Chapter 1

"You should also stay away from friends who cause trouble."

Of course, my dad doesn't know that I'm, as they say, the 'gang boss', and maybe my friends should stay away from me and not the other way around...

My father continued, reprimanding me: "I still cannot believe that you started a fight today. Should I come to school to solve your problems from day one?"

He exhaled sarcastically: "This bodes well that you will have a busy year."

I pursed my lips and lowered my gaze, trying to appear as innocent as possible: "What shall I do? He accused me of slander and then told a lie, how shall I remain still?"

He replied indignantly: "However, how can you tell your professor that he has nothing to do with the teaching profession? Did I not teach you to be polite?"

- Yes, I am indeed polite, with whomever is worthy, but that professor erred against me!

- You should have overlooked this, at least because it is the first day; now it will leave a bad impression of you.

I tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear and sat up straight, saying with confidence: "My father, listen, after my long experience in this life which has lasted for eighteen years, I have deduced a law and I firmly believe in it... I remember when I got the scholarship to enter my current school, I refused at first. Why, do you think? Because I always see how people who enter prestigious schools through scholarships are bullied, and I didn't want to be exposed to this. But later, I decided to have the courage and accept the scholarship, and what helped me get through this was this law—it's the one-time law. I believe that if you allow anyone to insult you even once, they will do it again and again, and it will be difficult to stop them afterwards. This applies to teachers and students alike, so I make sure not to allow a single insult to pass, because if I did, they would go on. It also applies to people who are dating or marrying; if one of them allows their partner to cross the line and sees that it is okay, the latter will repeat it with bigger mistakes and many times, simply because they are used to the other accepting their actions. So I can never condone it."

I finished my sentence with a sigh, and I saw a laugh that he couldn't hide: "You look like..."

I interrupted him: "I know, I look a lot like my mom."

"Right, and I'm glad about that."

I moved, snuggled beside him, and hugged his arm: "I am glad that I am your daughter."

He pulled his arm away and raised his index finger in my face: "Do not try to flatter me. Promise me now that you will ease up on the problems; they will expel you if you remain in this state, and your good marks will not always save you."

"For your sake, they will not do without a genius student like me."

I arrogantly told him, adjusting my glasses, only for my father to gently slap the back of my head...

"So how did it end with your father?" Karen asked me while we were walking in the stadium.

"I promised him that I would ease up on the trouble."

She laughed sarcastically: "Will you keep that promise?"

I answered, suppressing my anger: "I will, unless I am angered by that ugly man who calls himself a teacher."

"Don't call him ugly, he's the most beautiful professor I've ever seen," she said, her eyes about to pop out hearts, then hit her head lightly. "Whose side are you on, anyway?!"

She rubbed her head: "Of course on your side, but truth be told."

"Don't worry, little girl," said Murphy. "If he bothers you again, I'll teach him a lesson."

I ignored him calling me a little girl, which always annoyed me, and answered with a smile: "Don't you worry, I will never sit still; I have to show him who Rina is."

"Rina."

Two words coincided with a voice I knew well calling me from behind. It was Melina. I turned quickly to go towards her.

"Why didn't you come yesterday?" I asked her while hugging her.

"You know the first day of every school year is useless, so I allowed myself to be absent."

Her answer sounded evasive, so I broke the hug and looked at her face: "Have there been problems again?"

Her eyes darted away: "Yes, but it's not important, don't worry about it. This year we have to enjoy ourselves as much as possible, it's your last year."

I sighed sadly for Melina and her endless problems. I got to know her last year through a problem as well. She was in the first year of middle school, and I heard some kids bullying her because her parents had divorced, as if this was her fault. I couldn't stand it and rushed to give the boys a moral lecture, warning them not to insult her again. To my surprise, when she came to thank me, I got to know her and found out she shared the same name as my mother. I knew then that my meeting with her was not a coincidence, and a special affection for her planted itself in my heart from our very first meeting.

I looked out the window, bored. It's the first time I've ever been bored in a math class, maybe because I didn't want to focus on that stupid professor who accused me of lying when I didn't do anything.

"Oh, redhead,"

Professor Josh called me.

Oh my God, he is unbearably provocative.

I looked at him quietly: "I told you my name is Rina."

He replied, with a slight irony in his tone: "Excuse me, I have trouble memorizing names. Anyway, I've been distracted from explaining now. Are you going to deny it?"

I tried to smile at him: "Of course I won't deny it, I was contemplating the beauty of the sky at this moment."

If he's smart, he'll know how much I'm insulting him right now.

"Then I hope that your reflection will help you resolve this issue,"

he said, pointing to an arithmetic problem written on the board.

I looked at it, praying inside to know its solution, and for comfort...

I stood up with confidence, declaring: "I think it will."

I went to the board and analyzed it as fast as I could. Pride and a little vanity washed over me when I saw a hint of surprise on his face.

I told you I'd show him who Rina is...

The professor wasn't coming to this class, so we decided to play. We sat in a circle, and to our surprise, Murphy joined us in the game.

They started spinning a water bottle in the middle to choose two people, where one asks the other a question. After a few rounds, it landed between me and Kylie, and she said with a smile, "Truth or dare?"

I replied, "Truth."

Pursing her lips in thought, she smiled, realizing she had found a good question: "Is there a big and important secret you're hiding from Karen?"

"All the important things, Karen knows," I said calmly.

Did I lie just now? I don't think so, because she asked about something big and important, and the only secret I keep from Karen isn't even worth mentioning.

After a few more turns, the bottle landed on the two most quarrelsome people: John and Murphy. John got to ask, and before he could speak, Murphy said, "Dare."

Loud cheers erupted, praising Murphy's bravery as if he were about to fight a monster.

John smiled slyly: "Oh, let's see... How about kissing Rina?"

My eyes widened, along with Murphy's, though he rarely showed surprise. What the hell is this request? How much I hate John; I wish I could crush his malicious head.

Murphy looked at me, then at John, and said lightly: "What are these ridiculous, cowardly requests like women make? Besides, you can't ask for something like this; the game forces me to fulfill the dare, not someone else too. With your request, you're ordering two people—me and Rina. Change your dare."

He ended his sentence and winked at me secretly. Well, I have to admit he has a nice side, but what about the insult he just dropped? "Cowardly like women"! Doesn't he know what women can do? I'll let it slide for now because I'm satisfied with the outcome.

John changed his request, making Murphy call the biology professor bald. What kind of strange requests come to his mind? Anyway, Murphy accepted it with a wide-open heart; he's used to getting into fights with professors and then returning to class as if nothing happened because his father is very influential, which makes the whole school worthless in Murphy's eyes.

I looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. It's been a while since Karen and I walked such a long way to buy school supplies, taking so long that the sun was about to set.

I took a shortcut; it was dark and empty, but I didn't care—it was only a few steps away—until I suddenly felt something strange and unsettling.

Is there really someone walking behind me, or am I just hallucinating?

I lowered my head, watching the road and avoiding a small hole filled with rainwater. But after three steps, I heard the sound of a foot splashing into the very water I had avoided, and I realized my feeling wasn't in vain. The shadow darted quickly behind a wall to hide.

So this is serious.