Sides of the Coin

1-The Golden Boy

-Kaelyn-

Never in my life did I think I would have to see him again. Strutting into class, he was twenty minutes late on his first day back in the bottomless hellhole that is Pine Ridge Preparatory School for the Gifted and Talented. The golden boy, all the proof I need to prove that the universe has favorites. Popular, charismatic, absolutely loaded, and so conventionally attractive it's sickening.

Showing up halfway through class would be enough to earn any normal person a detention at least. Key word. Normal. Wren Arrington is many things, none that come close to normal.

All he has to do is bust out that trademark smile of his and everything is okay. Even the teacher is blushing. Suckers.

"E-everyone, this is Wren Arrington" she stammers, then coughs, remembering that she's a teacher. "He comes here to us all the way from Canada!"

Noise circulates through the classroom, cheers of adoration from the people who knew him from all those years ago, and whispers amongst the few who didn't.

With an unwavering confidence that could only come from someone who had never been shut down in their lives, Wren cleared his throat lightly for attention and parted his perfectly rosy lips to speak.

"Hey guys, my name is Wren but most of you already know me," he grins, and the crowd cheers. "It's great to be back." Anyone else who had that many pairs of eyes on them would buckle under the pressure. Wren thrives in the attention. He looks as if he's almost glowing, with his golden hair that was perfectly wavy but not untidy, expressive amber eyes framed by dark eyelashes, and a jawline that could cut paper. He didn't even wait for Ms. Amhurst to assign him a seat, because he knew who really ruled this shallow, classist school, and it wasn't the teachers. He started towards the back of the room and I slammed my backpack on the chair next to me, just to make sure he got the message. Everyone else shamelessly groveled at his feet, so someone had to be the one to break it to him that you can never be loved by all.

It turns out getting to live in a rosy, smiling version of the world that will love you no matter what you do has its drawbacks. I should count myself lucky I didn't grow up so painfully out of touch with reality that I would never even be able to comprehend that someone wouldn't feel blessed by my presence. There were four other seats he could've chosen. Moving my bag to the ground, grunting at the weight of too many books, he sat down and smiled. He was mocking me, trying to make it clear who was in control here.

It's twenty minutes into class and I can see him staring at me through the corner of my eye. They're subtle, stolen glances when he thinks I won't notice. I train my eyes on my textbook.

"Nice to see you again, Kaelyn." the corner of his mouth lifts in amusement.

Fuck. Stop talking to me you narcissistic, self centered asshat.

"Wow, you really have changed since fifth grade, huh? Six years makes a difference." His ability to be so undeterred that he's talking to himself is incredible.

I'll "change" that pretty face for you-

"I can't believe how long it's been since we last saw each other." Clearly this was some sort of game to him.

"Not fucking long enough, bastard." I snapped, making sure that this time, he got the message.

At this, he retracted a bit and the look in his eyes, as if the light had gone out, satisfied me. It almost looked as if he was hurt by my rejection. But that would require having actual fucking compassion. If there's one thing I've taken away from sixteen years on this sad planet, it's to keep your expectations for people as low as possible. It's miraculous how well they manage to disappoint you.