It was another day at school. Miriam Hammington was entering through the gates of the most expensive school in Queensland, Australia.
“Well,” she said, “Here goes nothing.”
She felt out of place for some odd reason. She could not help it. Many of the other students came from wealthy families and were likely much more advanced academically than she.
But how was Miriam going to fit it? Would she make friends? Would she be able to keep up with her classes? She was determined to make it work, however difficult it may be. After all, this was only her chance to make the best of it, and get a better education.
It was the assembly. Miriam sat still, listening to the director of students, or in other words, the school principal, give his welcoming speech. While she was trying to pay attention, she could not help but notice a boy who caught her eye. He was tall and handsome, with dark hair and bright eyes. She didn’t know who he was, but there was something about him that made her curious.
After the assembly ended and everyone started to get up from their seats, Miriam noticed the boy heading out of the auditorium and decided to follow him.
Miriam followed him out the auditorium and saw him meet up with a group of his friends. She then stood off to the side, trying not to draw attention to herself as she watched them interact. The young boy seemed to be joking around and having fun with his friends, laughing and talking loudly. Miriam felt like an outsider as she watched them from afar. She was wondering if she should try to introduce herself or if it would be better to leave them alone.
Frustrated and disappointed after watching the boy interact with his friends, Miriam thought about approaching him and introducing herself, but she did not want to intrude on their conversation.
Instead, she decided to walk away and find somewhere else to go.
Miriam walked through the school gardens, feeling down and alone. As she walked, she saw a group of girls who were laughing and having fun together. They all seemed so happy and perky, but Miriam felt a pang of jealousy of their cheerfulness. She knew that they were all from wealthy families and had probably never struggled in life like she had. She felt like an outsider as she watched them from afar, wondering what it would be like to fit in with them.
“I guess they are just here to be…show-offs! Like the girls I would see on the telly. And I think they are more interested in their wealth rather than their education.”
As she walked, Miriam made her way back towards the classroom where her first class was. She felt perplexed, nervous, and felt a rush of anxiety. Her mood was even worse after seeing the group of girls.
Miriam walked in and took a seat, utterly not feeling her best.
This is not fair, she thought, putting her head down on her desk, I know I come from a different background and I am in a lower class, but that does not mean that I don’t want to belong. I know I do! I went through so much effort to enter this prestigious school and you are all making me think that I don’t belong!
Miriam wondered if things would get better, or would she feel like the outsider she had always been.
Miriam Hammington was from Pashtonia, Genovia. Her hometown was comfortable and kind. But when her father passed away, she was left alone with her mother. She then had to move away, making use of the expenses that Mr. Hammington had left for the two women in his life. She missed it. She missed it all. Nothing could make her feel better.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Miriam was striving to stay focused in her class, when she saw the same boy from the assembly again. She was surprised to see him sitting right next to her, secretly on his phone, especially after seeing him with his mates.
What’s he doing in this class? And why has he chosen me to sit next to him?
This sparked the curiosity in Miriam. She could not help but see that the boy was actually beautiful. Her cheeks were flushing into a bright red. As she took one more look, their eyes met. For at least about five seconds they were looking in each other’s eyes. They both lightly gushed and they looked away. Miriam couldn’t believe that that had actually happened. But she had no idea that it was Jake Shim, the famous member of ENHYPEN! She had heard of them before, and she didn’t even realize she was sitting next to one of their members.
Does he know who I am, or is he just playing it cool and just ignoring me…like all of the other “cool” kids do?
Jake was much different than all of the other larger- than-life celebrities. It was strange to most that he was a seventeen-year-old boy, literally sitting in a regular classroom.
And so, Miriam just sat there, silently, trying not to laugh and ruin her first day in class, hoping that he would not notice her.
*~*~*~*~*~*
After the first class, it was break, and Miriam broke free from the classroom and ran back out to the school’s courtyard, needing time to process everything that had already happened so far.
“I walk into the school, see some children, and then I see a tall and handsome man sitting miles away from my seat during the assembly, and just then, he happens to be seated right next to me! What the heck is going on here? I am not hallucinating, right?”
She paced around the gardens, clearing her head about today. As she sat down, she did become curious. She then held her cheek on the palm of her hand.
“Who was that boy I was sitting next to? He doesn’t seem that familiar, though. So, why are people swarming around him for no particular reason?” Miriam wondered out loud.
Meanwhile, a group of popular girls were sitting a spot away from Miriam. One of them was the school director’s daughter Kang Yeji.
“She does not know about Jake just yet,” she said with a cackle, “I am going to be the one dating Jake. And soon…I’ll be called Mrs. Shim by the time we are married. That way no other girl would get in my way…again.”
Miriam actually overheard her little plan on actually pretending to date Jake. She thought of this as a dangerous plan, and it could affect her relationship with Jake.
“Jake…Shim?” she muttered to herself, “Huh…so that’s his name. Well…at least I know now he dates only the rich and popular. But…how would anyone explain why he made long eye contact with me?”
As she was walking down to her next class, she could not help but overhear the other girls muttering about the supposed “laws” when meeting up with Jake.
“They say that we can’t say anything or make a fuss. Otherwise, things could lead to trouble.”
Miriam tilted her head.
But I wouldn’t make a fuss, or say anything, she thought.
She had no idea why they had to keep his whereabouts a secret. Maybe it was because there was paparazzi or maybe he had to live his life privately before he got older and such. But she promised to keep the secret to herself, no matter what.
It was at the end of the school day. Miriam was now relieved that it was all over for the day. And although it was a Monday, everything went without fail. Except for finding out about Jake Shim in a strange way. She was walking past the parking lot when she saw a lot of students crowding over a big black car. Seven boys were quickly rushing to get to it before they were ambushed by the students. One of them was actually Jake Shim!
Miriam went closer to take a look. Before he hopped in, he saw Miriam and gave her a warm smile, before being pulled in and driving off.
So…he was a…K-Pop idol…