Invisible String

Chapter 1

Iyaara

The alarm blared, dragging me out of my dreams for another day of school. Half-asleep, I stumbled to the restroom, the familiar path almost automatic. A quick bath helped wake me up, the cold water shocking my skin awake in the most soothing way. I got ready, slipping into a crop top and wide-leg jeans, patting sunscreen onto my face and spritzing on a light perfume that smelled like summer mornings.

Breakfast was simple-a boiled egg and a cup of green tea. After finishing quickly, I stepped out and started walking toward school. The morning air was crisp, and my thoughts drifted lazily, until suddenly, someone came running toward me.

"Wait up!"

It was Ava, my best friend since middle school, her energy as infectious as ever. I loved the comfort of her presence. Together, we were chaos-gossiping, laughing, and completely ignoring the lessons that awaited us, yet somehow thriving in our ambiverted bubble. Ava had always been my secret keeper, the one I could trust with anything, and our bond felt effortless, unspoken.

We entered the classroom just as the chatter of students reached a crescendo. Laughter bounced off the walls, and the air was thick with first-day energy. Sliding into our seats, Ava leaned over. "So... how was your summer?" she asked, a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

"Pretty good," I replied, smirking. "Yours?"

We talked about the usual-summer trips, minor adventures, and everything in between. Our conversation flowed easily, unbothered by the teacher's looming presence. That is, until the teacher finally entered the room.

"Quiet down, please," she said, her voice cutting through the noise. "We have a lot of new faces today."

Ava nudged me with an impish grin. "I hope they're hot," she whispered.

The classroom door swung open, and a hush rippled across the room. Heads turned almost instinctively, and a wave of whispers filled the air. My eyes followed him-slightly curly hair falling just over his forehead, a mint green shirt, and loose, baggy blue pants. He walked in with a calm, confident stride, but there was something magnetic about the way he carried himself.

Everyone was staring. Not just glances here and there-he had that rare kind of presence that made people pause mid-conversation, whisper to their friends, or just watch. And even as I noticed all that attention, I couldn't help but focus on him the way he held himself-subtle, unbothered, with a quiet confidence.

He looked like someone who could break hearts without even trying. And somehow, I was already curious about him. First-day jitters didn't feel so intimidating anymore.

I glanced at him — his black watch resting neatly on his wrist, the silver ring on his finger catching the light every time he moved. His face carried that effortless expression of "I couldn’t care less", the kind that somehow made people look twice.

“He’s hot,” Ava whispered beside me, and I rolled my eyes, pretending not to notice the way she kept staring.

The teacher’s voice cut through the chatter. “Everyone, take your seats!”

Ryker slid into the next row — far enough that I couldn’t see him clearly, but close enough to notice every tilt of his jaw and the bored look in his eyes.

When lunch finally came, Ava groaned dramatically. “Finally! Seriously, which school gives us assignments on the first day?”

“I know, right?” I laughed, shaking my head.

“Ahhh!” Ava suddenly screamed, startling half the cafeteria.

“What now?” I asked, laughing harder.

“Ugh, I forgot what I was going to tell you!” she said, pouting before we both burst into laughter again.

We spent the lunch period talking, eating, laughing — doing everything we could to make the day feel a little lighter.

By the last period, the teacher’s voice echoed across the room. “That’s all for today!”

Everyone jumped to their feet, packing up in a rush. I was halfway to the door when I bumped straight into someone — hard.

“Sorry,” I blurted out.

He didn’t even look at me. Not a word, not a glance. Just walked past as if I didn’t exist. Seriously? How can someone be that rude!?

By the time I got home, I went through my usual routine — a quick workout, some homework, and then the one thing that felt like survival after a long day: scrolling through Instagram until I forgot what tired even felt like.