Chapter 1: The Weight of Expectations
"Adii... adii... Adam!"
Adam jolted awake, eyes blinking as he focused on the stern face of his teacher towering above him.
The once-quiet classroom now buzzed with curious stares from his classmates, each of them watching him with a mix of amusement and surprise.
He quickly glanced to his side, feeling his cheeks heat up as he spotted Ani, his crush, who was looking directly at him.
Her eyebrows were slightly raised, her lips pressed together to suppress a smile. Everyone was staring, and the humiliation crept through him like wildfire.
Swallowing hard, Adam stood up on his desk, managing a shaky voice as he apologized, "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again." The class burst into laughter, the sound echoing around him as he slumped back into his seat, even more embarrassed.
Even Ani was laughing, her eyes sparkling with amusement, and Adam couldn't help but mentally kick himself. 'Shit, I accidentally fell asleep in class.'
With a disappointed shake of his head, the teacher motioned for Adam to sit down and resumed the lesson.
Adam tried to focus, but his embarrassment lingered, and he was painfully aware of every chuckle and whisper around him.