Chapter 8 The Pitiful Desk Mate
+8 Pearls
Once Lilith returned to her room, she suddenly noticed that her palms were sweating–a clear sign of her nervousness.
She couldn’t quite grasp why every conversation with her parents felt like a strategic battle. It left her feeling like a hesitant gambler, unsure of the outcome.
It was a painful dynamic, especially since, out of all the children, she seemed to be the one bearing the brunt of their frustration.
But Lilith didn’t have time to dwell on her feelings. There was a more pressing issue on her mind–if Adrian and Catiana were set on keeping her in the International Elite Class, what were the chances she could transfer out?
She scribbled some notes on a scrap of paper, and the conclusion she reached was painfully clear–there was no chance.
It was maddening.
At this point, all she could do was hope that after her outburst, Adrian and Catiana would lose interest in her and let her float through life unnoticed.
September arrived, the air heavy with the constant drone of cicadas and the unrelenting summer heat.
Lilith stepped out of the car, pushing her way through the crowded group of students on the first day of school. The luxury of the cars parked outside was a clear indication of the wealth and status of their owners. Even the nameplates on the cars had become more extravagant.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the large digital board near the school gate, where the class lists were displayed. As she quickly scanned the first row, familiar names popped up–her classmates from her previous life, all born into privilege, living their perfect lives.
She skimmed through the International Elite Class list. Her name wasn’t there. Worry surged as she wondered if she had missed it by scanning too quickly. She checked again. Her name still wasn’t on the list.
Her eyes moved across the entire grade’s lists, finally spotting her name in a class that could only be described as ordinary. The names of the students beside hers were completely unfamiliar, but for some reason, seeing that list filled Lilith with an unexpected sense of satisfaction.
The first day of school meant random seating assignments, and Lilith selected a seat in the farthest corner of the last row. She sank into the seat, content.
With just a minute before the bell rang, the seat beside her remained empty, which was odd, considering the class list showed it should be filled.
Not wanting anything to ruin her first day, Lilith felt a slight anxiety in her chest as the bell rang.
Then, just as the bell’s chime faded, a young girl crouched down and quietly slipped in through the back door, out of breath. She quickly took the seat next to Lilith.
A fresh start. A new desk mate. Lilith felt a sense of relief, as though this was exactly the new beginning she had hoped for.
Curious, Lilith studied her new desk mate. The girl had a large scab on her elbow and a bruise on her chin, evidence of a recent injury. Lilith’s gaze instinctively moved to her legs, noticing a tear in the girl’s pants–just enough to reveal a wound on her knee, still covered in dried blood.
The girl’s face was weary, marked with sadness, but there was also a spark of anger in her eyes.
Lilith, who had initially planned to greet her new desk mate kindly, hesitated. She feared that offering sympathy might be met with resistance.
She considered several possibilities–maybe this girl came from a troubled home, where violence was a regular occurrence, leaving both fresh and old scars behind. Perhaps there were even more injuries hidden beneath her clothes. Or maybe it was the result of a fight–though the girl looked small and fragile, perhaps she had been picked on and was simply defending
herself.
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In any case, the girl seemed to have had a tough time. Lilith reached into her bag and pulled out a band–aid, offering it to her.
Over the years, Lilith had gotten used to carrying band–aids and antiseptic spray, a habit formed from the frequent injuries she had endured. She was thankful now that they were finally coming in useful.
The girl beside her, eyelids heavy, hunched over her desk, accepting the band–aid from Lilith’s hand. She murmured a weak “thank you,” her voice barely audible, as if the words were more of a reflex than genuine gratitude.
The room was now full. The ceiling above them was spotless, a symbol that everyone in this class was as ordinary as could be -people who would never stand out, who would never become the heroes of their own stories, just background characters with a few fleeting lines.
In the world of novels, they would lead lives of little consequence, drifting through endless days of unremarkable tomorrows.
Soon enough, the homeroom teacher arrived and gave a quick overview of the basic details. The new textbooks hadn’t been delivered yet, and no actual lessons were scheduled, so the morning was spent with self–study.
In the afternoon, there was the usual opening ceremony for the freshmen. As expected, it was boring. The grand auditorium was packed with 9th–grade students, the hum of the air conditioning offering a momentary relief from the warmth. Lilith sat jamong the crowd, listening to the principal and several teachers repeat the same tired back–to–school speeches.
The seating arrangement was divided by class, and Lilith’s eyes instinctively wandered to the left front section, where the students of the International Elite Class sat. Their postures were perfect, their uniforms immaculate, a few of them whispering to each other. Sunlight poured over them, their futures seemingly full of promise.
But Lilith couldn’t bring herself to care about any of that anymore.
She shifted her gaze, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her desk mate. The girl had her elbow resting on the armrest, her eyelids drooping, looking like she could fall asleep any moment.
Lilith couldn’t understand how anyone could sleep in such a noisy setting, especially with the principal enthusiastically talking about how bright everyone’s future was, how they were all poised to add prestige to an already well–known school. The microphone was so loud, it felt like it could shake the walls.
Could it be that the girl’s home life was so difficult she couldn’t sleep at night, arriving at school each day still marked by the evidence of her struggles?
The more Lilith thought about it, the more sympathy she felt for her new desk mate.
That night, as she lay in bed, Lilith couldn’t shake the thought of her. She decided that the next day, she would quietly ask if there was anything she could do to help.
The following morning, as the car neared the school gate, Lilith spotted her desk mate in a tense confrontation with a man. He had a firm grip on her elbow, his anger evident. The girl, although visibly uncomfortable, offered a forced smile, almost as though she was trying to calm him down.
From a distance, Lilith could catch snippets of words like “spoiled,” “taken away,” and “punishment.” Her desk mate was still pleading, holding up four fingers as if making some kind of promise.
Lilith felt a heavy sense of dread, fearing that this could lead to more mistreatment.
Without thinking twice, she instructed the driver to stop immediately, jumped out of the car, and rushed toward the man, gathering all her courage. “Excuse me, sir, we’re going to be late for class. We really can’t stand here any longer. Goodbye, sir.”
She said it all in one breath, then grabbed her desk mate’s hand and pulled her toward the school, running as fast as she could. The girl, struggling to keep up, finally begged her to slow down.
Lilith released her grip, and as the girl, still panting and stunned, caught her breath, Lilith asked, “Are you okay?”
“I was fine before, the girl gasped, leaning over to catch her breath after the sprint. “But… now I’m not fine.”
Once the girl had recovered enough, they climbed the stairs together. After a moment, the girl seemed to remember something and asked, “Why did you suddenly drag me into running?”
Lilith hesitated, unsure if she was touching on something the girl didn’t want to talk about. But after acting so impulsively,
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Chapter 8 The Pitiful Desk Mate
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she couldn’t lie. She told the truth. “I was worried you might get hurt. I didn’t know what else to do, so I just took you and
ran.”
Liana Jane blinked, looking puzzled, and let out a soft “huh” as if she didn’t fully understand.
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