In Class

The bell rang, signaling the start of class. Anni found her seat at the back of the room, next to Saki and Natsuki. Saki was already scribbling notes, her eyes focused on the teacher as she took diligent notes. Natsuki, on the other hand, was daydreaming, twirling her pen in one hand while staring out the window.

“Hey, Anni,” Natsuki said lazily, breaking the silence. “You coming to the park later? I heard some guys are going to set up a barbecue.”

Anni hesitated for a moment. Normally, she’d jump at the chance to hang out, but today she felt off. “Maybe... I’m not sure. I’ve got some things to do.”

Saki shot her a look, her pen pausing mid-sentence. “Things to do? You’ve been glued to that computer for days. Are you sure you don’t need a break?”

Anni couldn’t hide the frustration creeping into her voice. “I need to keep working. I’ve got to make this happen. I’m not going to just sit around waiting for success to fall into my lap.”

Natsuki chuckled. “You’re so intense, Anni. Take it easy for once. You’re not going to build an empire overnight, you know?”

Anni half-smiled, but the words didn’t reassure her. Everyone else seemed so... carefree. They didn’t have the same pressure weighing on them. The pressure of needing to be someone. To prove I’m not just... normal.