Once the wall between us finally crumbled and we officially became best friends, Kaiza didn't want to keep me hidden away just for herself. She was so proud to have me as her friend that she wanted to integrate me completely into her whole world. She wanted to show me off to the people she loved and trusted the most, as if telling them, "Look, this is the person who matters most to me."
"Come on Cole! Hurry up!" she said one afternoon after class, dragging me by the arm forcefully towards the cafeteria. Her grip was tight, and her excitement was contagious, even though I was feeling the opposite. "I want you to meet my real friends! The ones I knew before transferring here! They are like my family!"
"I don't know Kaiza…" I hesitated, planting my feet slightly, feeling a wave of nervousness and awkwardness wash over me. "I'm not really used to hanging out in big groups. You know I like being alone."
It was true. I was always a loner. Being surrounded by many people made me feel uncomfortable and exposed, especially since I was carrying so many heavy secrets. Secrets about my family, secrets about my forced engagement to Talina, secrets about who I really was. I preferred silence. I preferred being alone or just being with her. Adding more people to my life felt risky and overwhelming.
"No excuses!" she insisted, not letting go of my arm, pulling me forward again. "You're my best friend now, so you have to belong with us! Trust me, they are really nice and they won't judge you at all! You'll love them, I promise!"
She pulled me all the way to a table near the large window where three other people were sitting, laughing and talking happily. As soon as they saw us approaching, they stopped talking and waved excitedly, their eyes curious.
"Guys! Look who I brought!" Kaiza said proudly, beaming with joy like she was holding up a trophy. "This is Cole! My rival and now my absolute best friend!"
One girl with long, flowing hair and a very sweet, angelic smile stood up immediately. She looked really pretty, gentle, and delicate, like a porcelain doll.
"Hi Cole! I'm Rose! Nice to finally meet you!" she said in a soft, melodic voice, shaking my hand gently. But she held my hand a little longer than necessary, her touch lingering, looking at me with eyes that seemed too admiring.
Then another girl with a stronger, cooler vibe and short hair nodded at me sharply. "I'm Amelia. Finally, we meet. Kaiza talks about you nonstop, literally every single day. We were wondering when we'd finally see you."
And a boy with glasses and a calm, friendly demeanor smiled and patted the empty seat beside him. "I'm Zen. Sit down, man. Don't be shy. Make yourself at home. Kaiza has told us a lot about your intelligence."
I sat down between Kaiza and Rose, feeling stiff and a bit awkward at first. But they were genuinely warm. They started asking me questions, sharing their food with me, telling funny stories, and including me in everything. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like an outsider looking in. I felt like I was part of a normal, happy friend group. I felt accepted. I felt human.
Kaiza was so happy seeing me get along with them, laughing and smiling genuinely. Her eyes were shining with so much affection watching me interact with the people she loved. But little did I know, this simple introduction would start a whole new wave of problems, jealousy, and drama that none of us were prepared for.