"Mom, shhhhhh. It's embarrassing for the neighbors," I interrupted my mother's scolding, aware of my crush observing from a distance.

"Why? You should be ashamed of yourself! You're still young and haven't done anything to help me with the household chores, Jamie! Always engrossed in those pointless romance novels! Where do you even get the money to buy those useless books?" My mother's anger flared when she caught me reading.

"From my savings," I responded honestly, but she dismissed my answer with a snort. It seemed like she already had an idea that I was talking nonsense. How could I save some amount from my allowance when I always had to buy something for Kevin?

"Your savings? Who provides you with the money? It's from my pocket, you brat! If you knew how hard it is to earn money these days, you wouldn't waste it on frivolous things! Now, tell me, what have you learned from reading those books?"

As her glare intensified, I sought an escape. My mother could be ruthless, especially when wielding a broom or her slippers. "Did you hear Dad calling for me? I need to go," I reasoned, using it as an opportunity to leave her side. However, she continued to shout after me, causing concern to bubble within me. Approaching my father, who was occupied with feeding the dogs, I announced, "I'm heading to school, Dad."

"I don't understand why you and your mother can't get along, Jamie. But remember what I always tell you: no boyfriends while you're still studying, okay?" he reminded me.

"What about Kevin?" I inquired, referring to our attractive neighbor.

"Especially not with Kevin," he emphasized.

"You don't have to worry about Kevin, Dad. He's just a crush. Besides, I want to become a wealthy housewife, and that won't happen with Kevin. I don't want to be poor forever!" I expressed my ambition, despite sounding a bit rude. My dream was to achieve financial security, and marrying someone affluent could make that possible.

"Oh, Jamie! What are you saying, lass? Don't judge him so quickly. We don't know what the future holds," my father admonished.

"Shhh, we'll talk about it later, Daddy. He's approaching," I whispered, realizing that my mother had not given me my school allowance. "Hmm, Dad?"

"How much do you need?"

"It's up to you, Dad," I responded, aware of his limited wallet.

"Buy something for Kevin during your break time," he instructed, showcasing his generous nature despite our modest means.

"I always buy something for him, Dad. Don't worry. Anyway, he's here. Hello, Kevin! Good morning," I greeted Kevin as he approached. As usual, he did not respond, merely shrugging his shoulders and motioning for me to follow him. "You're walking fast this morning. Is someone chasing you?" I playfully teased.

"Yes. You," he coldly replied, causing me to roll my eyes at his back.

"That's a terrible thing to say to your pretty neighbor and classmate, Kevin," I complained with a smile, though inwardly hurt by his indifference. I didn't expect such a cold treatment, considering we were fine last Friday. What had happened over the weekend?

"Aren't you tired of this routine, Jamie?" Kevin's question prompted a furrowing of my brows.

"What do you mean, Kevin?" I politely responded, countering his question with one of my own.

"Every day, you wait for me, and we go to school together. Our classmates assume you're my girlfriend!" There was a tinge of anger in his voice, leaving me perplexed.

"So what? Let them assume what they want," I retorted, secretly delighted by the assumption that we were a couple.

"Because of their misconception, Michelle no longer pays attention to me. She doesn't even reply to my messages anymore!"

Ah, so Michelle was the reason for his indifference. I poked his shoulder, urging him to face me. Despite his intelligence in class, he could be naive. I had no idea he could become foolish over Michelle. "She's toying with your emotions, Kevin. Do you genuinely believe she likes you? Wake up!"

"Are you suggesting that Michelle was only nice to me because of you, Jamie? That she was jealous of you? Do you think you have something she should be envious of? If you're smart, she's just as smart. If you're beautiful, she's even more beautiful. Michelle's parents are wealthy, unlike yours," Kevin proclaimed.

"You're categorizing people based on their worth now? Unbelievable, Kevin!" Fueled by anger, I pushed him aside and stormed away.

Even as I entered the classroom, my anger lingered. I was furious about the way he had expressed himself, yet I couldn't deny that he wasn't entirely wrong. Michelle's parents were more well-off than mine, but I wouldn't trade my imperfect parents for anything. I loved them despite their shortcomings.

"Where are you going, Jamie? Our teacher is about to arrive," Pearl, one of my classmates, attempted to stop me from leaving.

"I need to buy something from the cafeteria," I replied, swiftly making my way to the doorway before she could protest.

The school corridor was empty since most of the teachers had already entered their classrooms. I wasn't sure why our teacher was running late, but I didn't mind. "One ice cream, please," I requested from the cafeteria attendant, shocking her with my unusual morning craving.

"Are you mad, Jamie? It's only seven in the morning," she protested.

"I don't know, but I feel like having ice cream right now," I replied, leaving her no choice. I devoured the cornetto hastily and hurried back to our classroom.

To my dismay, my mood worsened upon seeing Kevin and Michelle engage in a serious conversation outside the room. Michelle raised an eyebrow as I passed by, but I chose to ignore them and headed straight to my seat. However, before our first subject began, Michelle stood in front of the class, making an announcement.

"Listen, everyone. Kevin and I are officially dating," she declared, causing some of my classmates' eyes to shift toward me after her revelation.