The hallway was quiet compared to the chaos they'd left behind. The muffled voices of the class bled through the closed door, but out here it was just the two of them, standing in the pale light of flickering fluorescent bulbs.
She pulled her hand back quickly, clutching her books to her chest like a shield. Her pulse raced, every nerve screaming with the weight of what had just happened. Kai had dragged her out of the classroom in front of everyone—something she could never take back. Her mind whirled with what they must all be saying about her now.
"You didn't have to do that," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kai didn't answer right away. He just looked at her, his dark eyes studying her face. Then, slowly, he stepped closer. She felt the wet streak on her cheek and realized a tear had slipped down without her noticing.
He lifted a hand gently and brushed the tear away. "Hey… it's okay. You don't have to hide it from me."
Her chest tightened. Then, before she could think, he pulled her into his arms. The hug was firm, safe, warm—something she had never felt before. Her body froze, heart hammering in a way that left her breathless.
She stayed there for a moment, stunned, the world outside fading. But then a rush of panic hit her. She pushed him away, stepping back, her hands trembling. "Wait! I… I don't know what to do."
Her voice broke, tears pricking her eyes again. "This… what you just did… hugging me—it's… it's new. And it's… I don't even know how to feel about it."
Kai didn't get frustrated. He didn't try to pull her back. He just nodded slowly, dark eyes steady, soft. "It's okay. You don't have to figure it out right now. I'm not going anywhere."
The hallway was quiet again, heavy but safe. And for the first time in forever, she felt something shift—not from anyone else's cruelty or laughter, but from someone actually seeing her, really seeing her, and not turning away.