Capítulo 1: Chapter 1 : welcome to my life
My name's Alex Macholore, and I'm sixteen. I live with my parents in this huge house that feels too big for one family. My mom is the CEO of a big company, and my dad is the chief of neurosurgery at NYC Hospital. Because of them, I guess, I inherited things like perseverance and photographic memory, which means I get good grades and rarely have to worry about studying. People think I've got it all together. They see this kid who has it all—grades, respect, a name that matters to everyone but me. But if you look closer, you'll see that no one ever sticks around as a real friend; they approach me either for the reputation or help with homework.
I'm like any other teenager, just trying to find my place. But the world today feels like it's all about money and status. In my private school, the kids and I are known for our privilege, and people love calling us dramatic because our parents are "generous providers." But high school isn't paradise. Sure, I might have the grades and respect, but somehow, I feel stuck in a loop, constantly switching between school, home, and high-end restaurants. It's boring. I crave some real emotion—something to break the monotony, something that's mine.
People say we all feel the same emotions, just in different ways, but for me, living in my head feels better than engaging with people who seem as lost as I am. There are only about 40 students in my grade, split into four classes. Just like in every school, we have our stereotypes. Everyone knows who's popular and who isn't.
Before diving deeper into my life, there's something you should know—a story about a breakup that lingers in my mind like a haunting melody. Last year, I met a girl, Pandora. Our story began as a strange twist of fate, rooted in pity and a fascination with her quiet, almost invisible presence. Everyone thought she was boring, but there was something mysterious about her that drew me in. Her awkwardness with guys somehow made me feel like I could be the one to understand her, and so I took the first step. What began as simple curiosity turned into something so much more.
For a while, things were amazing. We became closer faster than I thought possible, but lies have a way of creeping in. I fell for her—I knew I did. But I kept it to myself, terrified of ruining everything, of turning our connection into something complicated. Loving your friend is like holding a live grenade, and I wasn't ready to set it off.
Then one day, she was just... gone. She disappeared, leaving me hollow. It felt like someone had switched off the light in my world, taking away the excitement, comfort, and joy. When someone you care about deeply leaves, it's like a piece of you goes with them. I'd read somewhere that people entering or leaving your life can change you, but I never understood what that meant until I lost her.
September third. School's about to start, and like every year, I'm lying awake at night, flipping through my phone for no real reason. I know no one's texted, but it's a habit. Around 2 a.m., I finally fell asleep, only to drift into a dream—a bizarre blur of days flying past like scenes in fast-forward. I was in one place, then another, with the presence of this figure next to me. I couldn't tell if it was a guy or a girl, only that they had pale skin and neatly cut nails. When I woke up, my mother's voice was calling me for breakfast. A weird, unsettling feeling lingered as I went downstairs. My parents tried to engage me in small talk, with my dad talking about how senior year is "the best year of your life." I laughed along, pretending to care, counting the minutes until I could leave for school.
Like always, I grabbed my bike, put in my headphones, and let the music carry me. Those ten minutes of riding are probably the best part of my day, a small escape into my world.
At school, it's the same scene—same faces, same tired jokes. Over the years, I've heard every nickname and jab. Insults that once hurt me, sometimes enough to cry for days, now just bounce off. I figured out that if I let it go, it hurts less. Sure, ignoring things might not be perfect, but it spares me the endless loops of sadness and stress.
That first day, though, something felt different. We had new students in class. One of them, Kayne Starfield, stood out. His dad's one of the biggest developers in the city. There were three other girls too, probably from families wealthy enough to afford this place. The teachers droned on about the curriculum and finals, about how everything we do this year decides our futures. I forced myself to listen; after all, I had plans. I want to be a doctor, to build hospitals across the country if I make it.
Back home, I had dinner alone. My parents were on a business trip, so I went up to my room, put on Lana Del Rey, and lay back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My thoughts drifted back to Pandora, and a question stirred in my mind: was it worth it? Was falling in love worth the mess it left behind? For all the comfort and joy it brought, was it worth the ache that lingers?
Somewhere between her and my ambitions, I'm searching for something—something that feels real, something that makes life more than just a cycle of homework, expectations, and empty days. And maybe this year, I'll finally find it.
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