Cole sat at his desk, oblivious to the lesson, lost in the melody of his music. The teacher abruptly shattered his reverie by slamming a book on his desk and shooting him a stern, chilling look.
"Dude, you've got to cut this out. You're asking for trouble," Kai warned as they left the classroom, heading towards lunch.
"Yeah, I know, but history is painfully dull, and I can't stay focused," Cole admitted, stowing his books in his locker.
"I get it. On a different note, have you met the new student? I heard she's smoking hot," Kai inquired, counting his lunch money.
"No, and I'm not really interested. She's probably like every other girl here," Cole replied, popping in his AirPods and tuning on The Weekend Whip.
When the end of the day finally arrived Cole walked to his locker by himself as everyone else had some extracurricular to attend or had lockers in a different section of the school.
As Cole gathered his belongings to leave, he heard muffled curses nearby. Investigating, he discovered a girl with pink hair and a blue stripe, about two inches shorter than him.
"Are you okay?" Cole asked, approaching her.
"Oh, yeah. I didn't expect it to rain, so now I have to walk home without an umbrella," she explained, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"I could give you a ride if you want," Cole offered, walking towards the exit. He assumed she was the new student, given that he hadn't seen her around before.
"Thanks. By the way, I'm Seliel," she said, offering a warm smile. Cole felt his cheeks flush. Why was he blushing? He had just met her, and while she was cute, it shouldn't have affected him like this.
"Cole, nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand for a handshake. Seliel shook Cole's hand, her grip firm and confident. As they exited the school building, she glanced at his earphones.
"The Weekend Whip, huh? You're a fan of The Fold?" she asked, a playful grin on her face.
"Yeah, it's my guilty pleasure," Cole admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"Nothing to be guilty about. I love The Fold too," Seliel replied, and Cole couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. Maybe this new student was different from the others.
They reached Cole's car, a slightly beat-up but reliable vehicle.
"Hope you don't mind the mess," Cole said, unlocking the door for Seliel.
She chuckled. "Not at all. I've seen worse."
During the car ride, they talked about everything from favorite songs and artists to their shared dislike for history class. Cole found himself enjoying the conversation, and the dull routine of his everyday life seemed to fade away.
As they approached Seliel's house, she turned to Cole with a smile. "Thanks for the ride, Cole. It was nice talking to you."
"Yeah, no problem. Maybe I'll see you around," Cole replied, feeling a strange mix of disappointment and anticipation.
Over the next few weeks, Cole and Seliel became fast friends. She brought a new energy to his life, and he found himself looking forward to each day. The monotony of history class was now accompanied by stolen glances and shared smiles with Seliel.
Little did Cole know that a simple act of kindness—offering a ride on a rainy day—had opened the door to a friendship that would change the rhythm of his life.
