My plan for this school year is simple: to enjoy it. I don’t plan on finding true love or being the top one in class. I just want to fit it, learn everything I can, and have fun. I really don’t have plans on pursuing my relationship counseling but Cloud insisted that I should.

The good thing is that students here are as interested in relationships as the students in my old school. As I pass by the corridors, I can hear girls chatting about their so-called perfect boyfriends and I won’t be surprised if they are dating the same person. There is also a group of boys checking out girls who have small skirts. What can I expect from men?

“Our first class is history. I hope you like this subject, Ciel” Matthew says and smiles

I nod, I love history but as the new girl who wants a quiet life, I don’t need to brag about the quiz bees I joined in my previous school. Stay low-key.

The room is quiet as soon as we enter. Some of the students rush to Matthew while I excuse myself. I walk around, looking for a seat.

“Hi, new girl!” A tall pale girl calls me.

She looks like one of those boyish girls who you do not want to mess with. Like a leader of a gang or something. I gulp but I look around and I know if I stay with a charismatic girl like her, I will be safe from bullying. I smile and walk to her. She pats the empty seat beside her.

I nervously sit down but I keep my smile anyway, no matter how awkward I look right now.

“Hi, I’m Claire and these are Mon and Min.”

Claire moves to show two identical twins beside her. It is my first time to meet identical twins and I don’t know if I’ll be able to tell them apart since they have the same hairstyle and skin tone. They smile and wave at the same time. I wave too.

“We’re the newbie recruits. All new students join us for a couple of days or weeks until they find their group. If you’re lucky, you can stay.” She explains while the two students nod.

I’m not sure if I want to stay but I am grateful that there is a group like this. It makes newbies like me feel comfortable on the first day.

My day is pretty much the same as always. We move to one classroom to another, based on our schedules. Claire is nice. Despite her boyish looks, she is more feminine than me in terms of thinking. She is looking forward to the prom and other parties. She wants to hang-out at a salon nearby. I don’t know if she’s doing that to help me find my group, but I want to be honest with her.

“I’m more into reading books”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “Matthew will love you.”

Matthew seems to be the popular guy in school. Aside from being the tour guide for new students, other students seem to be always looking for him for something. Even if I am curious why, I just let the day pass. Maybe Claire will mention it tomorrow.

I am on my way to the parking lot after school when I stop my tracks. A girl is crying alone. My first instinct is to help her of course, but this is a new town and I don’t want to look like I’m butting in her business. But the sounds of her crying increases and I know I will hate myself if I don’t do anything.

“Hey”

The girl hugging her knees stop to look at me. Her eyes are puffy and red. I assume she’s here for an hour or so.

“Who are you?” she asks.

I hold my nape. “I’m Ciel, I’m new here. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, I just want to give you this.”

I hand her a handkerchief. The girl lightly smiles and accepts it.

“Thank you. You’re the only one who went to me.”

I raise my eyebrow, but she’s so loud. Everyone would have noticed her. She looks at me again and pats the space beside her. Cloud must be waiting for me nearby but I can’t just leave her so I sit.

“Well, I received bad news today” she starts.

I look at her. Is this a consultation or am I a friend? I didn’t ask.

“um, what happened?”

She sighs and gets something from her backpack. She hesitates to show it to me but maybe she realizes that I’m the only one who cares or do I?

She shows me a pregnancy test. My eyes widen, I never thought this can happen in high school. I look at her with my surprised reaction. She sighs.

“Yeah, I screwed up. But I thought he would care, you know? But when I showed him this, he just left.”

The right reaction of someone in my position should be sad. But I’m not. I can feel a small smile appear in my lips. I know at this moment, a client is now in front of me and I am not letting her go.

I hold her hand, a little tight, surprising her. “Want to go somewhere? I don’t think this is the right place to talk about your problem.”

Before she can respond, we are on our way out of school. I start texting Cloud that he goes home first since I have a new client. As expected, he is more than happy to leave me.

“Are you a professional or something?” Mel, who still has puffy eyes, asks me after I hand her my “card”.

I smile, “something like that. I am a relationship consultant and I’m going to help you in this mess.”

In this moment, I know that I will like my stay here and maybe I can get closer to that cute guy in the neighborhood. If we ever meet again.