Heh, Sweet Kristen, I knew your facade. I will find a way to crack your mask.

Kristen had a sweet smile on her face as she walked into the class. Miss Wrighton was still preparing for class, so she let the students chat for a while.

Many of the students greeted Kristen as if she was a celebrity, and Kristen replied to them all with her smile. She sat on the only seat available, which was right beside me.

She ignored me at first, so I stared at her and then hunched my shoulder immediately, trying to imitate what Cerise must be in the middle school.

Not that I was any better either, I was also a scared little cat in the previous timeline. Hunching, looking down, lowering my voice, avoiding everyone.

It was just part of muscle memory.

Kristen noticed and glanced at me. She frowned for a moment before smiling in my direction, "Hi, are you new here? I have never seen you around."

"A-Ah, yes… I'm new here," I replied. "I just moved in three months ago…."

Kristen was taller than me, and she leaned a bit with a generous smile on her face, "Really? Well, hope you like it here, not everyone is nice, but you'll find some friends," Kristen said. Then she shrugged, "Unless you don't have any friends, I know it's hard to get a new friend here."

"U—Um… yeah, it's really difficult. Nobody wants to be my friend..."

Kristen didn't seem to show any interest in me, probably because I wasn't exactly her target. She didn't even feel bothered introducing herself.

So I had to play this card right here, "M—My name is Emmy Jones. Nice to meet you."

"Oh, nice to meet you. I'm Kristen," she replied curtly.

"U—Um, Kristen, may I ask you something?"

"Hm? Sure."

"Do you know about someone named Jessica? A girl told me yesterday that Jessica doesn't like me and would come to me during recess in the cafeteria…."

"Jessica?"

The moment I mentioned Jessica, Kristen's interest peaked. I knew that Kristen and the rest of the girls disliked Jessica, but she was so dominating and powerful, especially with her money, so nobody dared to confront her.

"I know about Jessica. She is very popular. But I'm not sure why she would target you," Kristen said. "Did you do something?"

"This is just the second day. How am I supposed to do anything to offend her?" I replied. It was true, though. In the previous timeline, Jessica suddenly confronted me on the second day. She shamed me in front of everyone, calling me a cheap bitch for no reason.

"Hmm… you're correct," her eyes scanned at my face, then looking down on my shirt and jeans. "Maybe it's because you dress too poorly. Look at your old jeans and shirt. It looks a bit worn out. You should also cover your boobs. It's too glaring. You look like… you know."

"You… you think so?" I acted as if I was worried about my appearance, even though I dressed up like this intentionally for today because Kristen liked to point out people who were lower than her.

"I'm not someone who judges quickly, but you do look like a cheap…." Kristen sighed. "You know, someone like you is very prone to get bullied here. This place is harsh."

You weren't someone that likes to judge quickly? Haha, you just prove yourself wrong.

I wanted to scoff and laugh at her hypocrisy, but I needed to keep acting like this.

I needed to pull her deeper by pulling the meek girl card.

"M—Maybe that's why Jessica doesn't like me…."

"Who knows," Kristen shrugged. "Though, it's kind of hard to believe that Jessica would target a new kid so suddenly. Are you telling the truth?"

This is it.

This would be my chance to use my previous life's experience.

I was planning to avoid Jessica at all costs before. Because I didn't have any resources to fight her, but I just realized that, though Kristen wasn't as powerful as Jessica, her reputation as an 'angel' who should be respected because of her empathy was not to be taken lightly.

I just realized that I could use Kristen to fight against Jessica.

Let me be her new pet, the poor soul that needed all the protection from this world, while slowly prying her darkest secret.

I nodded pitifully, "I don't know if it's true or not. But you can go with me to the cafeteria during recess, maybe sit at another table, and see if Jessica will come and attack me."

"Hmm…" Kristen seemed to be in a tough consideration. Her eyes observed me from top to bottom again, as if measuring my worth to be her pet.

"P—Please, Kristen, I know we've just met. But I don't know what to do, I'm scared…." I begged her by holding her hand.

"I asked someone about this yesterday. I was so scared that Jessica would bully me, and she said that Kristen is such an amazing person who will protect me. So I come and introduce myself to you…."

"Oh? Who told you about me?"

"Cerise, she told me that you're an amazing girl. She said that you will help me!"

There was a grin on Kristen's face after I mentioned Cerise. There was no sign of fear in her face as if she had expected Cerise to say that about her.

This proved something about Kristen. She had no remorse for abusing Cerise with her hurtful and degrading words.

"I see. Well, Cerise is my friend, I've been trying to befriend her again, but she keeps dodging me, saying that she isn't worthy enough to be my friend. It's unfortunate, right?" Kristen said.

"Well, let's see if Jessica will come at you later. If she really does, then I will help you."