Chapter 13：School Life and Peers

Winter is not beautiful, but she is pretty enough.

She knows that by simply looking at herself in the mirror. Unlike most girls in her school, she isn't interested in cosmetics or in fashion. Those things don't seem important for her. She prefers doing other things instead of worrying about her looks. Besides, she really has no one to get pretty for.

That means either one of two things - everyone in her class is too dumb or she is only a lot smarter than she really takes herself for. Whenever someone needs help, she will be the first person they will come to. However, she finds that bothersome, considering that she likes to be by herself.

Only recently, Winter has become distant and impassive whenever she is in class. She used to be any other average highschooler before - sociable and easy to get along with. Though she changed, she knows for herself that she is still determined and confident. No matter what happens, she always does her best in everything that is presented to her. She never gives up, and she never lets things get her down - even if one of those is her miserable life before she went back in time.

However, because Winter has become unsociable, she ends up losing friends. While she did initiate it, they easily let her be on her own. There are some who even forget that she exists.

'I doubt that Marcellus Lexington will still be interested in me if I act the way I do in school every time we meet...' Winter thought in silence as she prepared herself for a new day.

'That's why I'm trying to be as annoyingly playful as I can. I pretend. This way, I will be able to leave a lasting impression on him."

Sighing, she once again finds herself eating breakfast all alone. Her mornings are always like that. August has gone to work earlier than usual - otherwise, he would be getting up later than her.

When Winter is finished with her breakfast, she picks up her things from the table and starts to head for school. It's still a little early, but she doesn't really mind. She then walks towards the door and goes outside.

Of course, her life at school wasn't as easy as she thought it would be even though she traveled back in time. There were certain people there who would make her life quite impossible, but she was slowly getting used to it.

'Yeah, right. More like, I've decided to solve it by distancing myself and drawing a line as early as possible...' Winter continued to ponder as she walked down the road.

'No use in getting along with my classmates. They'll all turn their backs on me in the end, anyway - especially those I used to think as friends.'

Taking a good whiff of air, Winter stretches her arms high in the air and looks up with a small smile. It is going to be gorgeous day - or so, she hopes. She could tell by looking at the blue, cloudless sky.

"Anyway, let's just go through this the same way as usual. I still have business to do after school is over."

Once in class, Winter would sit by herself in the first desk by the window.

She liked it there since she would get a nice view of the sceneries outside. Frequently, she is the first to be in class. She would settle down on her seat and proceed to watch her classmates walk in little by little.

The first to walk after her is the one she considers as her complete opposite in school - the ever popular and gorgeous Courtney.

She is the dream girl of every boy in Marie Claire High School. At least, that's what everyone in class keeps saying. She is this blue-eyed blonde with a curvaceous figure, charming profile, and outgoing personality. Since she is not particularly close with her, she doesn't know much about her.

The one that followed after Courtney was the school delinquent, Maxine. Her presence is different from her - but still as impactful. She has long and straight crimson red hair and a pair of blazing scarlet irises - some striking features, indeed.

There is something about her that inspires fear and respect from everyone. Then again, she became quite the legend after beating up a group of guys all by herself in a fist fight.

'A queen bee and a delinquent - quite a pair of popular kids, I must say,' Winter mused silently.

The class was getting louder in each passing minute, but it suddenly went silence when the most popular guys in the entire school walked in along with their group of friends - Ace and Xander.

Some of those people they're hanging around with are the ones that Winter can't stand. She has her reasons, though. For one, they are loud and annoying. They walk around the place as if they own it only because they have those two with them. At times, she would even find them picking on those who were weaker than them.

'Talk about obnoxious brats,' Winter thought with disdain.

Then, there are Ace and Xander themselves. Contrasting the physical features of the former, the latter has light brown hair and eyes of the same color - a darker color scheme. He is more playful and friendly than him as well. Both of them are nice and approachable, but someone like her is as good as non-existent to them.

Winter is invisible when these people are around. Everyone would pay attention to them. They are cool and fun - something that she definitely isn't. That didn't matter to her, though.

Winter is contented being who she is. She might not be beautiful, cool or sociable, but she is a smart and determined person.

'Besides, I've got no time playing around like them. I only have one year left before my entire world changes...' Winter pondered as she continued observing her mundane environment.

'I gotta say I'll miss this easygoing atmosphere at the very least.'