Cerise and I separated during lunch break. I chatted with Cerise about where she would go next, and she said she would join Kristen in the cafeteria.

I wanted to join because that'd be an interesting watch. But if I came too early, then it wouldn't be fun. Because Kristen would be pressured because of me. ​​

I wanted to see if she still had the endurance to keep her facade without me around. But I doubt she would make a big ruckus in the cafeteria, though. Since students started talking about them.

I wanted to see the dynamic between Cerise and Kristen, but first, I have to go to the pottery club to submit my application letter.

I walked to the pottery club, which had its own room in the club building. But before I entered the club building, I met a group of students who dragged me and asked whether Cerise and Kristen were now friends. I fueled the fire by saying, "Kristen said to me that she considers Cerise as her sister. It's just Cerise who doesn't believe it."

"Oh wow, really?" One student asked. As expected, these people came from the same middle school as Cerise and Kristen, so they must've realized how their relationship cracked.

"Yes, Kristen said it to me before. What's wrong? I heard that they're good friends before."

"Yeah, they're good friends for a while in middle school," another student added. "But after Kristen befriended Ashley and dragged Cerise into it. Cerise started acting even weirder than usual. She began chattering about creepy stuff that scared everyone."

"Creepy stuff?"

"Like… saying how she felt worthless hanging out with Ashley, how she feels like dying, and how she was scared with everyone," the other student added.

"Everyone thought she's just emo, but knowing from someone like her, we doubted that."

"Yeah, she got called by the counselor many times, but she got better a few months later after she separated herself from everyone, including Kristen. It's just weird, you know."

…

I guess being forced to befriend your bully like Ashley must've stressed Cerise, but there was definitely an involvement from Kristen's side.

One thing for sure, though, hiding your best friend's darkest secret must've taken a toll on Cerise's mental health, whatever that secret was.

If I connected the dots here, the timeline where Kristen and Ashley became friends coincided with Kristen's dark secret and the involvement of Cerise as the secret holder.

Kristen must've abused Cerise to her utmost limit. That was the reason why Cerise almost broke down and became so socially inept. Because some students said that Cerise was at least a bit more open before Ashley told everyone about her mother's job as a janitor and before she befriended Kristen.

For Kristen to abuse someone that was already so meek like Cerise, that secret must've been too dirty for her reputation.

"What's your name again, Emmy, right?"

One girl snapped me out of my pondering. I nodded with a meek smile, not too humble, but not too arrogant either. I had to maintain this facade because I tried to stick out and loud back in my first life, which turned me into a clown instead.

She didn't seem to bother introducing themselves, though, but the girl warned me, "I don't know what did you do to get under her radar, but you should be careful. Jessica has always been the queen here."

Of course, she was stating the obvious. It also upset me because I still had no idea about this person who intentionally sabotaged me on my second day of high school.

"Thank you for the advice. I have to go now," I excused myself and leave those students. I knew they wouldn't befriend me either because I was under Jessica's radar. I understood that they wanted to save themselves first.

I headed straight to the pottery club, my step was sure, but my head was still stuck dwelling in this idea of Kristen's dark secret.

I wondered if Ashley also knew what Kristen did or was just a secret between Kristen and Cerise.

Ashley wasn't a saint or whatsoever, but… would she be devious enough to hold such a secret without getting bullied by Kristen?

I mean, as much as I wanted to curse at Cerise for being such a wimp. I understood that her mental had been broken by Kristen.

But Ashley…

I kept pondering and pondering that I didn't realize a wall standing in my way.

"Ouch!"

I staggered and fell to the ground. I grimaced for a moment, thinking that I was actually hitting a wall, but then I heard a deep voice scoffed at me, "Use your eyes next time, shortie."

I darted my eyes at the man who just walked away without even saying sorry. He already walked away without turning back, not even with the courtesy of helping me.

I was surprised by this man's height, though. I couldn't see his face, but from the back, he was probably already 6'2", taller than Mason, with a broad shoulder and muscular back, wearing a black turtleneck and jeans.

I was stunned for a moment, but after he got far, I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

"At least say sorry, you jerk!"

I got up and picked my pottery application letter. I walked to the door with 'Pottery Club' sign in front.

I gave my application letter to the only senior, and her expression was delighted, "Wow! Finally, you're the second one! I really thought there will be no one joining this year!"

"Second?" I asked. I didn't expect that rich kid from the previous life already submitted his application.

"Yeah, he submitted few minutes before you," the senior sighed. "But he's so intimidating and quiet, I don't think he can be a good senior in the future."

Few minutes before me… don't say that tall man was the rich kid?

I think, knowing how he didn't even apologize, I preferred him not coming to the pottery club at all. I joined this pottery club to leech on his money anyway, not the person.