," one of the boys said, shooting a dirty look in Idhaya's direction.

Idhaya continued to pretend she was asleep, but inside, she refused to let their derogatory remarks affect her. She knew she was stronger than that.

"Hey, Sam, what if she hears you?" one of the girls warned the boy.

"What if she does? If she's innocent, she'll probably ignore it, but if she's not, she might confront us," Sam replied with a hint of defiance.

Idhaya clenched her fist, feeling the urge to confront the group and stand up for herself. But before she could take any action, another girl suddenly stood in front of her, blocking her path.

They locked eyes, and Idhaya couldn't quite understand what was happening. She hadn't noticed this girl sitting with the group of gossiping individuals before.

"Hey, I'm Ruchi, and you're the new transfer student, right?" the girl introduced herself.

"Yeah, I'm Idhaya. Nice to meet you," Idhaya replied, her tense demeanor easing slightly in response to the unexpected encounter.

"Nice to meet you too, Idhaya," Ruchi replied with a smile.

"So, which school were you from?" she asked curiously.

Idhaya hesitated for a moment, not because she felt ashamed of her previous school, but because she was naturally introverted and unsure how to be casual with someone she had just met.

"Don't hesitate," Ruchi reassured her with a warm smile. "I won't bite."

Idhaya momentarily forgot what to say, feeling a bit flustered by the situation.

Ruchi quickly reassured her, "I was just teasing, don't take my joke too seriously, okay?"

Idhaya nodded with a smile, grateful for Ruchi's understanding.

Ruchi glanced at Idhaya's seat and noticed she was sitting alone. "Don't worry, there's someone who always loves to sit in that spot next to you, near the window. You'll have to adjust with that joker," she explained.

Idhaya looked puzzled and asked, "Joker? Who are you referring to?"

"Yes, he's probably a joker, indeed," Idhaya added, intrigued by Ruchi's comment. It seemed like she knew that boy better than anyone else.

"Whom are you talking about?" Idhaya inquired curiously.

Ruchi smiled and responded, "Well, that's my brother who always sits near the window, in the last seat."

"People call him Mr. Senior Bully."

"Puffy, seriously? So you're aware of your brother's wrongdoings?" Idhaya exclaimed, surprised by Ruchi's revelation.

"Yeah, but the thing is, he doesn't know that I know everything about him," Ruchi confessed.

Idhaya glanced around the classroom, realizing that almost every student had arrived except for the notorious "joker."

"I think you haven't noticed, but in our classroom, the girls sit on the left side with the girls, and on the right side, boys sit with the boys," Ruchi explained.

Idhaya observed the seating arrangement and noticed that only one bench was empty. She nodded in understanding, "Oh, so I can just forget about it and sit here until the homeroom teacher tells me to move."

Curiosity getting the better of her, Idhaya asked, "But why aren't any girls or boys sitting here?"

Ruchi responded, "Hmm? Why do you ask?"

"No, don't take my words in that way," Idhaya clarified, realizing her question might have been misconstrued.

Ruchi assured her, "Oh, I'm not taking it in a negative way. Just relax."

Idhaya muttered to herself, "Oh, now I understand." It was enough for Ruchi to hear, and she chuckled, knowing that Idhaya had caught onto her little ploy to start a conversation.

"Yeah, I understand. Why don't you see? I was just pulling your leg," Ruchi clarified with a playful grin.

Idhaya immediately looked at her leg, realizing her mistake, and replied, "Oh, there's nothing like that."

"Oh my god," Smiley exclaimed while gently patting Idhaya's head. "Are you from this world?" she teasingly asked.

Idhaya, slightly puzzled, asked, "What happened?"

Smiley explained, "That girl was just being silly. I didn't mean to pull your leg. I was just kidding with you."

"Oh, I see," Idhaya replied, feeling a little embarrassed for taking it literally.

Outside, there was a lot of commotion, and everyone's attention was drawn to the window.

"What are they looking at?" Idhaya asked, curious about the cause of the disturbance.

"Well, why don't you see for yourself?" Ruchi suggested, as she playfully pushed some of the boys towards the window, with Idhaya getting caught up in the moment.