chapter 3

I woke up early on Monday morning, feeling anxious yet excited about the day ahead. The events of the party were still fresh in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for the newfound confidence I had gained.

As I walked to my locker, I noticed Linda waiting for me. She was wearing a bright yellow sundress and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

"Hey, Lin! How was your weekend?" she asked, flashing me a smile.

"It was great. Thanks for inviting me to the party," I said, smiling back at her.

"Of course! Hey, I was thinking... do you want to grab breakfast with me before school starts? There's a new cafe down the street that serves amazing croissants," she said, batting her long lashes at me.

I couldn't believe it. The most popular girl in school was asking me out on a date? It was like something out of a movie.

"Sure, that sounds great," I replied, trying to play it cool.

As we walked to the cafe, Linda started telling me about her weekend. She had gone to a charity event with her family and had met some influential people.

"That's awesome," I said, genuinely interested.

"Yeah, it was pretty cool. But you know what was even cooler? Finding out that your family is one of the biggest donors to the charity," she said, looking at me intently.

I felt my heart drop. Had I been exposed? Had she found out about my family's wealth?

Linda must have noticed my expression because she quickly added, "But don't worry, Lin. I won't tell anyone. I'm not interested in your money. I'm interested in you."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Linda. I appreciate that."

As we sat down at the cafe and started eating our croissants, Linda suddenly looked up and said, "Lin, I have to tell you something. I know why you pretend to be poor."

"Linda, what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to remain calm.

"I know that your parents are billionaires. And I know that they want you to experience a 'normal' high school life. But you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not. You're already an amazing person, and you don't need to hide your true self."

I was speechless. How did she know all of this? And why was she so determined to help me?

Linda continued, "Lin, I want to help you. I know what it's like to feel like you have to hide who you really are. But you don't have to do that with me. I want to be your friend, no matter what."

Her words touched me deeply. It was like she had seen right through my facade and was offering me a way out.

"Thanks, Linda. You have no idea how much that means to me," I said, feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders.

As we finished our croissants and walked back to school, I felt a sense of relief and gratitude. Linda had seen through my act and had accepted me for who I was.

The rest of the day flew by in a blur of classes and homework. But no matter how busy I was, I couldn't stop thinking about Linda and the kindness she had shown me.

After school, I headed to the park to clear my head. I sat down on a bench, watching as a group of kids played soccer nearby.

Suddenly, I heard a commotion behind me. I turned around to see a group of older guys surrounding a smaller, younger boy. They were taunting him and pushing him around.

Without thinking, I ran over to the group and pushed my way in between them.

"Leave him alone," I said firmly.

The older guys looked at me in surprise, sizing me up. But before they could say anything, Linda appeared beside me.

"What's going on here?" she asked, looking at the group with a stern expression.

The guys hesitated, unsure of how to react to Linda's sudden appearance.

"We were just messing around," one of them said, trying to play it off.

Linda didn't buy it. "It looks like you were bullying this boy," she said, turning to the younger kid.

The boy nodded, tears in his eyes. "They took my backpack and were making fun of me," he said softly.

Linda turned back to the group of guys. "That's not okay. You need to give his backpack back and leave him alone," she said, her voice firm.

To my surprise, the guys actually listened to her. They begrudgingly handed the backpack back to the younger boy and walked away, muttering under their breath.

I turned to Linda, impressed. "How did you do that?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I've dealt with my fair share of bullies over the years. You just have to stand up to them and not let them intimidate you."

I nodded, feeling grateful for her wisdom.

As the sun started to set, we walked back to school together, chatting and laughing like old friends. And in that moment, I knew that my life was about to change for the better. With Linda by my side, anything was possible.