The next morning, Charlie was waiting for me outside the school gates, leaning against the fence like he'd been there for hours. His face lit up when he saw me — the kind of smile that made it hard to remember why I'd been so restless last night.
But as soon as I reached him, his arm slid easily around my shoulders, pulling me close in full view of everyone coming in. I froze for a fraction of a second before forcing myself to keep walking.
"Morning," he said, his voice bright, warm, unbothered by the stares.
"Morning," I echoed, trying to keep my voice steady.
It wasn't that I didn't like being close to him. I did. But the louder the hallway whispers got, the more I felt like my chest was tightening. I could already hear them in my head — the half-truths, the made-up stories, the kind of gossip that spread faster than facts ever could.
Halfway down the hall, I stopped walking.
"Can we talk, please? I have something to say."
Charlie looked at me, eyebrows drawing together. His smile softened into concern. "Yeah… of course. What's going on?"
I hesitated, my voice coming out quieter than I meant. "I think… we should take things down when we're outside. You know, little affections that won't really keep people looking. 'Cause they're starting to notice, and words are flying around… and I wouldn't want us to get caught."
I swallowed, eyes flicking away from his. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be selfish, but it's for the best. Please… try and understand."
For a moment, he didn't answer. His expression shifted — surprise, confusion, and maybe a little hurt. After several minutes, he just said, "Okay… I'm sorry for not thinking that way. I just couldn't hide my feelings."
I smiled faintly, relief washing over me. "Thank you… I love you."
Then we walked to class a little distant — not cold, but quiet, like we were both carrying something in our pockets we weren't ready to take out yet.
By the time lunch rolled around, the space between us still hadn't closed. Usually, Charlie would find me first, grinning like he'd been waiting all morning just to see me. Today, I spotted him already sitting at our usual table, poking at his food with a fork.
I slid into the seat across from him, the tray clattering louder than I meant it to.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," he replied, his voice softer than usual.
We ate in small bites, the noise of the cafeteria filling the space between us. Normally, he'd tell me some ridiculous story or lean over to steal fries from my plate. Today, he kept his hands to himself.
It should have made me feel better — wasn't this exactly what I'd asked for? But instead, it left an odd ache in my chest, like I'd traded one problem for another.
That's when Michael Duncan, a project mate of mine, wandered over with his tray.
"Mind if I sit?" he asked.
"Sure," I said, sliding my bag off the seat beside me.
Michael sat down, launching straight into a question about our upcoming project, but halfway through, his eyes flicked between me and Charlie. He frowned. "Uh… you guys okay? I mean, no offense, but everyone's noticed things are different between you two today."
I felt heat creep up my neck. "We're good," I said quickly, maybe too quickly.
"You sure?" Michael pressed, his tone light but curious. "'Cause the vibe right now is… I don't know, like, weirdly formal. Not the usual you two."
Charlie let out a quiet sigh, keeping his gaze on his food. "We're fine," he said, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Michael.
Michael looked between us again, his expression half-amused, half-concerned. "Okay, okay, no need to bite my head off. Just making sure the school's favorite duo isn't breaking up."
The words made my stomach twist. I forced a small laugh, trying to brush it off, but Charlie's eyes flicked up to meet mine for the first time since the morning. There was no smile there, just a question he wasn't asking out loud.
Michael went back to eating, but the air at the table felt heavier than before. I picked at my food, counting the seconds until the bell would save me from having to answer the look Charlie was giving me.
Michael went back to eating, but the air at the table felt heavier than before. I picked at my food, counting the seconds until the bell would save me from having to answer the look Charlie was giving me.
When lunch finally ended, I made a beeline for the restroom to avoid the slow shuffle back to class with everyone else. I'd just turned on the tap when the door creaked open and Michael stepped in.
"Hey," he said, glancing around to make sure we were alone. "I've got something to say."
I frowned, shaking the water off my hands. "About what?"
"You and Charlie," he said, lowering his voice like the walls might be listening. "People are talking… and, look, I know you two are a thing."