As Lynette and Rowan approached the school gates, the buzz of morning chatter surrounded them, but Lynette's steps slowed.
Something in her chest tightened.
She glanced around uneasily, her mind replaying the chaos from yesterday, her collapse, the confrontation between Rowan and Kyren, the terrifying moment with Amelia.
She took a deep breath, trying to brush it off, but just then, her eyes landed on a familiar figure walking towards them from the opposite direction.
Kyren.
Tall, unreadable, with his hands shoved in his pockets and that same cold look in his eyes.
"No. Not now. Not after everything. Please, not today."
She panicked.
"What if he says something again? What if Rowan answers back?"
Her eyes looked left and right, searching for an escape. Anywhere, anywhere that would keep them apart.
"Lynette? What's wrong?" Rowan asked, noticing the change in her expression.
Without thinking, she grabbed his wrist.
"Come with me, I need to take you somewhere!" she blurted out.
Rowan's brows lifted slightly in surprise, but her grip was firm, her voice almost desperate. He didn't ask questions. He followed her, heart skipping a beat.
"Somewhere? Lynette!! Where am I taking him?" she cried in her head.
Her feet moved on instinct, pulling him around the building, through the back corridor, past the empty classrooms… until finally, they slipped through a quiet wooden door and into...
The library.
Lynette crouched near the entrance, hands on her knees, breath uneven from the rush. Her mind was spinning.
Rowan leaned down beside her, poked her arm gently, and said with a slight chuckle, "So… this is the place you were dying to show me?"
Lynette blinked, finally noticing where they were. Bookshelves towered quietly on either side. The dusty scent of pages and quiet sunlight through the high windows filled the room.
"Oh," she said softly, realizing her body had led her here on its own. Of course, the library. Her escape. Her safe space.
Thankfully, she scanned the room and didn't see Neven. She sighed in relief.
"You've never been here before, right?" she said awkwardly, trying to cover up her panic.
"To the library?" Rowan asked, clearly confused.
Lynette cleared her throat. "Well… I just thought you would need to catch up on schoolwork, and this is the best place to study."
Rowan didn't question her further. He just smiled and followed her down an aisle of books.
Lynette mentally patted herself on the back. We will stay here until right before the bell rings. That way, we won't run into Kyren.
She giggled to herself at her not-so-subtle plan.
But then.
A light touch on her shoulder made her freeze.
"You're here early today," came a soft voice from behind. "Need help with anything?"
Lynette turned around.
Neven.
He stood there with a gentle smile, his sleeves rolled neatly, his voice calm and even.
Her heart stopped.
Her brain stopped.
Everything stopped.
She stared at him in disbelief. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.
"Is there something on my face?" Neven asked, puzzled.
"No... no…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
And then, hiccup.
"Oh no, no no," she panicked inside as she started to hiccup uncontrollably, too nervous to even function.
"I'll go get some water," Rowan offered, already turning to leave.
But Neven stopped him calmly. "No need. I've got some." He reached into his bag, pulled out his water bottle, and handed it to Lynette.
Her hands shook slightly as she took it. Neven's bottle. This is not a dream, right? I'm drinking from Neven's bottle?!
Rowan took the bottle from her, uncapped it, and held it out. "Are you gonna drink?" he teased gently.
She nodded and drank quickly, finally calming her hiccups. Then she sat down on the nearby chair, clutching the bottle like it was sacred.
"You're the new student, right?" Neven turned to Rowan, offering a polite smile. "If you ever need help finding books or anything here, just ask. I'll be around."
"Thanks," Rowan replied, polite but neutral.
Lynette couldn't stop smiling.
"Neven is such a sweet boy."
She let out a long breath, her nerves settling.
Just then, the first bell rang, echoing gently through the halls.
After the bell rang, Lynette and Rowan hurried back to class through the hallway, their steps falling in sync.
As they walked, Rowan glanced at her gently. "Lynette, I know you've recovered already… but still, don't strain your leg too much, okay? Just be careful."
Lynette looked at him with a mischievous smile. "Why? You won't carry me again if I hurt my leg?"
Rowan laughed, eyes flickering away with a faint blush, then reached over and ruffled her hair lightly. "You wish."
"Hey! You ruined my hair!" Lynette pouted, trying to ruffle his hair back in revenge, but she was too short. She stood on her tiptoes, stretching her arms, but still couldn't reach him.
Rowan grinned. "Go ahead. Don't let your height hold you back," he teased.
Lynette huffed. "Forget it. I don't want to anymore." She turned with a pout and walked ahead of him.
Still smiling, Rowan jogged up beside her, bent down slightly, and leaned his head toward her. "Okay, fine. Go ahead. Now's your chance."
Lynette's eyes widened in surprise. He was way closer than she expected. But without wasting the opportunity, she wrapped one arm around his shoulder and used the other to fluff and mess up his hair wildly.
"There. That's for ruining mine," she said with satisfaction.
Rowan just laughed softly, not bothering to fix his hair.
What they didn't notice was the quiet figure walking behind them, Neven.
He watched the two with unreadable eyes, taking in their smiles, their ease, the way Lynette reached out without hesitation. But he said nothing. Just slowed down his steps.
By the time they reached their classroom, Lynette glanced around quickly. Her heart calmed when she didn't see Kyren. Thank God… he's not here yet.
As they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed instantly.
The class, buzzing only moments before, fell dead silent.
Everyone's eyes were on them, on Lynette and Rowan walking in together, smiling, talking like no one else existed.
Lynette felt the weight of every stare.
Whispers were already starting again, quiet enough to ignore, but sharp enough to sting.
Rowan, on the other hand, was unfazed. He walked beside her like nothing was wrong, radiating a calm and warmth that made the silence around them feel lighter.
To him, it was just another morning.
To Lynette, it was a reminder that even in a room full of people watching and judging… having one person on her side made all the difference.
Lynette ignored the stares as she walked in and took her seat beside Rowan. She kept her gaze low, acting like nothing was unusual, though her heart beat a little too fast.
A gentle tap came from behind. Divitia leaned forward."Why were you late?" she whispered.
Lynette glanced at Rowan, who was focused on taking out his books, then leaned closer to Divitia."We were at the library. Kyren was outside the class, and after yesterday… I just couldn't let them run into each other again."
Divitia's eyes widened slightly, and before she could respond, Yelena chimed in."But you can't avoid it forever. Sooner or later, they will run into each other."
"I know," Lynette murmured, pinching her eraser between her fingers, "but what should I do? I don't want Rowan to get into trouble because of me… or Kyren."
She glanced over at Rowan quickly. He was busy scribbling something in his notebook, completely unaware of the quiet panic swirling inside her.
"Guys…help me out. Just for today," she pleaded. "Help me make sure Rowan and Kyren don't run into each other."
Divitia raised a brow. "And after that?"
"I'll think of something," Lynette said with determination. "It all started with me… so I'll make sure I'm the one to end it too. Somehow."
There was a pause before Divitia sighed and gently patted her on the shoulder. "Alright, one day."
Yelena nodded. "We have got your back."
While they talked in hushed voices, Seena sat unusually quiet, her gaze fixed on her desk.
Yelena noticed first. "Seena, what's up? You've been quiet all morning."
"Yeah," Lynette turned to her. "Where have you been? You left early, too."
Seena smiled faintly. "Just ran some errands for my mom. Nothing big."
But Lynette narrowed her eyes. Something's off. Did something happen… with her senior crush? She didn't press further but tucked the thought away.
Classes carried on smoothly. Lynette helped Rowan catch up on notes and explained the chapter he had missed. As she leaned in to clarify a math formula, she caught a glimpse of his serious expression, with furrowed eyebrows and slightly pursed lips, as he tried to follow each step.
He's really trying, she thought.
Then he looked up and smiled at her, proud of solving a simple equation, and she couldn't help but smile back. He's kind of like a puppy, she thought, amused. A really tall, overprotective puppy.
Whatever storm was waiting outside the door, for a while, just this moment, things felt calm.
There was a free period for self-study before the lunch break.
The classroom was meant to be quiet for self-study, but the atmosphere was anything but quiet. Students were sprawled across their desks, some whispering gossip, others playing random games or catching up on sleep. Only Rowan sat with his head bent over his notes, seriously trying to catch up with the lessons he had missed.
Lynette sat with Divitia, Yelena, and Seena, pretending to study but plotting.
"Okay, listen," Divitia whispered, leaning in dramatically. "As soon as the lunch bell rings, Lynette, you take Rowan and head straight to the big tree behind the school."
"Big tree?" Lynette blinked, confused.
"That big tree! The one no one ever goes to. We'll have lunch there today," Divitia said with a sigh, raising a brow at her.
"Don't tell me you don't know it," Yelena added. "You can literally see it from the library window."
"Ohhh, right! I remember now." Lynette let out a quiet laugh, a little embarrassed.
Their mission for the day was clear: avoid Kyren at all costs. None of them wanted a repeat of that tension between him and Rowan. Lynette nodded to herself. Just for today… I'll find a way to end things with Kyren after this.
Her gaze drifted to Seena, who was sitting strangely quiet. She was normally bold and upbeat, but today she hadn't said a word.
"Seena, are you okay?" Lynette asked.
"I'm fine," Seena replied quickly with a short smile.
Lynette frowned. She never acts like this. Something definitely happened…
Before she could say anything more, Divitia leaned forward again. "Oh! Did you guys hear? That senior girl who's repeating the year got caught trying to skip the class again. Suspended for a whole week now."
"Seriously? Is she not worried about her future?" Yelena scoffed.
"I heard she's a total psycho. I just hope we don't have to cross paths with her in our final year," Divitia said.
Lynette stayed quiet, lips pressed together. Amelia… Hearing her name brought back a chill, but knowing she would be gone for a week gave her a bit of breathing room. Still, she knew Amelia wouldn't let go of being ignored so easily. She will come back worse. I need to be prepared.
She turned around to check on Rowan. At first, she thought he was still studying diligently, but as she leaned closer, she realized he had fallen asleep, cheek resting on his arms, breathing softly. She couldn't help but laugh quietly.
He's really like my Toto when sleeping...
The bell rang loudly, cutting through the classroom noise.
Lynette nodded to Divitia, stood up swiftly, and walked over to Rowan, gently shaking his shoulder. "Let's go, we're eating lunch somewhere else today."
Rowan blinked awake, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, okay."
"You two go ahead. We'll catch up later," Divitia grinned.
Rowan, lunch bag in hand, followed Lynette without question. He had seen their little planning session and figured something was going on, but he didn't mind. If Lynette were leading, he would follow.
They walked quickly, hand in hand. Thankfully, Kyren wasn't outside yet, so Lynette relaxed a little. But as they reached a long corridor that was visible from Kyren's classroom, she suddenly froze.
"Wait," she whispered, eyes scanning the hallway.
They stood just beside the boy's washroom. Lynette peeked around the corner carefully. Her heart dropped. Kyren was approaching, heading toward the washroom.
Panic surged in her chest. Not now!
Beside them, there was a small janitor's storage room, usually locked. But today, the door was cracked open.
Without thinking, Lynette grabbed Rowan's arm and pulled him inside, gently shutting the door behind them just before Kyren passed.
The storage room was narrow and dimly lit, shelves cluttered with cleaning supplies and boxes of paper. It wasn't meant for two people, especially not ones standing so close. Rowan found himself inches away from Lynette, their shoulders pressed, breath brushing each other's skin in the tight space.
Rowan's back was slightly against the shelves. Lynette instinctively placed one hand on his chest to steady herself and the other… straight across his mouth.
Rowan's eyes widened in surprise, but he said nothing, obeying her silent signal to stay quiet. He could hear his own heartbeat hammering in his chest like a drum. She's so close… too close…
Lynette, completely focused on watching the hallway through the small vent, didn't notice the way Rowan was staring at her. Her breath was shallow, her body tense. His lips curled into a silent smile beneath her palm.
Is this how she panics? She's kind of cute…
Kyren's footsteps echoed closer. Both of them held their breath. He entered the washroom.
They waited.
Five seconds. Ten.
Then Lynette finally let out a quiet breath and lowered her hand from Rowan's mouth, realizing the position they were in. She turned to look at him, only to find his face already close to hers.
Their eyes met.
Neither spoke.
Then Rowan chuckled softly, breaking the moment.
"Did we… just hide in a closet to avoid a guy?" he whispered.
"Yes. Yes, we did," Lynette whispered back, flustered.
She quickly stepped away and opened the door a crack to check the hallway. The coast was clear.
"Let's go," she whispered, trying to avoid his gaze.
Rowan followed her out, the ghost of a smile still on his lips. His heart, however, was still racing.
They stepped out quietly and darted through the back hallway, finally reaching the courtyard behind the building where the giant tree stood, its leaves rustling gently in the breeze. The sun filtered through the branches, casting soft shadows over the quiet patch of grass.
Rowan looked around at the peaceful setting and nodded. "This is a nice spot."
As they both sat under the tree, Rowan opened the lunch bag, and Lynette helped unpack everything. The moment felt warm, private, like they were in their own little world tucked away from all the drama of the day.
Rowan turned to Lynette. "Do you do this often?"
"What?"
"Hide boys in storage closets?" he teased.
Lynette threw a napkin at him. "Shut up."
They both laughed.
As Lynette and Rowan sat beneath the tree, the lunchbox resting between them, a gentle silence lingered for a moment, broken only by the breeze brushing the leaves above. The shade offered them a pocket of peace, and Lynette finally allowed herself to breathe.
Rowan unwrapped the lunch neatly, passing her half the food and setting a drink beside her.
"You always come up with these surprise hideouts?" he asked, grinning slightly.
"Only when I'm on a secret mission to avoid disasters," Lynette replied, chewing her food.
Rowan tilted his head a little. "So… I'm the potential disaster?"
She looked up at him. "No. I mean, not really. But...nothing, just eat."
Rowan didn't reply right away. He stared ahead for a moment, then quietly he reached into his bag and pulled something out.
"…Is that a candy?" Lynette blinked.
Rowan nodded and held it out. "You like these, right?"
She looked surprised. "How did you...?"
"I pay attention," he said simply.
Lynette took it, rolling it between her fingers before smiling faintly. "Thanks."
Just then, they heard footsteps crunching the grass. Divitia, Yelena, and Seena were finally approaching with their lunch.
"There you are," said Divitia. "Operation 'Avoid Kyren' is a success."
"Phase two: feeding the fugitives," Yelena joked.
Lynette glanced at Seena, who hadn't said a word yet. She was usually loud and cheerful, but today, she barely looked at anyone.
"Hey…" Lynette whispered, leaning toward her. "You okay?"
Seena looked up and forced a small smile. "I'm fine. Just tired."
Rowan observed her quietly.
Divitia handed out more food. "Let's eat before everything gets cold. I'm starving."
They all began eating under the tree, laughter bubbling up occasionally, but Rowan's eyes occasionally drifted between Lynette and Seena, noting the shift in her demeanour.
As they ate, Lynette glanced at Rowan, wondering if he could sense what she did, that something had changed. But even in the middle of all this chaos, the one thought that kept returning to her again and again was:
"Even if the past is shifting and people are appearing earlier than before… maybe that just means I have to get stronger faster too."
After having lunch, Divitia, Yelena, and Seena excused themselves to scout the classroom, making sure Kyren wasn't waiting outside again. Meanwhile, Lynette turned to Rowan. "Let's go to the library until the lunch break ends."
Rowan, as always, followed without a question, letting Lynette take the lead. But in her heart, Lynette had a different mission: to ask Neven to be her dance partner.
She practiced what to say all through lunch. She even imagined how he would smile and say yes. It'll be perfect. This is my chance.
But when they entered the quiet, book-filled room, her steps slowed.
Neven wasn't there.
"What? He used to be always here…" Lynette muttered under her breath, eyes scanning every table. "And the one time I actually need him…"
She sighed and slumped into a chair.
Rowan tilted his head, amused by how dramatic her disappointment was. "What's got you all serious again? You've looked like you were planning something since lunch."
"It's nothing," Lynette said, trying to hide her flustered expression.
Rowan sat beside her, nudging her shoulder lightly. "Come on. Tell me. Maybe I can help?"
She looked at him for a moment, her brows raising slightly. "You sure? No backing out?"
He blinked. "Uh… yeah?"
Lynette leaned in suddenly, resting one hand on his shoulder and the other on the desk. Her face was close, too close, and her playful smirk only made Rowan more flustered. His breath caught in his throat, eyes wide as they locked with hers.
She looked as if she was about to confess something.
Then...
Ding! The bell rang.
Lynette pulled back, brushing his hair with her fingers as she stood.
"It's nothing," she said with a mischievous smile, walking away like nothing happened.
Rowan remained frozen in his seat for a second, his heart thudding loudly in his chest. He lifted a hand and touched the spot where her hand touched, a dazed smile tugged at his lips.
Lynette walked ahead toward class, her thoughts completely elsewhere. How should I ask Neven? Should I start with a casual "Hey, about the dance…" or "Do you wanna be my dance partner?" The very idea of dancing with him made her blush. A soft smile curved her lips as she imagined their moment on stage.
But that dreamy bubble popped when she spotted Kyren approaching.
Her heart dropped. Oh no. I totally forgot about Kyren! Panic surged in her chest. Where is Rowan? Did Kyren see me?
She glanced around, debating whether to run or hide, but it was too late.
"Hey, Lynette."His voice was calm, casual, but that unnerving edge lingered beneath the surface. "Where have you been? I've been waiting."
Lynette forced a smile. "Really?"
Kyren stepped closer, his expression shifting between a soft grin and something unreadable. "Why is it so hard to see you lately?"
"I've just… been a little busy," Lynette said, avoiding his gaze. Her fingers curled around the edge of her skirt, knuckles whitening.
Then Kyren smiled, tilting his head slightly. "Oh, right. The talent show. Did you find a partner already? Everyone else seems to have one… except me."He took a step closer. "So I was thinking, maybe you and I..."
"I already have a partner," Lynette blurted out, cutting him off.
The words flew from her mouth before she could stop them. Her eyes widened slightly...Did I just say that?
A beat of silence hung between them. Kyren's expression faltered for the briefest second before he chuckled softly. "Oh? You do?"
Lynette nodded quickly. "Yes. I already decided."
Kyren's voice remained pleasant, but something in his tone coiled tightly, like a snake waiting to strike. "Really? Who's the lucky guy? Is he from your class… or mine?"
Lynette hesitated. Her mind went blank as she tried to think of a name...any name. Her lie had caught up to her, and Kyren was watching, waiting, already knowing.
Just then, "What are you still doing here?"
The voice was calm, warm, and exactly what Lynette needed.
Rowan.
He appeared behind her like a beam of light, looking completely unaware of the tension he had just walked into. Lynette turned, her eyes lighting up.
Without thinking, she looped her arm around Rowan's shoulder and leaned in. "Here he is! My dance partner," she said quickly, smiling widely.
Rowan froze for a second. His eyes widened, clearly stunned. "I...what?"
Kyren's gaze sharpened ever so slightly, and Lynette could feel the heat of it. But she kept her smile firm. Please play along, she screamed inside her head.
Rowan looked at her, then at Kyren. A small smirk tugged at his lips, understanding dawning in his eyes.
"Yeah," Rowan said casually, slipping an arm around Lynette's waist. "We already decided."
Lynette almost flinched from the contact. Rowan's hand barely touched her waist, and it somehow felt reassuring and comforting.
Kyren's jaw twitched slightly, but he nodded with a smile. "Huh. I see. Well… I hope you two do well."
"We will," Rowan replied, his expression calm but his eyes never leaving Kyren's.
Kyren gave a short laugh and walked past them, his mood unreadable.
Once he was out of sight, Lynette stepped back from Rowan, her heart racing. "Thank you," she whispered.
Rowan looked at her, amused. "Dance partner, huh?"