*5 years prior*
An 11 year old Salene walked through the hallway. Her shoulder length hair was tied in a ponytail and her green eyes wavered slightly.
She was walking hastily.
Documents that appeared to be important were held tightly in her hand.
"Ugh. That commoner again." A whisper, that was clearly intended to be directed at Salene, was heard.
"Of course, what a teacher's pet. Going around acting all smart with that lowly background of hers."
"Oh my! It can't be helped! After all, who else's shoes will she lick to act all high and mighty."
Whispers from various corners filled the air. Mocking, gossiping and humiliating.
Yet Salene didn't pay any mind to the cruel-hearted words as she continued to move along.
Of course one wouldn't mind it....
because they have already heard it to the point where they lose all hope.
It will always be like this.
Don't cry.
The weak are those who hide and talk.
You have a future ahead of you.
Just survive this rotten obstacle.
These were the thoughts that kept Salene going.
She didn't desire fame nor did she wish to brag about the money that were earned by her parents. Not like those filthy spoiled kids at least.
Pretty stereotypical, isn't it.
She thought all people were the same. Especially the rich, bragging about their money. The poor? Just tag along with the 'money loaders' and gossip.
Salene sighed and shook her head.
'The most important thing is...to always get full marks.'
Soon, Salene found herself in front of the marvelous door to the teachers' staff room.
"It sure took an eternity to get here." She mumbled.
Salene knocked on the door and after a short period of time, the door opened.
"Good morning, respected teache-" Before she could finish the sentence that she had practiced a few times before knocking, her closed eyes opened and landed on a blinding sight.
She raised her head a little to look at the mysterious figure that was just half foot taller than her.
"Oh! Hello!" A bright smile enveloped the fair face of a...boy as it would seem.
He had short brilliant pink hair and mesmerizing eyes. A perfect nose, eyebrows and face shape. His thin lips were stretched slightly as he smiled at Salene.
"Who may you be?"
Without minding to answer his greeting, she directly asked the question she had intended to ask from the moment she saw him.
He looked taken aback and scratched the back of his head.
"Oh..well..I am.."
Even his voice engulfed by nervousness sounded mesmerizing.
"Good morning miss Ryalend, it appears that you've already seen our new transfer student." A restrictive voice was heard.
'Transfer student? In this time of the semester? oh well, this dude can say goodbye to his grades.' Salene thought.
"Yes, professor Henir. As for the papers regarding the overall average score of commending athletic performance of the sections from grade 7, the record is accurately filed in this document. In case of any accidents, I have secured them in the form of an excel document and updated it into a USB."
Salene spoke such meticulous words without a moment of hesitation while the boy looked bewildered.
'What? you want to spread rumors about me being a robot?' Salene scoffed in her thoughts.
"That's amazing! the way you created a backup clearly demonstrates how serious you are over such duties!" The marvellous boy praised Salene in the most warm way. He didn't appear to show any ulterior motives just innocently grinning while standing in front of her.
'This guy.....he did not call me a by-hearting machine but...what is up with this dude?!' Salene was flabbergasted.
The professor cleared his throat.
"Excellent work miss Ryalend. Your marks for teacher assistance will be awarded in your final certificate. As for Lord Ackerman, I will be assigning you a school guide in the shortest time possible." The professor said as he turned to the boy who's last name appeared to be Ackerman.
"Yes sir, I will be awaiting your decision." The boy smiled as usual.
"Excuse me, I apologize for interrupting but how many marks does a student acquire for taking the responsibility of a guide?" Salene interrupted.
The teacher looked at her while a smirk arose in his mind.
"Not very much...around....50 marks?"
Salene's ears perked up like a cat.
'50? did he just say 50!? that is 10 times worth of extra work!'
"Professor! If you don't mind, can I please take up the job?" Salene willfully declared her decision.
"Well it will definitely not be a hassle. What do you say Lord Ackerman?"
"Of course! I would love having a company like her around." The boy in question looked at Salene with twinkling eyes.
'As expected. This dude is definitely a bizarre puppy on drugs that turned it into a human.' Salene continued with her trail of thoughts.
As the teacher entrusted Salene with what she would call a 'puppy' the so called person gladly shook hands with her.
" Hey there! My name is Fairytailge- I mean Zen Ackerman."
"I don't see why you are being so informal, we have just met each other." Salene darted her words at Zen.
He looked like a puppy who just got scolded.
She sighed, "Salene Ryalend. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Zen's non-existent ears perked up and a bright smile enveloped his face.
"Me too!" He noticed Salene moving forward and ran to her side.
And that was when it all started.
* A week later*
'I am Salene Ryalend. An average 11 year old desiring to live a normal and drama free life. However, it is not possible because I go to a school filled with rich spoiled brats. My daily life includes doing assistance work and studying 3 months before the lesson is taught. I aim to be perfect in my academics which is one of the reasons as to why I have joined this school.
My life was going in a steady pace...that is...until I met..
"Salene!!" Zen came running towards Salene during the break and gave her a hug.
Envious looks from all sides attacked Salene.
'Yup. Until I met this troublesome puppy...he just keeps on acting more like one...'
"Zen, how many times have I told you not to jump up on me like that." She gently pushed him away and continued eating her food.
"Man, do you always have to be so cruel? It hurts my heart you know." Zen said while wiping away fake tears.
"I don't give a potato about it." (In other words she doesn't care).
The indifferent look on her face remained fixed.
Zen smiled and chuckled when a bunch of girls surrounded him.
"So, Lord Ackerman! Just how do you manage to get so tall!"
"Of course! That perfect physique as well!"
"My! I also heard about your excellent performance, I must say you are just perfect."
"That's right! Without a doubt he is very much capable of being a prince!"
The girls attempted to flatter the handsome boy. the boy in question just smiled away as the comments from all the girls surrounding him continued to flow in.
Salene didn't mind. Even if the girls were ignoring her. She just wanted to enjoy her free lunch.
After Zen had finished chatting with all the girls he approached Salene.
"They sure are crowding up on me a lot, what do you think?" He asked.
"They have a crush on you." Salene replied indifferently.
Zen just looked at Salene with a dazed look.
"While I can see that, it's just...they don't seem to.." He glanced at Salene.
"They don't seem to acknowledge me? Ignore me? Act like I'm some kind of trash?" Salene finished the words, not even looking up for she was reading a book.
Zen looked flustered, " Uh..I see..so..um..."
"You can stop now." Salene said.
"W-what?" Zen asked.
"Stop acting like an angel who is helping me in the time of distress. Everyone here already knows how amazing and kind you are." (Salene)
"I never-"
"You will never know. There is no way you will gain anything from staying by a 'commoner's' side. You definitely have ulterior motives."
"That's not it!"
"Oh, I see what it is. This is what everyone thinks now, A handsome and benevolent noble defends and supports a filthy commoner in distress. She will dedicate all her life to him and become his life-long servant."
"And then? she will be more disgusting than before. So? What do you think? A teacher's pet like me would be perfect for a servant."
She finally looked towards Zen as their eyes interlocked.
"You may take me for that kind of girl but let me remind you. I am not an idiot who gets swayed by useless people's words. I would rather die as a dog than live as a slave to such pathetic people."
And without listening to Zen's words, she slowly walked away out of his sight.
What would you expect? A girl who was always ridiculed all her life will never realize what warmth is or how it feels like to hold a hand.
She never confronted her oblivious mother about this matter because she did not want to trouble her.
She didn't need friends because she didn't want to be a servant.
She didn't need love because she knew very well...that such a thing does not exist.
How difficult do you think it is for a mere 11 year old to experience such things?
Running away from reality is not always an option.
Sometimes...
In the illuminated windows, sparkled the magnificent light of the setting sun, Salene passed by the beautiful corridor.
Her beauty boasting its essence.
Salene stopped walking and looked out the glass window.
You just have to face what comes your way.
Salene had opened up a little to Zen.
She seemed to enjoy his company.
Not to mention...
he always helped her when girls ridiculed her.
However, she didn't want to drown in this pleasure.
She decided to end things once and for all because she knew....
she was changing. All because of him. She had to. Even if she sounded cruel, she knew he must have had ulterior motives.
Salene decided to move on. Move on from these simple pleasures. Keep moving forward in life.
A few days passed and they didn't talk to each other.
Salene realized that he really did have ulterior motives. She did not why but her heart ached very badly.
'It's fine.' She thought and continued with her daily routine.
.
.
.
.
.
*Splash*
In a washroom, a cold bucket of water was poured on Salene.
"So, how does it feel like being dumped miss commoner gold digger?" (A/N: OH YEAH! THE ONLY GOLD DIGGER HERE IS YOUR MOM!) a girl caked with make up said.
"Jeez, look at how disgusting she looks." They snickered like witches.
"Don't worry little trash, Our Zen will never lay eyes upon someone with a filthy blood like yours."
Salene stepped up brushed off some of the water and walked out
'Well, it's better to avoid any useless fights. I'll just change my clothes.'
These acts of physical bullying became common in those days when the duo were separated.
Zen was being accompanied by a group of students when his eyes landed on a completely soaked Salene.
Without any hesitation, he sprinted towards her.
"What is this?! Who in the world did this!" He asked as fury engulfed his perfect face.
"It's nothing..." Salene muttered.
"Nothing! you call this nothing?!" He was angry...really angry.
Suddenly as he was examining her body, he saw a scar, no, many scars.
All of them were from the burn, slap and scratching caused during the bullying.
The giggling girls came out of the washroom, not having any idea of what they would go through.
"Oh! Zen!" They looked his way and shamelessly waved at him but he did not return it.
"You. Did. This." He said softly.
"What?" The smiles on their faces didn't disappear as they looked his way.
He looked up.
Salene couldn't believe it.
He looked furious, she had never seen him like this.
"You have quite the guts don't you? disgusting pests." He said looking up.
Everyone around him were shocked. He had never acted like this.
He moved their way and handed them something.
It was burning.
"W-what.." They looked down to see something they wouldn't believe.
"Congratulations, your fathers' company just got bankrupt." Zen smiled but this time, his smile did not hold any pure intentions.
The girls collapsed.
He held Salene's hand.
"As for all of you. Our family's company will be declining your shares. Every.Single.One of you." He looked at them while they shivered.
A lion in front of the herbivores. That's what it looked like to Salene.
Zen held her hand tightly.
'No. I lost. I can't help it anymore. I...can't escape from the warmth.'
Since that day, they had become very close friends.
Inseparable even.
Salene slowly realized everything.
The reason he approached her was because he wanted a true friend. He enjoyed her company just like how she enjoyed his.
The reason he didn't approach her after the argument was because he was familiarizing with the students who ridiculed Salene so that he could make all their companies go bankrupt.
The reason he didn't talk to her, was because he felt that she wanted to be alone.
He respected her wishes and helped her as much as he can.
He...was a prefect prince indeed.
When he smiled in the setting sun...
she knew it.
.
.
.
She had fallen in love with this boy.
This strange boy who she once called a puppy.
The boy who had once followed her around now occupied her heart.
After a few months they decided to enjoy the summer break in the beach.
It was a perfect atmosphere for a romantic date.
The sun was leaning against the ocean as Salene and Zen sat together at the shore.
"Zen - Salene" They both said together.
"Uh...ladies first?" Zen said.
"I'll prefer you." She giggled, it had become quite common for her to smile and today...she decided to confess her feelings hoping he would feel the same.
"Ok!" Zen huffed and got up from his sitting position.
"Salene I...I have been wanting to tell this to you for a long time...I don't even...sigh...I don't know how to say it...you might feel really awkward about this but I knew we cannot stay like this forever." Zen said as the sun illuminated his shimmering beautiful hair.
The sound of the waves covered the atmosphere as Salene felt that she knew what he would say...he might just be confessing before her.
She listened attentively as Zen continued.
"Salene...I...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I...
.
.
.
.
'Go ahead..'.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
" I AM A GIRL!"
He oh I mean she screamed.
Salene looked at Zen.
The crows crowed.
And that was how.
Salene's first love ended.
She gave an incredulous look then...
after a bit of registering...
THUMP
"F*$%$^$$##" She screamed.
"I-I know! I'm sorry w-well.."
Zen stammered.
"JUST TELL ME YOUR NAME DIMWIT!" Salene lost her temper.
"Oh....I am...um...my name is ....
.
.
..
.
..
Estelle."
'I'm never falling in love again.'
Was Salene's last thought.
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So! how was the extra? Hope you liked it.
Have a safe and happy day!
One like for Salene's sad love!
adios amigos!