The minor altercation between Jimmy and Henry barely caused a stir in the cssroom.

  Meanwhile, Xanthia, sporting a new hairstyle and outfit, began drawing more attention as the room filled up. Her presence became increasingly noticeable; there was no denying that a beautiful girl always became a topic of discussion.

  "Hey, listen to this. You won’t believe it," said a boy who had just entered the cssroom to his deskmate. "That Xanthia—you know, the one sitting next to Dematero—she’s an absolute hidden gem. Stunning!"

  "Xanthia? Hang on, let me see..." his cssmate replied with a grin, pulling books from his bag. "Wow. Just changing her hairstyle makes a big difference. She might even give Luciel a run for her money as the 'css beauty.' Looks like Luciel needs to step up her game."

  "It’s not just the hairstyle. Right now, you can only see her upper body in that white blouse, but trust me, you’re missing out. Dematero’s completely blocking the view."

  "What’s the 'best part' then?"

  "Her legs! Those perfectly proportioned legs used to be hidden under those boring school pants. Now, with that pleated skirt and over-the-knee socks, she’s a knockout!"

  "You’re exaggerating."

  "Just wait until she gets up for water or leaves the cssroom. You’ll see!"

  "Dude, did you not py enough Fortnite over the break? You sound like you’re setting up for some epic team fight!"

  "Hmph, I’m sitting near the water dispenser. This is a prime spot! Missing today would be a lifelong regret."

  "Come on, don’t lose your head over one girl. Keep it together."

  Conversations like this echoed throughout the cssroom, especially among the boys.

  Not everyone was thrilled by Xanthia’s dramatic transformation, however. Some students quietly beled her as a “poor student,” assuming she cared more about her looks than her studies. They distanced themselves from her, fearing association with someone they perceived as frivolous.

  This reaction reflected Thessaloniki First High School’s strong academic focus. In other schools, a girl like Xanthia—who dressed boldly, seemed socially isoted, and had no reputation for academic excellence—might have faced even harsher judgment.

  Even so, some cssmates harbored darker thoughts, eagerly awaiting her potential failure in the upcoming monthly exams. No matter how beautiful she was, they believed poor grades would reduce her to insignificance.

  Meanwhile, Dematero had just finished his holiday homework. A natural chatterbox, he couldn’t stay silent for long and struck up a conversation with Xanthia. While he did most of the talking, Xanthia occasionally responded, multitasking as she read her manga.

  "I’m going to get some water," Xanthia said, noticing her empty bottle. She got up to refill it.

  Dematero considered offering to do it for her but hesitated, worrying his intentions might be misunderstood. Xanthia’s water bottle was a distinct light pink thermos.

  He stepped aside, watching as she walked away. In that moment, he couldn’t help admiring her perfect silhouette, feeling a sudden urge to compose poetry.

  But impulse remained impulse; he restrained himself. His poems were reserved for his "love angel" alone.

  At the water dispenser, Xanthia bent slightly forward, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she filled her bottle. Oblivious to the attention she attracted, her graceful posture struck a chord with the boys secretly observing her, as if she’d struck them with a bolt of lightning.

  Some of those boys, who had been waiting for such a moment, successfully snapped photos of her.

  In fact, Xanthia’s new look had already caught the eyes of students from various csses and grades as she walked from the school gate to her cssroom. During the bustling morning arrival, some students—dazzled by her appearance—had discreetly taken out their phones to capture the sight.

  On Thessaloniki First High School’s campus forum, as well as private css chat groups—those used for gaming and socializing, rather than the teacher-monitored official groups—questions began popping up: "Anyone know who this girl is? Urgent! I need info now!"

  Others posted: "Rate the rising star: what’s your score?"

  Campus forums, which had rgely repced old-school bulletin boards, were still very much in vogue. Students frequently organized "school beauty contests" on these ptforms, rating girls with comments like "angelic," "absolutely stunning," "just makeup magic," or "not as good as [insert name]."

  The boys found these posts highly entertaining, while the girls—despite publicly denouncing them—often checked their own rankings, especially those who were considered attractive.

  The forums also featured a "school confession wall," a popur feature where students anonymously decred their feelings. Thessaloniki, as the provincial capital, boasted many high schools, with Thessaloniki First High School and Thessaloniki Foreign Language High School ranked among the best. However, when it came to the so-called “school beauties,” these prestigious schools often couldn’t compete with rger, less elite schools, which had a wider pool of students.

  It wasn’t uncommon for boys from First High School or Foreign Language High School to post confessions on other schools’ forums, praising their beauties. This usually led to ridicule from students at those schools, who would mockingly reply, “The geniuses from your top schools can’t resist our beauties, huh?”

  Although Xanthia’s photos had begun circuting within Thessaloniki First High’s forum and private chat groups, her newfound popurity hadn’t yet reached its peak.

  One eager student from Css 1-3 quickly shared a candid photo of Xanthia with Marcus El Postacio, a prominent figure in their css. To him, it was akin to offering tribute.

  Marcus hadn’t attended school that day. Known for skipping evening self-study sessions, he saw little reason to show up on free afternoons. Upon receiving the photo, he was shocked and slightly uneasy. Xanthia, the quirky girl he knew, was dressing so boldly? It felt unreal.

  Instinctively, he forwarded the picture to Dionysius with a message: "Brother Dionysius, we have a problem. Did I say something wrong st time and offend Miss Xanthia?"