Fighter || Lookism x Reader

21

Crystal sat stiffly in her chair, her back ramrod straight as if the weight of the classroom was pressing down on her. Her eyes remained fixed on the desk in front of her, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of the table. She hated this—the awkwardness of being new, the unspoken curiosity that always followed her like a shadow. New schools, new faces—it was the same every time. But she'd mastered the art of blending in. Keep your head down, stay quiet, and they'll forget you're even there.

Today, however, her well-practiced invisibility was failing her.

From across the room, she could feel his gaze like a spotlight burning through her carefully constructed armor. Daniel. The name was harmless enough, but nothing about him felt harmless to her. He was tall, with a disarming smile and an air of confidence that made him stick out like a sore thumb among the sea of ordinary students. He didn't look like someone who should belong here, in this dull, gray classroom—and, frankly, he didn't act like it either.

Worst of all, he wasn't just anyone. He was the one—the person she was supposed to keep an eye on.

And now, he was looking directly at her.

"Hi! I'm Daniel!"

The voice was warm, bright, and far too confident. She reluctantly looked up to see him—a tall, smiling boy standing a little too close to her desk. His hair was tousled just enough to look effortless, and his eyes sparkled like he was the hero in some cheesy romance movie.

"I transferred here a few months ago too," he added, his grin widening.

Crystal's expression didn't change. If anything, it hardened. She stared at him, her dislike immediate and unfiltered. Handsome guys like Daniel were trouble—smiling, charming, too-nice trouble. She didn't trust him for a second. He had to have ulterior motives. They always did.

Around them, the classroom buzzed with whispers.

"Look at her face," someone snickered.

"You think she's mad at him?"

Crystal's hands clenched under the desk, her nails digging into her palms. But before she could say anything, another voice cut through the chatter.

"Oi! You childish punks. Shut it," Zack barked from across the room, his tone sharp and unbothered. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "How old are ya, huh?"

You couldn't help but laugh. Zack turned his glare on you, his lips twitching like he was trying not to smile.

"What're you laughing at?" he grumbled, his cheeks faintly pink.

"Nothing," you said, still grinning.

Daniel, oblivious to all of this, stayed focused on Crystal. His persistence was almost impressive, but you could see the way her jaw tightened. Deciding to save her from the attention, you waved at Daniel.

"Hey, Daniel, can you help me with something?"

"M-me?" he stammered, his confidence faltering for a moment before he nodded and walked over to you.

Zack raised an eyebrow at you. "Why him? I'm right here."

You ignored him, though you caught his muttered complaint. As Daniel leaned in to help you, you glanced back at Crystal. She was watching you, her expression softening slightly. You gave her a small, reassuring smile, and she quickly looked away.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of lessons and noise. When the final bell rang, you packed up quickly, waved goodbye to your friends, and headed out. The familiar rhythm of your walk home, accompanied by your music, was soothing—until loud barking pulled you out of your thoughts.