Brian Robinson and I had been childhood friends, the kind who'd known each other since we were toddlers. Our parents had been close friends for over a decade, living right across the hall from each other in the same apartment complex. Even from a young age, I liked Brian.

Back in elementary school, I was often bullied by other boys. There was one boy who was particularly nasty; he'd sit behind me and yank my hair, stick gum on my chair, and even hide little sparklers in my desk. I'd run to the teacher in tears, but after scolding him, she'd smile and say he was probably just acting out because he liked me.

I didn't buy it. The boy didn't change his behavior, so I went home and told my parents. They were furious and wanted to confront the teacher immediately. Martin Robinson, who was visiting at the time, heard the whole story and called Brian over, instructing him to look out for me at school from then on.

Brian and I were the same age, but we weren't in the same class. The next day during break, Brian came over and dragged the troublemaker out, giving him a stern talking-to. Brian had always been tall for his age and was naturally assertive, so he had the boy and his friends backing down in no time. Before leaving, he gave them a final warning.

"If anyone dares to mess with Gabrielle again, you'll have to deal with me!"

That's when I started to have feelings for him. From that point on, I became his little shadow, following him everywhere. Brian wasn’t too thrilled initially, thinking it wasn't cool to hang out with a timid girl like me. But I was persistent, always chasing after him, calling him "Big Brother Brian" with unwavering affection.

Years went by like this, and he gradually softened towards me. I noticed that his gaze lingered on me longer, and when our eyes met, he sometimes seemed lost in thought. Other times, he'd get startled, blushing and fumbling to change the subject.

Martin Robinson jokingly suggested that since we got along so well, maybe we should have a child engagement. Brian didn’t say anything, but he held my hand tightly, and I saw his ears turn red. My heart swelled with happiness, and I declared loudly, "Yes! I want to marry Big Brother Brian!"

However, everything began to change once we started high school. At the end of our first semester freshman year, a transfer student joined our class.

Her name was Mae Parker. Apparently, she transferred because of her parents' job relocation. She was known for her excellent grades and striking appearance. On her first day, she breezed into the classroom with light brown curls, smiling as she spoke to the teacher.

"Ms. Campbell, it’s natural, the hair color. Just born with light hair, and it's naturally curly."

Then she turned and scanned the class. When her eyes landed on me, she paused, stared for a moment, and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Oh my god… help… where did this Barbie come from… hahahaha. Everything pink, my gosh, even in high school. Are you still trying to be cute or something? How awkward."

Everyone in the class followed her gaze to me, and my face flushed crimson.

I loved pink, I really did. Almost everything I owned was pink—my backpack, my tumbler, my hair clips, my shirts, my sweater, my phone case; even my keychains had to be pink. Because of this, I’d been talked about quite a bit. Boys in elementary school would tease me, calling me attention-seeking or high-maintenance, and sometimes girls would say I was just trying too hard.

But most people were kind, with many girls complimenting me, saying I was super cute and that pink really suited me. It was the first time I was publicly ridiculed so bluntly, leaving me feeling both bewildered and humiliated, wishing I could disappear into a hole in the ground.

"Hahaha, sorry, I'm just kinda blunt when I speak. Don't get mad, little princess," Mae added, winking playfully at me.

"Enough with the comments on your first day," came Brian’s impatient voice from the back. I turned, seeing him frowning at Mae, clearly displeased.

Mae raised an eyebrow, eyeing Brian. "Oh? The princess’s knight in shining armor has arrived?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Are you out of your mind?" Brian snapped, slamming his hand on the desk as he stood up.

The teacher quickly scolded him and told him to sit down, before assigning Mae to the only empty seat in the classroom, which just so happened to be right in front of Brian’s desk. And just like that, they became desk neighbors, one in front of the other.

I don't know when Brian and she became so close.

One day, out of the blue, Martin Robinson decided to switch things up. Instead of the apple juice that Brian usually brought me every morning, he handed me a carton of plain milk.

"You know I can't stand plain milk, right?" I said, frowning at the carton in my hand.

"Oh, come on. You're just hung up on the flashy apple juice packaging. You're too old to be drinking apple juice every day. From now on, it's plain milk—it's better for you," Brian said, ruffling my hair.

Mae Parker was holding a carton of plain milk, too. She turned and gave an awkward smile at his comment.

"Sorry, Juicy. I prefer plain milk, so I asked Brian to bring it," she said.

"But honestly, apple juice is too sweet. Do all you girls really enjoy drinking this stuff?"

I set the carton down, furrowing my brow as I stared directly at her.

"Do you always have to make up nicknames for people?" I asked.

She paused for a moment, her expression shifting to surprise and then resignation.

"Ha... Why make such a big fuss? I was just joking. You're way too sensitive."

"Am I sensitive, or are you just feeling guilty? You know the answer," I shot back.

"Alright, Gabby," Brian intervened, trying to mediate with an exasperated look.

"Mae can be a bit careless with her words sometimes. Just ignore it."

"..."

I was fuming, my eyes welling up with frustration, and I gave Brian a hard shove, not forgetting to snap at Mae.

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!"

Brian flinched slightly, quickly wrapping his arms around my waist, blurting out, "Okay, okay, my bad. Don't be upset. I'll bring you apple juice tomorrow, alright?"

Mae's expression soured, and she shot me a sharp glare.

The next day, Mae Parker started picking on me.

I pulled out a pack of tissues in pink wrapping, and she shouted across the room, "Wow! Everything has to be pink with you, huh? Trying to be Barbie?"

During the big classroom clean-up, I used wet wipes to clean the broom handle while she exchanged winks with the boys. "Uh-oh, here comes the princess syndrome."

Every time we had the seat rotation every two weeks, and I took a break from moving desks because I was tired, Mae's voice echoed in the classroom, "The princess can't move anymore! We need some knights to help the princess with her stuff!"

Her group of boys always joined in, thinking it was hilarious. Each one laughed louder than the last.

Initially, Brian Robinson felt uneasy and tried to stop them. But Mae, unfazed, said, "Oh come on, I'm just joking. Gabrielle just seems too uptight most of the time. I'm helping her fit in better."

Hearing this, Brian nodded thoughtfully. "Gabrielle does have a bit of a princess syndrome going on. Aren't all girls like that nowadays?"

Mae playfully punched his shoulder. "Hey, don't lump me in with them. I'm not like that."

Brian chuckled.

I felt a sting in my heart. Deep down, I knew Brian thought I was delicate, a bit temperamental.

To most guys, I guess liking pink, being tidy, and lacking physical strength is a sure sign of princess syndrome.

One time, I finally couldn't take it anymore.

That semester, I had spent summer vacation exploring historic sites with my parents, and my skin had tanned quite a bit. It had happened before, and I usually just stayed indoors for a couple of weeks to lighten up again, so I wasn't concerned.

After the vacation, I wore a pink shirt under my school uniform. Mae saw it and exaggeratedly raised her voice, "Oh my God, Gabrielle, you're so dark and you're wearing pink? Isn't it a bit much?"

"Seriously, haha, you're killing me. How can you be a princess looking like this? I've never seen a princess this dark! Honestly, you look more like a little black puppy, haha..."

She and the boys burst into laughter. Brian seemed amused too, with a smirk stretching across his face.

In that moment, a wave of embarrassment and helplessness washed over me, causing my face to burn, my fists clenching tight.

Amid their laughter, I grabbed my water bottle and splashed the contents at her face.

Mae was stunned, frantically wiping her now dripping face. Her makeup had started to run.

"Cough, cough... What the heck is wrong with you?!"

I mocked her, "Well, look at you. Coming to school with fake eyelashes, foundation, and lipstick. No wonder you're not a princess; you're here for comic relief, aren't you? A clown, perhaps?"

A few boys frowned and stepped between us, with Brian leading the charge, snatching the bottle from my hand.

"Gabrielle, apologize," he ordered, looking down at me, his brows furrowed, voice cold.

My eyes stung with tears as I met his gaze defiantly. "Didn't you hear what she said about me? She called me a dog."

"That's a separate issue. You've already retaliated verbally. Now you need to apologize for splashing water on her."

"Admit when you're wrong. Be reasonable. Stop being difficult," he said authoritatively. "Apologize, and Mae won't hold it against you."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Apologize? Fat chance."

Brian's eyes widened, and he slapped me across the face.