The school was modelled after American private schools, but offered the individuality of public schools. There was a heavy emphasis on English and creativity, and to promote originality, there were no uniforms. Really though, individuality might be too strong a word; everyone dressed exactly like everyone else. And so, in a sea of foreign brands, my clothes stood out more than I did as a person. Still, for the most part, my classmates and the other students in the school ignored me as completely as I ignored them. They weren’t awful, but I liked being alone out of habit. We were civil to each other, and that was the extent of my relationship with the rest of the student body.

It was easy to tune them out, even the loudest of them. Try as I could though, I could not tune Baekhyun out. He wasn’t purposely obnoxious, but the way his pencil squeaked and the way he rubbed his eraser shoved needles into my ears and a dagger into my heart. It was worse because he wasn’t actually trying to be a jerk. I could stand the girls that surrounded him with their husky voices and giggles, but he was a danger to my sanity.

Lunch was a welcome breath of air. Most of the students coalesced in the cafeteria while I ate on the bench that was as far away from the school as possible. The bench was a well-worn piece of damp wood with moss growing on it. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was an escape. A thin wooden wall separated my bench from the school gardens. On occasion, confessions floated over the wall, and I heard the good, the bad, and the awkward. Today, there was a group of girls on the other side of the wall.

“That new guy is really good looking.” There was a murmured agreement, like the hum of drones in a beehive.    

“It’s too bad he doesn’t talk much,” one girl lamented. I didn’t think that being self-effacing was bad, but the rest of the girls immediately agreed. “It’s cute though. I guess.”

“I heard he’s really smart. And since he goes to this school, he must be rich.” Handsome, supposedly intelligent, and wealthy. What a combination, I thought sarcastically.

“Unless he’s like that girl.” I didn’t think the comment was made out of spite, but the snickers that followed made me lose my appetite. I walked away until the voices beyond the wall were lost in the wind.