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Intro. It was my first day at a private school. I got in through a scholarship, something I worked so hard for. Everyone looked rich, confident, and perfect — while I stood there, just me, chubby and plain. I didn’t expect anyone to notice me, but then there was Nathaniel Jake Cruz — the campus crush. He’s rich, handsome, and the son of the famous Cruz family. Everyone adored him, but for some reason, he always picked on me. He teased me about my looks, my uniform, even the way I walked. At first, I thought he hated me, that maybe I disgusted him. But sometimes, when I caught his eyes, they looked softer — almost like he was hiding something. Maybe his teasing wasn’t about hate… maybe it was the only way he knew how to show what he really felt.

Beneath the tease

@Michael Gepitulan