𝑯𝒆'𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 | 𝑵𝒊𝒌𝒊 𝑭𝑭

Ignorance

~Thursday~

The morning sun painted the streets in a warm embrace as I headed to school, my backpack hanging casually over my shoulder. Anticipation bubbled within me, looking forward to another day with my friends. Turning the familiar corner, I spotted Olivia, a constant companion in my journey through high school.

"Hey, Olivia!" I called out with a friendly wave, expecting our usual exchange of morning greetings. But to my surprise, she walked past me, as though I were invisible. "Did she not see me?" I wondered, standing on the sidewalk, a bit bewildered.

Continuing to school alone, my footsteps lost their usual lively rhythm. The air grew heavy with disappointment, and a sense of isolation crept in. At the school gates, I held onto the hope of a brighter atmosphere, anticipating a warm welcome from my friends Ariana and Audrey.

"Morning, guys!" I greeted with a hopeful smile, approaching Ariana and Audrey. However, they carried on with their conversation, leaving me on the outskirts. The weight of rejection intensified as I watched them head to class without acknowledging my presence.

With a heavy heart, I entered the school building, determined to salvage my day. Navigating through the bustling halls, I finally reached my classroom and took my seat beside Niki, a longstanding adversary. "Hey, Niki," I ventured, trying to bridge the gap. But my attempt at conversation was met with Niki's icy silence.

As the bell rang, signaling the start of classes, I grappled with a mix of emotions.

Sitting in the math class, the atmosphere was already tense. The teacher walked in, scanning the room. "Alright, class, any absents today?" she inquired.

Niki's cold voice pierced the silence, "Yes, Eunji." My heart sank as I responded, "I'm here." However, my presence seemed to be met with indifference as the teacher moved on without acknowledging me.

As the lesson began, the teacher posed a math question, and despite the chill in the air, I raised my hand eagerly. The room remained silent for a moment before the teacher sighed, "Anyone... no one?" It felt like an invisible barrier had been erected, leaving me with my hand still raised, unnoticed and unheard.

Desperation clawed at me as my hand remained suspended in the air, unnoticed by the teacher. Seeking a lifeline, I glanced around the room. The teacher, seemingly oblivious to my existence, then turned her attention to Jungwon.

"Jungwon, can you answer the question?" she inquired. My heart pounded in my chest as I awaited his response, hoping this might break the silence that seemed to have engulfed me since the morning.

Jungwon's momentary eye contact with me held a subtle acknowledgment of the challenging atmosphere. When the teacher posed the question, he hesitated and, with a reluctant shake of his head, replied, "Sorry, I don't know."

The teacher, undeterred, scanned the room for an alternative respondent, eventually settling on Sarah. "Alright, Sarah, can you give it a shot?" The room's whispers intensified as it became increasingly apparent that Jungwon and six others were notorious as mafias, shrouded in an aura of mystery and fear. The classroom dynamics had taken an unexpected turn, creating an unsettling backdrop to my own struggles for recognition.

As the day continued, the sense of isolation deepened. Despite my attempts to engage with Jungwon and the others during lunch, it became apparent that the label of "mafia" still cast a formidable shadow over their interactions with the rest of the student body.

As I approached their table, conversations hushed, and eyes avoided mine. Jungwon exchanged a glance with the others, and a subtle tension permeated the air. "Maybe this was a mistake," I thought, feeling the weight of exclusion pressing down on me.