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"Hey, did you see that new kid in math class today?" Evan's best friend, Marcus, asked as they sat under the shade of a sprawling oak tree, their lunch trays balanced on their laps. The cafeteria was a noisy, crowded place, but here, the whispers of the wind and the rustling of leaves provided a semblance of privacy.
Evan looked up from his sandwich, curiosity piqued. "New kid? Didn't notice." He had been too busy sketching in his notebook, the lines of his latest comic character blurring together.
"Abel," Marcus said, his eyes widening as if the name alone held all the answers to the universe. "She's a transfer student from indonesia. Long, dark hair, a smile that could melt ice in Antarctica. And she's got this cool, mysterious vibe going on. She sat right in front of me."
Evan's pencil froze mid-stroke on his paper. A girl named Abel? That was unusual, but intriguing. He had heard the whispers, the subtle glances thrown her way during class, but he had been too lost in his art to really pay attention.
The next day, Evan found himself in the same math class with this enigma named Abel. She sat in the same seat, her posture straight, her gaze focused intently on the whiteboard. Her hair was indeed long and dark, cascading down her back like a waterfall. And yes, she had a smile that could brighten the gloomiest of days. But it was not for him. It was always for Jeyun, the school's basketball star, who sat a row behind her, flashing his perfect teeth whenever he caught her eye.
Evan felt a strange mix of admiration and jealousy watching the two of them interact. Abel's eyes lit up when Jeyun talked to her, and she leaned in slightly, her laughter like a melody that danced around the classroom. He couldn't blame her; Jeyun had a charm that was as potent as it was infectious. But it was the way she looked at Jeyun that made Evan's heart clench. It was the same look he had seen in the eyes of so many others when they stared at their crushes—a look filled with hope and longing.
Days turned into weeks, and Evan's curiosity about Abel grew into something more profound. He found himself looking for her in the hallways, trying to catch a glimpse of her smile that didn't seem to be directed at him. He listened to the stories Marcus shared about her, hoping to find some common ground, something that might spark her interest in him. But it was clear that she was oblivious to his existence.
In math class, Evan was always the first to arrive, setting up his desk in the back corner where he could watch Abel without being noticed. He studied her the way he studied his comic book heroes, noting every little detail—the way she tapped her pencil against her teeth when she was thinking, the gentle curve of her neck, and the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed at Jeyun's jokes. It was torture, but he couldn't help it. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, even though he knew he might get burned.
One afternoon, as the bell rang for the end of class, Evan gathered his books and took a deep breath, preparing to make his move. He had to talk to her, to somehow get her to see him, to know that he was there. He approached her desk, his heart hammering in his chest like a drumline on steroids. But before he could say a word, she was whisked away by Jeyun, leaving Evan with nothing but a cloud of her sweet, floral perfume lingering in the air.
In the library after school, Evan found refuge in the graphic novel section. It was here that he felt most at home, surrounded by tales of love and heroism that mirrored his own silent crusade. He picked up a book titled "The Quiet Hero" and sat at a table in the corner, flipping through the pages but not really reading. His thoughts were consumed by Abel, her smile, her laugh, the way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He wished he had the courage to be more than just the shy artist who loved her from afar.
Days passed, and the love triangle grew more pronounced. Jeyun and Abel grew closer, their whispers in class turning into public displays of affection that made Evan's heart ache. He watched as they walked down the hallways hand in hand, her head on his shoulder, sharing secrets and laughs that didn't include him. It was like a punch in the gut every time he saw them, a constant reminder of his own inadequacies.
Abel, however, remained oblivious to Evan's pain. Her interest in Jeyun grew, and with it, her disregard for Evan. Evan tried to hide his feelings, burying them under a layer of jokes and sarcastic comments, but it was getting harder. He was the invisible boy, the one who loved from a distance, and it was killing him. He was smart, sure, but in the grand scheme of high school politics, that didn't seem to matter. It was the jocks and the popular kids who ruled the school, not the quiet artist who sat in the back of the class.
One day, as Evan was walking home, his shoulders slumped under the weight of his backpack and his heart, Abel and Jeyun approached him, their laughter echoing through the empty hallway. Jeyun's eyes landed on Evan, and a smug smile spread across his face. He whispered something in Abel's ear, and she turned to look at Evan, her smile fading into a smirk. It was the first time she had truly acknowledged his existence, and it was in the cruelest of ways. They stopped in front of him, blocking his path, and Evan felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
"Hey, nerd," Jeyun sneered. "Why don't you keep your eyes off my girl?"
Evan's cheeks flushed scarlet, and he dropped his gaze to the floor. He felt small, insignificant. Abel's smirk grew, her eyes glinting with amusement at his discomfort.
"Jeyun, leave him alone," she said, her voice sweet but her tone mocking. "He's not worth our time."
Evan's heart sank as she linked arms with Jeyun, and they strolled away, leaving him in the dust of their dismissal. The rest of the school day was a blur, his mind reeling from the humiliation. He felt like the pages of his comics were closing in on him, trapping him in a world where he was always the sidekick, never the hero.( ◡̀_◡́)▬▬█( ◡̀_◡́)▬▬█( ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )(,,>﹏<,,)🐤🐤🐝⚓🪶⚓🌊🪶🧛♂️👦👦👦