Alessia's stomach churned as she slipped into the lecture hall and found a seat in the back row. The room filled quickly, the low hum of chatter surrounding her as students set up their laptops and compared schedules.
The professor entered, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes and an air of authority. "Good morning, class. Since it's the first day, let's start with introductions. Stand up, state your name, and tell us something about yourself."
Alessia stiffened in her seat. She hated introductions.
The first few students stood, each story more polished than the last. A boy bragged about his family's tech company, a girl gushed about her internships in Paris, and then—Alessia's heart sank—Regina stood up.
"Hi, I'm Regina Carter," she said, her voice smooth and confident. "My mom is the founder of Carter Luxe, one of the top fashion brands in the world." She flipped her hair, basking in the murmurs of approval around the room.
Then Caleb stood.
"I'm Caleb Lawson," he said, his tone casual but commanding. "My parents are oncologists, and they run Lawson Medical—probably the hospital your parents go to if they're lucky."
Laughter rippled through the room. Caleb sat down, flashing his signature smirk. Alessia sank lower in her seat, wishing she could disappear.
"And you?" The professor's voice jolted her. "In the back."
Alessia stood slowly, feeling every pair of eyes on her. "I'm Alessia Marino," she said quietly. "My family just moved here."
Before she could continue, Regina's voice rang out.
"Wait," she said, her tone syrupy sweet. "I heard your dad works here. Is that true?"
Alessia froze, her palms growing clammy. "My dad is—"
"What's the problem, sweetie?" Regina interrupted, her smile sharp. "Are you ashamed your dad's a security guard? How did you even get into this school?"
Snickers and whispers rippled through the room. Alessia's throat tightened as heat flushed her face. Panic swirled in her chest, and before she could think, the words slipped out.
"That's not true," she blurted. "My dad's a business owner. We just moved here because of his work."
Regina raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but the professor cut her off. "All right, that's enough. Let's move on."
Alessia sank back into her seat, her face burning.
In the shadow of a quiet corner, Alessia's father stood, his phone in hand. He'd come to check on her first day, wanting to capture a proud moment. Through the small window in the door, he'd seen everything—the way her face crumpled under the weight of those cruel words, the way she'd lied to protect herself.
Slowly, he stopped recording and lowered his phone. A small, pained smile tugged at his lips, but his eyes were heavy with sadness.
"She doesn't need to hide," he murmured to himself. But deep down, he knew why she had.