Sia let out a long breath as the bus moved away from the stop. She leaned against the seat near the right-side window, staring at the increasingly busy streets. A light vibration from the bus engine could be felt through the seat, while the faint sound of other passengers' conversations filled the air.
"Just going to school," she murmured softly, as if calming herself.
Yet the image of the man from earlier still lingered clearly in her mind. Those blue eyes, his smile, and the way he had called her dear without any hesitation.
Sia shook her head slowly, trying to brush it away.
"So ridiculous," she hissed under her breath.
After a few minutes, the bus stopped at the bus stop in front of the school. Sia stood up, took money from her pocket, and handed it to the driver.
"I'll get off here, Sir."
"Alright, kid," the driver nodded kindly.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, Sia looked up. The school stood grandly before her, with large letters above the gate:
Cahaya Pratama Senior High School.
Its walls were ivory white, the windows tall, and the garden in the front yard looked well maintained, with colorful flowers neatly arranged.
"Wow…" Sia murmured softly, not expecting her new school to be this magnificent.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the pounding of her heart before stepping inside.
As soon as she passed through the gate, the bustle immediately greeted her. The corridors were filled with students chatting, laughing, and walking hurriedly in uniforms that looked freshly ironed.
Sia stopped in the middle of the corridor, her eyes moving around, taking in rows of unfamiliar faces.
Where should I go? she thought in confusion. Her hand gripped the strap of her bag tightly.
The sound of footsteps and laughter around her felt too loud. The world seemed to move faster than she did.
Suddenly,
BUMP!
Someone knocked into her shoulder quite hard. Her body swayed slightly to the side.
"If you're going to daydream, don't do it in the middle of the walkway!" the voice sounded sharp, filled with irritation.
Sia quickly lowered her head. "Sorry…" she said softly, barely audible.
The uniformed girl who had bumped into her had already walked away without looking back.
Sia clutched her chest, feeling her heart race uncontrollably. Her breathing became slightly uneven. There was a strange tightness she didn't quite understand. Like fear that came out of nowhere.
She stepped to the edge of the corridor, pressing her back against the wall.
"Calm down, Sia… it's just a new school," she whispered softly, trying to reassure herself.
In the middle of her still-unsteady breathing, the sound of footsteps approached. Sneakers stopped right in front of Sia.
"Hey… are you okay?" a girl's voice sounded gentle but full of curiosity.
Sia slowly looked up. Standing in front of her was a girl with long straight hair, clear eyes, and an expression full of energy. Completely different from the busy and cold atmosphere around them.
"I saw you get bumped earlier," the girl continued. "Did it hurt? You look kind of pale."
Sia fell silent for a moment. "I… I'm fine."
"Ohh," the girl nodded, then suddenly her eyes lit up. "You look like a new student, right? I've never seen you before!"
Sia looked away, slightly hesitant. "Yeah… I just transferred."
The girl's smile widened immediately, as if she had found something exciting.
"My name's Garin! Who are you?"
"Elysia. But you can call me Sia…" she replied softly.
"Sii-aa~" Garin repeated with a bright smile. "That name's so cute! I'm in grade 10. What class are you in?"
Sia nodded lightly. "Grade 10… E."
"WHAT? Same as me!!" Garin reacted as if struck by excitement. "What a coincidence! Come on, follow me. The classroom's on the second floor!"
Without waiting for an answer, Garin grabbed Sia's hand. Not too tightly, but enough to startle her. "I-I can go by myself-"
"No need, it's fine! If you go alone you'll get lost. This school is like a labyrinth, you know?" Garin chuckled.
They began walking up the stairs. The sound of footsteps and other students' conversations blended together.
Sia stayed silent, her other hand gripping her bag strap. Her hand felt slightly cold.
Garin glanced at her briefly, then smiled again.
"You're really quiet, huh? That's okay. I'm used to talking to quiet people. I'm talkative, so it balances out~"
Sia lowered her head slightly. "…Sorry."
"Huh?? Why are you apologizing?" Garin laughed softly, light and sincere.
"If you're quiet, then just be quiet. I'll do the talking, easy."
They kept climbing.
"Besides…" Garin added, her tone a little softer, "Transferring schools is definitely hard. I get it. I transferred once too, it felt like everyone already had their own world."
Sia paused for a moment, lifting her eyes to look at Garin.
At that moment, Garin's smile was no longer just cheerful, but sincere.
"…Thank you," Sia finally said.
Garin turned while winking. "Wow, already being sweet and we just met."
They reached the second floor. The corridor here was quieter. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, making the floor gleam.
Sia exhaled slowly. Still nervous, but no longer alone.
They stopped in front of a door labeled: Class 10-E.
Garin took a breath, then opened the classroom door wide.
Noise immediately burst out. Some students were running around chasing an eraser, others were laughing loudly while talking about games, and some were sitting while drawing in their notebooks, completely ignoring the chaos.
Garin let out a dry laugh.
"As usual… chaos."
Without giving Sia a chance to hesitate, Garin grabbed her hand again and pulled her inside.
Amid the noise, one corner looked different.
In the row of desks near the window, a girl sat with calm posture and an expressionless face. Her hair was straight, deep black, and her gaze looked cold but not cruel. More like someone accustomed to staying far from the commotion.
In front of her, a boy leaned against her desk, seemingly talking casually with her. His expression was relaxed. As if he knew exactly what to say without crossing boundaries.
Garin waved at them. "Heeey! Lira! I brought someone new!"
The expressionless girl slowly shifted her gaze.
Their eyes met.
Sia felt something… like looking at a mirror that didn't reflect her image, but reflected her feelings. Hollow, yet not empty.
Lira gave a small nod. "New student?"
Sia swallowed. "…Yes."
The boy who had been talking with Lira turned toward them. His hair was dark brown, slightly messy but fitting. He looked at Sia for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"First time entering this class must be chaotic, right?" he said while sitting down at his seat.
Sia didn't know how to respond, so she just nodded.
Garin patted Sia's back lightly. "Relax~ this class is only noisy on the outside. Inside… well, still noisy. But you'll get comfortable eventually~"
Lira looked at Sia again, for a long moment. "Name?" she asked flatly, but not cold. More like wanting to confirm that this new arrival was real.
"Sia," Sia answered softly.
Lira nodded. "I'm Lira. That," she glanced toward the boy, "is Arven."
Arven raised his hand casually. "Yo."
Sia returned it, a little stiff. "…Hi."
Garin laughed softly. "Lira looks calm, but she's actually nice. Don't be scared. She's just… economical with words."
Lira stared at Garin flatly.
"I am not economical. I just speak when necessary."
"There, that's a perfect example of being economical with words," Garin replied with a chuckle.
Sia almost smiled. Almost.
But before the atmosphere could truly loosen,
BAM!
The classroom door opened loudly. All sounds instantly died down.
The teacher entered.
All students immediately rushed to their seats.
Sia stood frozen, confused about where to sit.
Before she could ask, Arven tapped an empty desk beside Lira. "You can sit here. No one's using it."
Garin added while pointing to her own seat in the front row, "I'm in front, okay! Don't run away from me!"
Sia took a breath, then walked to the desk and sat down. Lira sat to her left, near the window.
"GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE." The teacher's voice was loud but not harsh.
"Morning, Ma'am…" the class replied in varying tones: some polite, some lazy.
The teacher placed a folder on her desk.
Her hair was neatly tied back, her glasses thin-framed.
"Alright, before we start today's lesson, we have a new classmate."
All heads turned. Including a few small whispers that immediately followed.
"Who's that?"
"She looks quiet…"
"She's pretty though."
Garin glanced back, giving two thumbs up in support.
Sia swallowed. Her chest tightened. Her hands were cold.
"New student, please come forward," the teacher said kindly.
Sia stood, her steps feeling heavier than usual.
She walked to the front of the class, standing before all the eyes now fixed on her.
Sia opened her mouth, but her voice was barely audible.
"I… Elysia Ardhanari."
The teacher waited. Sia took a small breath.
"Um… I'm usually called Sia. I transferred from… State Senior High School 4."
Some students nodded, others just stared.
Sia continued in a small voice, "I… hope we can be friends."
There was a moment of silence.
Then Garin immediately started clapping, causing everyone else to follow, though some not very sincerely.
Garin whispered softly to Arven. "See that? So innocent, adorable."
Arven only smiled faintly.
The teacher spoke again. "Alright, Sia. You can sit in the empty seat next to Lira. Lira, please help her if she needs anything."
Lira glanced briefly from her seat. Her face flat as usual. "Yes, Ma'am," she replied shortly.
Sia walked to the desk and sat down. Of course, still awkward.
But just as she placed her bag down, a soft whisper came from her right side.
"Don't be too tense. They just look noisy. They won't bite," Lira said in a flat voice, almost without expression.
Sia turned slightly, unsure whether that was a joke or not.
"…Thank you," Sia replied softly.
The lesson began. The teacher started writing on the board, the sound of chalk soft against the surface.