The story of a supposed supporting role

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Okay, to get this straight for everyone: I'm not a protagonist. I don't own anything that would make me a protagonist.

I'm quite tall for a girl my age and I get pretty good grades, but that's all.

I owe my height to my sudden growth spurts during puberty and I probably only get good grades because I'm just good at remembering things.

That's it.

Otherwise I'm rather normal.

I have a basic hair color, the skirt of my school uniform is not shortened and I don't sit by the window at school either.

When I come to class, no one greets me.

But I don't care.

I'm also not some air-headed chub who always falls down in the most idiotic way in front of her crush and has to be rescued by him and - purely by accident, of course - is groped in the process.

I'm just not that type of person.

Also, I don't have that certain charisma that makes a character seem really dynamic.

My temperament is also fairly even and I rarely freak out.

I can actually deal with any situation.

I would even describe myself as cool and calculating. Even if it had been different before.

But I changed. That's how it goes in life sometimes.

I'm fairly achievement oriented and never skip school for a boy. After all, I'm not stupid.

I plan to study after school, so I don't need any distractions.

So far so good.

My name is Ruby Smith. I'm in Year 2 at Candleton High. An average school in an average place.

So actually nothing special.

But today... today something is different.

"My dear students, may I introduce you to your new classmates…" Our teacher begins the new school term.

Ms. Tink is an extremely understanding and cheerful person. I am glad that she is my class teacher this year.

She always wears her light brown hair in an elaborate updo and has a beautiful face.

She is absolutely adored by my classmates. And I can't even blame them. She is absolutely amazing. She is always friendly, but can also assert herself when it matters.

A loud murmur can be heard throughout the class.

I can hear the girls in particular whispering excitedly to one another.

The classroom door swings open and a tall, handsome boy enters. The entire class suddenly fell silent.

He looks like a protagonist, I just think.

He has dark red - presumably dyed - hair that hangs boldly over his face and his eyes almost blaze with fire, they are so bright.

The school uniform fits him like a glove and he seems to spend a ridiculous amount of time outside of school playing sports.

"I'm Silas Wickham. I'm seventeen years old and I'm your new classmate from today. Nice to meet you." He says in a surprisingly deep voice that sends a shiver down my spine.

The girls, who have been holding back until now, now begin to screech or chatter excitedly to one another.

I suppress the impulse to cover my ears.

"That's enough!" Ms. Tink calls out loud and the entire class suddenly falls silent again. She has her students under control very well. Nobody wants to offend her.

"Sit down please, Silas … Unfortunately, we only have one free seat." Sighs Ms. Tink, slightly exhausted.

The boy sits down in the only free seat in the classroom, which is - surprise, surprise - at the back by the window.

That was predictable.

He's a protagonist. So he also gets the protagonist seat in the classroom. As if that wasn't obvious from the start.

I try not to laugh sarcastically, but I still can't help but give a little snort.

In front of Silas sits Mila Nicket. The quintessential female love interest.

What a strange coincidence.

With her light, curly, soft hair and sweet face, Mila always catches the eye of every boy. But you shouldn't be fooled by her sweet face and petite shape. She can get pretty cheeky and mean.

If she doesn't like something, she usually strikes immediately. unscrupulous. Brutally.

But she can also be cute if she wants to. So the perfect female lead protagonist.

I wonder when the two will get together.

Or will Silas possibly choose the cute and hesitant Kim, sitting right next to Mila?

Probably not.

She's just the second love interest that's just supposed to make the whole story a little more exciting.

She also has short hair, like all neglected second love interests.

So it won't work.

I'm sorry Kim.

Before she even dares to open her mouth to tell him how she feels, Mila will have gotten her hands on him.

I start smiling again.

That's all stupid.

Maybe I should skip my studies and become a romance novel author.

"Ruby?" Ms. Tink asks me, tearing me out of my trance.

"Yes?" I ask frantically and could slap myself for my thoughtless behavior.

I was actually lost in my own thoughts.

What's wrong with me today?

I really need to focus today to keep my emotions in check. This has never happened before.

"Otherwise she never throws anything off track." A classmate in front of me whispers to her friend, as if to confirm it.

"Do you think she likes Silas? I mean he looks really good tho. So you can't blame her." The other whispers back.

"But he would never choose someone like her. She seems way too cold and condescending. In addition, she is also so abnormally tall, like a Goliath. He certainly doesn't like that." One of them giggles again.

I clench my fists and swallow the anger.

I have to focus on Ms. Tink now so as not to look like a complete idiot.

Luckily I still have my face pretty well under control.

I put on an indifferent mine.

"Could you please brief Silas here at school for the first week? Both organizationally and in terms of content? You are the best of the class, so you're the best fit for this position." Ms. Tink asks me.

I'm about to raise my eyebrow skeptically.

I must have misheard.

If anyone here is the least fit for it, it's probably me. That doesn't make any sense at all.

What was the author thinking? Why didn't they let Mrs. Tink choose Mila or Kim for it?

I sigh in annoyance.

But I'd better not go against my class teacher's decision. Even if I'm against it. Maybe I could also quickly collect plus points with her.

"Okay." I just say coolly.

Now I also have this protagonist hanging by the skirts. I don't want that at all.

I just wanted to see how this all-too-obvious love triangle unfolded.

Why doesn't anything ever go the way I want it to? I lean my elbow on the table in demonstrative boredom and lay my head lazily in my palm.

"Huh? Ruby seems to be her old self again." I hear my classmate whispering in front of me again.

"She doesn't seem interested in him. False alarm." Whispers the other back.

I try to ignore the whispering of the two as much as possible. It's getting annoying.

"All right Silas. If you have any questions during school, you are always welcome to contact Ruby." Ms. Tink explains and gestures at me.

"I'd love to. I will definitely come back to this offer." He says and smiles mischievously in my direction.

His blazing gaze hits me so unexpectedly that I immediately get hot under his intense gaze.

Then he just smiles contentedly.

Ugh, this is gonna be so annoying…