Royals

Chapter 13 - You're Not Alone

San is still knelt infront of me.

I groan.

"First, stop kneeling and sit beside me like a normal person" I scold and he gets up, brushing his knees to discard the dirt and pebbles before taking a seat beside me.

I sigh and look at the view in front of me.

"I don't know San. I want to see the silver lining but I just can't seem to" I say and go abc to counting stars.

"And besides, I won't fit in anyway. The school is filled with rich kids. They are too arrogant. I have to deal with too many at the Hive, I don't want to have to deal with them at school as well" a yawn slips past my lips.

At this point I am just making excuses and Inknow it but I am trying to convince myself why that school is not a good fit for me so that it doesn;t feel too pathetic when I decline their offer.

So that I can rationalize my stupid decision to stay in my current school and pass up the opportunity to be a Royals.

"And seeing your schedule from last year, I would have to give up one of my jobs as well to make time for school. That would only reduce the flow of income I have whereas increasing my expenses. I really don't know what to do anymore" I groan again.

Tiredness seems to be catching up to me as I yawn loudly.

I have had a really tiring day but I wanted to talk to San.

I had no one else to talk to.

He was the only person who really understood me and I needed his input before I made a big decision in my life.

"First of all, you barely fit in in your school anyway. I know you. You are a loner, only talking to people if you have to. Most of the time you were sitting on the floor at some corner of the library, with your nose stuck in some book. I don't think that has changed in the last year" he snickers and I roll my eyes at him.

He is not wrong. But I am not going to voice it out.

Dealing with people can be exhausting.

Not to mention the number of people I interacted with on a daily basis because of the chicken delivery and the cafe.

It was tiring to always put on a fake smile and a cheery voice while talking to the customers even on days when I wanted to scream.

So I usually preferred the quiet and peace of the library.

Nobody bothered me there and I could always surround myself with ym first love and travel the world without leaving my place.

"And when you join Royals High, I'll show you the library there. You can stay there till 10:00 pm. Even after school for self-study. It will be your nerd heaven" he laughs and I punch him lightly on his arms.

But how could I stay there after-school? I would have to think of getting another job afterschool to make up for the expenses.

"What about the arrogant kids? How would I fit in there? Huh?" I challenge.

The interactions I hade with studnets there were not always bad because most of the times, I was invisible to them but whenver one of them actually took notice of me, it was always with contempt.

Could I really manage to endure that look on contempt from them again and again if i decided to go to Royals High.

"Yeah, not going to lie, there are a lot of rich arrogant kinds at the school but I go to Royals High and I am not filthy rich and I am also not arrogant. So you already have an exception. There are other people like me as well" he says proudly and I scoff.

"You fit right in because you are arrogant. Please. Let's not start that conversation" I roll my eyes and look in front of me, shaking my head in disbelief.

He shoves my shoulder and I laugh.

He scowls.

"What are you talking about? I was never arrogant. Not at the previous school and definitely not in this school either. What the hell are you talking about?" he flicks my forehead and I shove him back with all my force but he still doesn't budge.

He just looks at me with knitted eyebrows and I stick my tongue out to him, just to irritate him more.

"Oh please you were arrogant then, you are arrogant now. You're also very vain. All that swimming without a shirt on, keeping your hair always wet when you would pass by the classes so that all the girls could swoon over you. You lived for that" I scoff at him.

"Who doesn't like attention and compliments?" he asks innocently and this time I flick his forehead with my fingers.

"I still remember how popular you were in our school not just for your looks - which was a given - but also because your father worked for the Choi group" I snicker at him and he returns it with a smile but it doesn't meet his eyes.

Finally, he looks away and into the cityscape.

"Choi group is indeed a very big company" he nods as he stares at the buildings and sky.

Finally looking up at the night sky to see the stars.

"It is the biggest" I affirm.

There were no qualms about it.

Choi group didn't even have to compete in the Korean market.

They were the big ballers, soon to be taking over the European and the American markets as well with being the biggest developers.

At least that's what the news said anyway.

"Well I did know that my dad worked at a big company and I really took pride in it growing up. I knew how hard my father worked to secure his place in that company. I was proud to have such an honest and hardworker as mt dad. I Looked up to him. I idolized him" he speaks and picks at a stray strand of thread on his sweatshirt.

"As I grew up, people kept telling me what a big deal it was that my dad worked in sucha big company and at first I didn't understand it much but as I took aknowlegement of it, I am not gonna lie, I did grow a little conceited" He smiles weakly in my direction before going back to picking at the thread.

"But that was till I went to Royals High because then, I realized that even though my father worked for a big company, the heir to that company was my classmate" he lets out a forced laugh.

"I was a nobody here. I was completely alone. I still am a nobody but at least I have managed to make some friends there as well" he smiles ruefully.

San's words hit me in the heart.

He sounds so lonely.

It must have been hard for him to adjust to the new school last year.

We were all so happy and envious of him getting in that nobody really asked him if he was doing okay, me being one of them.

I feel really bad about that.

I never asked him about this and he never opened about it either. I feel like a shitty friend for not understanding his situation before.

I just give him a side hug and squeeze his shoulder to show my support.

This conversation also makes me wonder just how invisible I'll be.

Daughter of Noodle restaurant owners.

I don't think any student would want to talk to me.

"I'll be alone there as well," I'll also be a nobody.

I don't let my worries show on my face when San turns back to me.

"At least you know you're not alone. I'll be there for you every step of the way" he smiles and holds my hand, entwining our fingers.

Both of us smile at each other and just like that some of my worries vanish in the night air.