I shifted my bag strap as Frank and I walked out of the classroom. The hallway was abuzz with chatter, footsteps echoing against the polished floors. Frank fiddled with his timetable, mumbling something about his next class.
"Let's grab a quick snack before—"
A sudden bump interrupted my words. Frank had collided with someone, his papers scattering.
"Hey, I'm sor—" Frank began, but his apology was cut short by a sharp slap across his cheek.
"Watch where you're going, freshman," snapped a tall, sharp-jawed senior. His name popped into my head instantly—Min Han, one of Williams' infamous friends, l guess, l don't know. His gaze was ice-cold, his expression daring Frank to retaliate.
Frank's cheek had turned a concerning shade of red. My fist had already clenched, and I took a step forward, but Frank caught my wrist. "Don't, Buchi," he whispered, his voice firm. "But he-" Frank shook his head and dragged me away, leaving Min Han standing there, a smug smirk plastered on his face. Behind them, a murmur erupted like a ripple through the hallway. "Did you see that?" "Poor guy didn't even fight back!
"He's new. Guess he doesn't know who runs this place yet."
By the time we got to the cafeteria, Frank's cheek was a deep crimson. We found a table in the quieter corner, away from the cliques clustered around their usual spots.
"Let me see," I said, pulling a napkin from my pocket.
"It's fine," Frank muttered, but he didn't stop me as I dabbed at the mark on his cheek.
"It's not okay. That guy had no right—"
Before I could finish, the atmosphere in the cafeteria changed. The murmur of conversations died down and was replaced by an almost eerie silence.
"What's happening?" I asked, turning around.
Frank didn't say a word, but the reaction of the other students was enough to get the message across. Heads turned toward the entrance as groups started filtering in, one after another.
Somy, one of my classmates, rattled a tray beside us. "You're about to witness the hierarchy of this school," she stage-whispered.
"What do you mean?"
She nodded toward the door with her fork. "Those are the bullies-Den and his crew. Basketball stars, rich, and act like they own the place.
I watched as four guys strode in with an air of dominance. At the head was Den, the leader of the pack, his confident smirk radiating arrogance. His followers were James, Thimy, and Ken, each exuding their own version of menace.
"See how everyone's standing up? That's out of fear," Somy continued.
I watched a junior stumble as Den brushed past him. The poor guy's tray tipped over, sending milk cascading down to the floor. James snickered, but to my utter surprise, Thimy grabbed the kid's arm and steadied him before bursting out laughing in his face.
"Don't fall next time," Thimy sneered, drawing laughs from these guys.
The next wave crowded in before I was ready.
Somy leaned in closer, her whisper more urgent. "You should also know about the basketball and swimming teams. They are this school's pride."
She nodded at the discreet direction of another table with a group of students seated.
"The basketball team: Aaron, quick-witted point guard; Marcus, power forward who is aggressive, just like a bulldozer on the court;
The swimmers sat at the other table: "The swimming team consists of Lisa, unbeatable in the butterfly stroke; Pool Lee, a specialist in free style; and Chan Kool, perfect backstroke.
The cafeteria was again humming with energy, but this time the volume had gone a notch higher as groups of students entered one after another. The clatter of trays and the buzz of chatter grew louder until something shifted. It was as if the air in the room weighed heavier, and whispers spread like wildfire. Heads turned to the entrance, where a group of boys strode in with an aura so powerful it could only be described as magnetic.
I leaned on Somy, who was sitting beside me. Sparkles danced in her eyes as she leaned even closer, her voice a conspiratory whisper. "Buchi, let me introduce you to the untouchables of this school. They're like royalties here."
She hitched discreetly with her chin as the first boy walked into the classroom.
"That's Kevin," Somy said, "the genius in freestyle swimming. He is so laid back; nothing seems to ruffle his feathers, yet get him into the water-voilà! He becomes a beast. People say that in last year's interschool competition, he broke the national record in freestyle."
Kevin had that smiling, relaxed air about him, his hair all mussed up, but from the fact that people shifted in their chairs as he swished past, one knew.
"Then there's Min Ho," Somy went on. Immediately, her tone sharpened and turned reverential at once. "The brains of the group. He is brutally honest, but if it were a crisis you needed somebody on your side, that would be him. Nonsense, he will brook none, and he's disciplined to a frightening degree-impacts even his teachers."
I turned to Min Ho, whose gaze cut the space like a hawk. Sleekly hair-styled and with sharp facial features, he seemed cold and calculating.
"And then there's Jin Woo," Somy sighed melodramatically. "The player. Funny, charming, impulsive. actually, most girls in here have a crush on him, even though they know he'll never settle down."
Jin Woo winked at one of the girls from a passing group, and her explosive giggle was loud enough it bounced off the walls. This guy had so much confidence it was palpable-the charm oozed naturally from him.
"And finally, Tae Hyun," Somy said softly, "He's the nice one. Always helping out around, always the peace keeper. But there is also something mysterious about him like he is carrying a secret nobody knows about."
Tae Hyun walked with an easy grace, his quiet smile a contrast to the intensity of the others.
"And, of course," Somy said, her voice dropping further, "there's William."
I raised my head and saw him; he is the same senior I saw in the hallway this morning, looking at me and Frank when Frank was reknotting my tie, and again saw him while he was passing around my classroom while our eyes met. I was lost in my mind until Frank touched me. I didn't need Somy to point him out. The room seemed to turn with him. William had this electric presence to him, sharp features, broad shoulders, this air of authority even among his friends that set him apart.
"William is everything," Somy said dreamily. "He's in both the basketball and swimming teams, and he's at the top of his class academically. But he's. complicated. Quiet, brooding, and, well, not the nicest person you'll meet. But that only makes him more irresistible to most girls here."
As she spoke, a flashback played in my mind as if her words were conjuring the scene.