My alarm shrieked, a grating sound that tore me from the sweet embrace of sleep. I groaned, burying my head deeper into the pillow, a futile attempt to silence the insistent beeping and halt the relentless march of time.

After a half-hearted slam of the snooze button, I drifted back to unconsciousness, only to be yanked back to reality when the alarm resumed its assault.

My phone was the first thing I reached for, still nestled in the comfort of my bed. As usual, the screen was blank – no texts, no social media notifications. My life was undeniably boring, a quiet existence I preferred over the public spectacle many craved. Finally, I conceded defeat and dragged myself towards the shower. Summer break had been good, working at Mrs. Williams' flower shop down the street, saving up a decent sum. The thought of returning to school filled me with a mixture of anticipation and dread. I mentally patted myself on the back for surviving yet another summer among the ungrateful rich kids who were my classmates, constantly bragging about what they had versus what they wanted. I had mastered the art of silent observation, a skill that had served me well throughout my school life, until I met him.