ELARA'S POV
The corridor was quiet when I stepped out, my heels echoing too loudly against the tiles. Students had already scattered to their homes, laughter trailing faintly from the far end of the building. I clutched my books to my chest, walking quickly, as though distance itself could erase what had just happened. But it didn't. Ivy's face lingered in my mind, the hurt in her eyes when I told her we should go back to how things were, gnawed at the edges of my thoughts like a persistent itch. I had seen the way her expression faltered, how the hope drained out of her like water slipping through open hands. And it broke me more than I'd ever admit.
I reached the staff room and set my things down on the desk, forcing myself into mechanical movements, arranging papers, capping pens, and checking tomorrow's notes. Anything to stop myself from thinking. But the silence pressed in heavy, and her name whispered itself through the corners of my mind, no matter how hard I tried to bury it. It was a word that held so much weight, so much history. I forced myself to breathe in deeply. This, too, would pass.
Every look Ivy had given me, the quiet stolen moments we shared, played out in my mind like a montage of fleeting happiness. I had told myself I did the right thing. That I had to draw the line before it blurred into something irreversible. The lie echoed against the walls of my consciousness, desperately trying to drown out the truth. But my chest felt tight, my throat raw, as though speaking those words to her had torn something inside me. Distance was supposed to make it easier. Instead, it only sharpened the ache, transforming it into something almost unbearable.
Alone in the empty staffroom, I finally let my head drop into my hands. The truth was simple, dangerous, and unavoidable. I wanted her. And wanting her was the one thing I could never allow. My entire being vibrated with the need to reach out to her, to navigate the minefield of our emotions, but I was terrified of where that path would lead. Would it bring her closer, or would it just set ablaze everything we had tried so hard to contain? The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second a reminder of my failures and my fears. Minutes stretched on, and I lost myself in thought, my spiraling contemplation halted only by the sound of the door creaking open. I raised my head, hoping it was someone who could pull me from this spiral. But the room remained empty, and the quiet returned, muted and heavy.
IVY'S POV
The walk home felt endless. Every step echoed with the weight of her words, the sharp edge of her distance. Go back to how things were. As if it were that easy. As if I could just peel away the memory of her touch, her warmth, the way her voice had softened when it was only for me. The world around me blurred, each streetlamp flickering against the gathering dusk, the shadows of the trees casting familiar shapes that only reminded me of her.
I kicked at a loose stone on the path, my chest tight. She thought she was protecting me, I could tell. But what she didn't understand was that the damage was already done. She had lit a fire inside me that wouldn't go out, no matter how much she tried to smother it. Each shard of her rejection felt like a splinter embedded deep in my heart, painful and stubborn.
At home, I threw my bag down and collapsed onto my bed with a heavy sigh. The silence of my room pressed in heavily, reminding me of the emptiness she left behind. I stared at the ceiling, replaying every detail, her eyes refusing to meet mine, the way her shoulders stiffened when she walked away, the finality in her tone that I refused to believe. Because I knew her, deep down. I saw the way her mask cracked for the briefest second, the way she swallowed her words like they burned her tongue. She wasn't indifferent; she was terrified. And that gave me hope. I rolled over, burying my face into the pillow, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. If she thought I'd just let go, she didn't know me at all. I wasn't going to disappear quietly. If she wanted distance, she'd have to fight for it because I wasn't done. Not when every part of me already belonged to her.
***
The next morning came too quickly, the sunlight pouring into my room with an urgency I wasn't ready to meet. I lay in bed for a while, staring blankly at the walls, caught in a maze of thoughts. Would I see her at college today? How would I act? Part of me wanted to confront her directly to demand answers, to tell her how unfair she was being. But the other part felt exhausted just thinking about it, and I hated that I was torn.
Eventually, the weight of the day settled on my chest, and I kicked off the blankets. I could get through this. I would face her. My mind buzzed with determination as I pulled on my clothes, the fabric feeling almost too tight, every button a reminder of the complexity of what we had shared. As I walked to school, the familiar path felt different today; the anticipation mixed with anxiety thrummed like a live wire. I clutched my books tightly against my chest, reeling from the memory of my last encounter with Elara. Every corner we had walked together, every laugh shared, echoed in my mind, drawing me back to those moments like a moth drawn to a flame.
Arriving at college, I found the atmosphere charged, a contrast to the tension coiling within me. My friends greeted me, their voices a comforting backdrop as I navigated through the crowd. But each face I saw summoned memories of her, Elara, with the way her laughter would brighten any dull moment. The bell rang, cutting through the din, and I headed to my first class. As I settled into my seat, I glanced around, half-expecting her to walk through the door. Time ticked by, each second stretching into eternity as my mind wandered. Eventually, I felt a familiar presence behind me. I turned slightly, adrenaline racing through my veins, only to find it wasn't her; just another student passing by. Hours passed, and I distracted myself with lessons, though my mind drifted often back to the staff room and Elara's pained expression. The yearning to reach out, to close that gap, gnawed at me relentlessly.
Finally, lunch arrived, and the cafeteria buzzed with life. Friends gathered around, talking and laughing. I tried to engage, but my eyes searched for her through the sea of faces. I had rehearsed a thousand scenarios in my mind, but none felt right. Would she even want to speak to me? Or would she merely turn away, choosing silence over the truth? And just like that, there she was, stepping through the cafeteria doors. Time slowed as I caught her eyes for a split second, the warmth that surged through me almost overwhelming. But before I could gather my thoughts, she turned her head, averted her gaze, and walked away. A knot formed in my stomach, and I felt something inside fracture.
.