started: June 22
Irene Park, a stunningly beautiful girl, transfers to J high with her twin brother, Daniel. As they move, Daniel turns out to have a new body, forcing the twins to adjust to their new life with an unexpected new body. Irene ma...
By the time I step back into class, a wave of murmurs ripples through the room, as though my presence has fanned a flame that was already burning. Small groups have formed, their heads bent together, eyes darting my way with barely hidden curiosity. I feel the weight of their stares as I make my way through the back doors of our homeroom, and my gut twists, sensing that something has happened.
Near the front of the room, Mira and Zoe stand together, exchanging uncertain glances that only deepen my unease.
"What's going on?" I ask, my brows knitting together as I search their faces.
Mira hesitates, exchanging a look with Zoe, and I catch the shadow of doubt flicker across her eyes. "You haven't heard?" she asks, her voice low. I shake my head, expecting her to understand where I've been. After all, she's the only one who knows. Realization dawns on her face, and she sighs.
"Come on," Zoe says, taking a step closer. "Daniel's in the nurse's office. He passed out earlier." Her tone is soft, but the words hit like a punch to the stomach, making my heart lurch and my skin prickle with sudden goosebumps.
"What? Daniel's in the nurse's office?" I repeat, my voice a mix of disbelief and frustration. Zoe grabs my hand as she passes, pulling me through the narrow aisle between wooden desks. My mind races, spinning through the morning, trying to piece together how my brother could end up here, of all places.
It doesn't take long for a suspicion to form—a vivid, frustrating image of him, probably tipsy, his swagger too loose for someone who's supposed to be in class. I feel the worry in me simmer down, only for anger to bubble up in its place. Typical. He couldn't keep his act together, and now he's lying in the nurse's office, making me look like the fool who missed all the signs. If he were standing in front of me now, I wouldn't hesitate to let my knuckles do the talking.
"God...he's so stupid," I murmur, pushing a stray strand of hair back from my face. Zoe forces a soft laugh, but I can see the worry etched into her face. Her usual bubbly demeanor has faded, replaced by something more tender and real. I know she has a crush on Daniel—mostly for the superficial reasons, his new looks, the easy charm. But in this moment, there's something more beneath her concern, a flicker of genuine care.
