The Heart Trap

The Rivalry

                       Chapter One:
                    New Beginnings

Sofia Santos stood in front of her new school, clutching the strap of her denim jumper, feeling the weight of unfamiliarity. She was used to the city’s bustle, the familiar streets of her primary school, and her parents being only minutes away. But now, she was four hours away from the life she knew, living with grandmother in the Barrio.

The cool morning breeze rustled her braids as she nervously adjusted the straps of her bag. She was about to begin her first day at Klaire Leal Concepcion High School, a place where she knew no one. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she searched for her classroom.

"Excuse me," she asked a stunning girl sitting inside one of the rooms "Can you tell me where the freshmen room?"

The girl, with a smirk, eyed her up and down. “The sixth graders’ room is over there,” she said, pointing to the opposite wing.

Sofia blinked in confusion. Sixth grade? She looked down at her jumper, realizing how young it made her look. Her cheeks flushed. “I’m in first year high school,” she corrected, trying to keep her voice steady.

The girl raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Oh, sorry," she said, not entirely apologetic. "This is the freshmen room, so we have a new classmate! I'm Aileen."

"Sofia," After hearing the responce, she walked away, leaving Sofia feeling smaller than ever.

Sofia’s unease only grew. The class was small—six girls, eight boys—and it was clear that most of them had known each other for years. She felt the weight of their stares as she chose a seat at the front, trying to ignore the whispers.

For the first week, Sofia kept to herself, staying in her front-row seat. The lessons were manageable, and she focused on her studies, trying to drown out the feeling of being out of place. But everything changed one morning when she arrived at class and found her bag moved to the back row.

“What?” Sofia muttered, her voice rising as she looked at her displaced things. Her seat—the one she’d occupied for a week—was now taken by someone else. A boy.

He leaned back in her chair with an arrogant smirk. His uniform was slightly unbuttoned, and his hair was a mess of casual rebellion. The other students laughed at some joke he made, but Sofia wasn’t amused.

“Who moved my bag?” she demanded, her voice shaking with a mixture of frustration and disbelief.

The boy didn’t even bother standing. He looked her dead in the eye, his smirk widening. “I did. Problem?”

Sofia’s fists clenched at her sides. "Yes, it’s my seat. I’ve been sitting there all week."

“Well, not anymore.” His eyes gleamed with challenge. “I’m Antonio Reyes. Nice to meet you, newbie.”

Sofia narrowed her eyes. “I don’t care who you are. Move.”

Antonio’s grin widened as he stretched out in her chair, clearly enjoying her frustration. “You’ll survive in the back. Trust me.”

The class snickered, and Sofia’s face burned with embarrassment and rage. This guy—this loud, conceited jerk—was the first person in this school to talk to her like that, and she hated him instantly.

From that moment on, Antonio seemed to take special pleasure in getting under her skin. He and his friends—most of whom had been classmates since kindergarten—had a habit of teasing the transfer students. There were five of them, including Sofia, and they were easy targets for jokes, pranks, and endless taunts. But Antonio’s teasing seemed focused on her.