Sunbeams pierced the room, rousing me from my tranquil slumber. As my eyes fluttered open, I saw it was Mother who had drawn back the curtains, her face adorned with a smile.
"Good morning, Jade. Rise and shine, breakfast is ready. Go freshen up and join me in the living room," she said, exiting the room.
Half-awake, I complied with her command, performing my morning routine. Now dressed, I faced the second day of school in this world with dread. Why did I have to transmigrate into the body of a five-year-old?
Stepping out of my room, already in a foul mood, Mother awaited me with her usual smile at the breakfast table. We sat and ate in silence until she broke it.
"Jade, I have some good news for you," she said, drawing out the suspense.
"What is it? What's the good news?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Your mother will be back next week. Are you happy?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement.
Of course, I feigned excitement, but at least next week I'd find out if she was a dragon or not.
After breakfast, I grabbed my bag, slipped on my shoes, and we left the house. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at school, and as fate would have it, I crossed paths with Raven. As usual, her face was a stoic mask, devoid of emotion. Our eyes met, and I offered a smile, but she returned it with a glare before walking away.
"Wow, Jade, you've made a friend. That's wonderful," Mother said, beaming.
"No, Mom, she's not my friend, just a classmate," I corrected her immediately.
"But she seems to like you."
Mother must be blind; she couldn't even see the dark look Raven had thrown my way.
"Have a good day, my dear," my mother said, enveloping me in a warm hug.
"You too, have a good day, Mom," I replied, ending the embrace and heading to class. Along the way, I passed several students, but today they said nothing about me; they even seemed afraid to approach me. At first, I thought it was rather nice. I entered the classroom, and there was only one seat left—next to Raven—so I took it and tried to be friendly with her.
"Good morning, Raven," I said politely, only to be met once again with her icy stare.
"Just because I helped you yesterday doesn't mean you can talk to me," she retorted, turning away, but not before I noticed a fleeting smile on her face.
Poor child, she must surely lack attention. After all, in the book, her parents don't really love her and prefer her twin brother. No one shows her affection, and people avoid her, so she has sunk into despair. But one day, she met the hero of the story who gave her a bit of attention, and she fell in love with him. However, in the end, the hero killed her to be with the heroine of the story—what a tragic end for her.
"Stop staring at me like that," Raven snapped angrily.
At her words, I snapped back to reality, and a few seconds later, Pauline arrived, silencing everyone.
"Children, as you all know, starting next Monday, you will have exams, so I advise you to start revising now," Pauline said sternly.
The students' reactions varied; some looked confident, others appeared dejected and panicked. As for me, I thought it would be a piece of cake. I glanced at Raven's face, and she seemed a bit panicked, which didn't surprise me. Her parents treat her like nothing, unwilling to teach her anything and giving everything to her brother. No one pays attention to her, and both teachers and students are afraid of her. She often gets bad grades.
After Pauline's announcement, the class continued. The lesson passed swiftly, and the bell rang, signaling lunch break. Like the day before, I grabbed my bag and exited the classroom to find myself in the same spot as yesterday. Unpacking my lunch, and just like yesterday, Raven came and sat beside me, still looking panicked. We began to eat in silence until I decided to break it.
"You know, if you're struggling with the upcoming exams, I can help you," I said with a smile.
**POV: Raven**
Hearing Jade's offer, a glimmer of hope sparked within me, but I couldn't fathom why she was doing this. Normally, everyone is afraid of me, and being from a prominent noble family only complicates things.
Who's to say she doesn't have ulterior motives for wanting to help me? What if she wants to use me? Besides, she's quite an odd girl, bumping her head so hard on the ground, and I don't think she's any smarter than I am.
"You really don't seem any smarter than me, and who says I need your help?" I said arrogantly.
But Jade's reaction wasn't what I expected; she laughed, which infuriated me.
"What are you laughing at, Jade?"
"Sorry, it's just that I can't take you seriously; you're too cute when you're angry," she replied.
Hearing that made me blush because I'm not used to receiving compliments.
"You know what, Raven? I've got an idea," Jade proposed with a spark of mischief in her eyes. "Let's have a study session together, and afterward, we can see if you really need my help or not. How does that sound?"
I pondered her suggestion. It wasn't half bad, considering my grades were often less than stellar. I mulled it over for a few more seconds before responding.
"Fine," I conceded with a reluctant nod. "But don't get used to it. This will be the first and last time I grant you the privilege of studying with me," I declared, my voice dripping with arrogance.
A radiant smile broke across Jade's face, her joy evident upon hearing my words.
"Don't worry, Raven. I won't let you down. But where shall we do this, and when?" she inquired eagerly.
"Let's start tonight. That way, I can get rid of you quickly, Jade. And it'll be at your place—no room for argument," I stated sternly, leaving no room for debate.
"Alright then," Jade agreed, though a hint of hesitation flickered in her voice. "I just need to ask my mom for permission. But you... you don't need to ask your parents if you can come over?"
"There's no need for me to ask. I do what I want," I boasted arrogantly. But the truth was, my parents couldn't care less about me. As long as I didn't bother them, they were indifferent to my whereabouts.
After that, our conversation dwindled, and we ate in silence. Part of me was glad to receive some attention for a change, but another part wondered if it was truly a good thing. Nevertheless, for the moment, I felt I could trust her.