There was to be vorientation for new students and the new grade 7 students.
The two young ladies of the Mu walked to the hall together. The school was large and so was the hall. There were more than a 100 students, some talking and other seating quietly, observing.
....
As they got to the hall...
"Xiner " a young girl called out to her .
"Ling " Xiner shouted back and then ran to her before Xinyan could react. Xinyan was by herself and so she went to find herself where to sit. She took a front seat that was to the extreme right. The front row seats where the most quiet and empty.
A few minutes after she sat down, when the hall was aost full and all the students had seated, a young boy sat beside her. His head facing down towards the phone in his hand and his wars blocked by ear phones.
She was very curious and wanted to get a good look at this boy who gave off this strange aura, but his bangs covered his eyes. He had this strange dangerous but yet elegant and mysterious aura .
She tried to see his face by bending her head a little but then the Headmistress came in and started giving the speech even then he didn't raise his head from the phone in his hand. He seemed to be playing a game. She turned away and then focused on the speech and instructions the Headmistress was giving.
The speech was over, everyone was leaving and the boy left with his head down and hand in his pockets. What a strange boy, she said to herself. She had never met anyone like him.
Xinyan took out the ID card and she was supposed to be in Classroom 33. It was the classroom for Grade 8 , Class 2. She stood in the hallway and seemed to be lost, not knowing where to go. The Headmistress was passing by and saw her. Immediately recognizing her as the young lady of the Mu Family.
"Dear do you need some help ."
"I need to get to Classroom 33 can you help me please "
"Well follow this staircase you'll see it on the right to the third floor it's the 5th Classroom and you'll see the number 33" The headmistress explained and pointed her in the right direction.
"Thankyou " she said happily then left .
The staircases were well decorated with encouraging and informative posters. She couldn't help looking around excitedly as she walked upstairs.
The classroom was alteady filled with students by the time she got to the door. Some girls and boys were happily chatting in a group, she felt nervous and she gripped the straps of her school bag even tighter.
She saw Xia who was also chatting with them. He smiled at her. She walked in and went straight to the back of the classroom. looked for locker 13, put in the combination for the lock then she kept her bag inside.
Before she locked her bag in, she took out a book and pen then she looked for a table.
All the tables at the front were taken. She sat in the middle row where. It was a two people seat. She put down her books on the table and she was about to start scribbling some random drawings on the drawing book she brought with the pencil in her hand. Soon she was immersed in her drawing and had zoned out completely.
The Grade 8, Class 2 classroom was abuzz with chatter.
"Young master of the Lu family Lu Song will be coming to our school " A young girl said proudly. Probably happy to have information not many people had.
Her parents had been telling her to befriend him and leave a good impression since the holidays began
"Are you sure ?" Some other girls asked her
"100%" The smile on her face widened even more.
"Xuleo is this true , your family is friends with the Lu family right " A boy asked the girl Xuleo nervously
"Yes Xuleo tell us " everyone started fawning over Xuleo waiting for her to confirm this news.
The girl had a humble look. She had brown hair that stopped right below her shoulders and dark eyes .
"Sheng, jingjing is right . He will even be in our class" Xuleo confirmed and the class burst into excited chatter once more. Mostly the girls.
"Are you sure? no one new is in our class apart from that pretty girl over ther " Gu Yusheng said pointing to Mu Xinyan.
"She's even prettier than you Xuleo, if he's not here yet, he's probably not coming" he continued.
"No one is prettier than our Xueleo" Another boy said with a shy smile on his face. After then he looked at Xuleo, who smiled back at him and his ears turned beet red.
"She's my sister" Mu Xia's brotherly instincts kicked in once he heard someone call his sister pretty. It just didn't sit well with him.
Everyone was surprised at what Xia said except Mo Xuleo who frowned then looked at the girl. No one really had a good look at her and where prying to see her face but her head was down.
" Was she adopted or is she an illegitimate daughter of your family, since when did you have a sister this age? How come we haven't seen her since ?" Gu Yusheng asked sceptical,
"She's my twin "he said nonchalantly .
"How come we're only hearing of her now ."
"Because she's always been sick since birth so she was home schooled . "
That ended the conversation, Xuleo left a lingering look at the girl drawing on the other side of the classroom.
The topic quickly changed back to the Lu Song.
"I heard he doesn't like talking to people "
"I heard he has a short tempered and gets easily angered "some of the boys said .
"I heard he's very handsome "
"I heard his kind "
So many assumptions
"Hmm Xuleo I heard there has been an arranged marriage between you and him ."
A girl, named Du Jinya asked and all the chatter stopped for a moment.
"Is it true xuleo ?"
"Please tell us " everyone wanted to know .
Mo Xuleo just smiled. Before she could decline or accept....
"Ha it is true I was right " Du Jinya said as she saw Xuleo smiling.
A boy walked into the classroom with his head down. No one acknowledged or noticed him walking in.
"Alright everyone, take your seats" a man came in .
Everyone sat down but they gave the boy a weird look when he was still standing.
"Young boy stake a seat by that girl " he said to Lu Song pointing at Mu Xinyan. The boy went and sat down with her. His head was raised down.
Xuleo felt a chill down her spine as she noticed his side profile.
"I'm Mr Chen, I'm your class teacher. Welcome back from your holidays. Its time for roll call. When I call your name, stand up and answer present"
The teacher called their names and they would answer present.
When he called Lu Song everyone thought no one would answer .
"Present " the boy with the bangs answered. The rest of the class were surprised . Everyone gasped and turn to look in his direction.
"Alright then class, your teacher will arrive once the bell rings. Have a good day "
Mu Xinyan looked at the boy. He didn't look so bad. Why did he have his head all the time then.
When the teacher was done with roll call and left, everyone was still to nervous to say hi to Lu Song.
"Hi I'm Mu Xinyan, Nice to meet you" She stretched out her hand for a handshake too. Everyone was surprised. She was talking to the Lu Song . Wasnt she nervous even a bit .
Xinyan was nervous when she talked to him, she thought he wouldn't reply, from the way everyone reacted when they mentioned his name, she knew he was the one everyone was talking about.
But from all the questions she asked Xia and Xiner, the fastest way to make a friend in school was by talking to your seat mate. As they were closest to you.
Everyone wanted to see whether he would answer or not . They thought Mu Xinyan would be embarrassed .
He finally raised his head up to reveal sharp eyes . He looked handsome and all the girls couldn't take their eyes off him.
He looked at Mu Xinyan like he was scanning her .
Then he stopped and looked straight at her. She had deep blue eyes . He just couldn't look away . He completely forgot the question she asked him . Her eyes were that captivating.
"You have pretty eyes "he said then he immediately bit his lips and his ears turned red .
Too late everyone had already heard him .
"Did he just compliment her?"a girl asked her seat mate with wide eyes. The whole class was in an uproar but Mo Xuleo stayed silent .
She had met this guy a lot of times . He never even said half a word or even a sound but he had complimented this girl . She was surprised, angry and jealous.
"Thankyou " Xinyan said awkwardly and pulled her hand back.
He thought she wouldn't talk to him again. He looked back at Mu Xinyan.
"Sorry" was the only word he could say. Lu Song really wanted to dig a hole and hide in it .
She was about to say something then the teacher came in.
"Good morning class"
"Good morning teacher " everybody in the class greeted the teacher simultaneously.
"Class Monitor, come and share these textbooks to everyone"
After the books were shared, class started.
5 classes after. The bell rang and the last teacher left . Mu Xinyan was very happy . She loved school. She learnt alot. It was much better than being stuck at home and much easier than learning things herself. She planned to finish the entire textbook in 3 days. It was all so interesting.
It was lunch time and she was planning to go to lunch in the cafeteria. She left the table and went to get her lunch money from her bag in the locker. She was about to leave then she remembered something. The group of people had gathered around her table .
Xuleo looked happy . She thought Lu Song had changed since he complimented Mu Xinya, so he would go to lunch with her right ?
"Bro Song would you like to join me for lunch".
No answer
"Bro Song ?"
No answer .
Xuleo was embarrassed. Everyone stared at her weirdly.
"Xia " Mu Xia was standing a distance from where the crowd gathered to go to lunch with Xuleo and Lu Song, turned to see Xinyan beside him
"Yeah?"
"Mom said I should give you your lunch money"
She held out some money and gave it to him She wondered why everyone were at her desk .
"Lu Song are going for lunch?" She asked a good distance from the crowd so she had to raise her voice slightly.
Apart from Xia , he was the only one she talked to, so she asked.
"No thanks I don't like crowded places " Lu Song said trying to look at her through the crowd.
How could someone have such pretty eyes .
Everyone else especially Mo Xuleo was astonished. She had been trying to talk to this boy and he didn't pay attention but all those girl had to do was just ask once . It infuriated her.
"If you're hungry I can buy your lunch for you and bring it to the class for you " Xinyan asked again.
"No thankyou" he said. Mu Xinyan was disappointed, she would be eating her lunch alone then. Mo Xuleo sneered inside . He didn't accept her either .
She sighed and was about to leave.
Xuleo and her team were about to go too .
"Wait" he said. Mo Xuleo felt happy. She was very happy.
"Wow Xuleo got him to come "
"I can't believe I get to eat with Lu Song ".
"All thanks to our Xuleo " they were fawning over that Xuleo again but this time in low hushed voices. Xinyan was quite sad .
She didnt want to join Mo Xuleo's group . They sounded exactly like the children at the orphanage, who only like the other girl, everyone loved this other girl but not her. No matter how hard she tried They wouldn't be her friend. She has enough experience to know her and Xuleo would never be truly good friends.
They would never be real friends. She would just be a follower. She frowned and turned around, planning to head for the cafeteria.
"Mu Xinyan wait" he said as he saw Xinyan leaving again .
"I'm really hungry so I'll go after all ". He walked to her side. He noticed the disappointment in his face when he said no and felt very bad, so he compromised.
"Okay" Xinyan said with a very relieved smile. The two went to get their lunch under gazes of some of their classmates.
Mo Xuleo was so angry . The amount of humiliation she recieved today was extraordinary. This was the first time she had been humiliated like this in her life . Everywhere she went , she was treated like a princess.
"Xuleo let's still go for lunch . Look , the boys have left . " They later left and went into the cafeteria. The smell of good food went into their nostrils.
Mo Xuleo was looking around for where Lu Song and Mu Xinyan were sitted .
"Erm Xuleo shouldn't we go order frist" one of her friends reminded her when they saw looking around the cafeteria as she got in insfeaod do going to get food.
"Yes lets go "
After they ordered and paid , Mo Xuleo spotted them. She smiled sweetly and walked to the table with her friends .
"Bro Song do you mind if we join you" She asked with a smile in a tone that made her seem like she was nervous and shy.
Xinyan really didn't really like this girl . She didn't like people that behave coquettish like this . It reminded her too much of someone . She subconsciously frowned thinking of this person.
Lu Song didn't mind Mo Xuleo and her group he had been looking at Mu Xinyan all this while watching how she ate her food. He also noticed her frown and frowned too . Why did this fly have to bother him here? She had now made his new friend upset . She bothered him at home now here in school?
Looks like he wouldn't be able to ignore this pesky fly anymore ?
"Miss Mo I would like it if you address me formally and no you may not join us " he said then continued to eat. Mo Xuleo was very angry . What was so good about this sick girl?
She was from a much higher family than the Mu's . And her family was friends with his, more reason for them to be friends. Her face was red with embarrassment and anger .
She had a mischievous glint in her eyes, no one noticed, then she dropped the tray and ran out crying.
Everyone looked at their table . This scene was all too familiar for Xinyan. Why did she have to meet the same person but in a different form? This was exactly how all the children at the orphanage stopped speaking with her, was it going to happen again?
She scrunched her brows and continued her food. After lunch, Lu Song left the classroom and a bunch of classmates surrounded Mu Xinyan.
"You just came here and you're causing trouble "
"How could you tell lies to Lu Song about our Xuleo "
"You just use your beauty to trick people not that you're even as pretty as our Xuleo "
Ofcourse these children have been told by their parents to always help and support Mo Xuleo because of her family's status .
Amidst their continuous accusations and prodding, Mu Xia couldn't let his sister suffer this. Especially because he knew how fake Xuleo could be.
"That's enough " Mu Xia said .
"You guys haven't even asked her side of the story . How do you know Xuleo isn't lying. "
Xia said exasperated
"Ofcourse she's lying because Xuleo would never lie "
"Why would she need to lie to an insignificant sick kid like her ?". A girl said viciously to Xinyan
"Enough Jingjing. Dont say another word about my sister" he said in a harsh voice .
Everyone kept quiet.
They had never seen him this angry before. Mo Xuleo was going towards the next phase of her plan .
"Bro Xia ... you have to believe me . I just went to ask if I can sit with them then she said I had poor table manners and I ate like a pig so I should not sit with them . She doesn't even know me. I felt very bad . She disgraced me in front of Bro Song ."
Mo Xuleo was sure that that everyone would believe her . Her tears had never failed her . Everyone would fall at her feet once she shed a few tears . And besides Lu Song never talked much so she knew he wouldn't say anything. It always happened like this when they were younger. She would do something and blame the servants . Lu Song would witness it and wouldn't say a thing thus making her think he liked her .
Mo Xuleo kept crying and everyone looked at Mu Xinyan with hateful looks .
"Miss Mo , Xinyan didn't do or say anything. You came to our table and asked if you could eat with us I said no and you left crying. Why do you want to frame Xinyan and deceive everyone here ?" Lu Song immediately said once he entered the class
Mo Xuleo's face turned red with embarrassment . She was shocked. He always covered for her before . Why was today different?
"Xuleo from now on we're no longer friends, I don't like people who cause trouble for my sister " Mu Xia said . He had been looking for ways to end his friendship with this white lotus .
Everyone else went to take a sit no one dared to speak to Xuleo after this except Qiao Jingjing. Jingjing isnt from an affluent family, she had gotten into this school through the scholarship exams. Her mother had advised her to always be friends with Xuleo because they thought she would help them improve their family status. Jingjing consoled Xuleo and then they sat down as the next teacher had arrived.