The rest of the day dragged on in its usual gray blur of classrooms, announcements, and whispered gossip. She moved through it like a ghost, nodding and smiling at her fake friends, answering teachers' questions just enough to stay unnoticed. But her thoughts kept drifting to Kai—his dark eyes, his quiet sadness, the warmth of his hug.
It wasn't long before she noticed him again.
At first, it was small things. A glance across the room while the teacher spoke, a subtle nod from the hallway when she passed by between classes. Each time, her chest tightened, a mix of anxiety and anticipation she didn't know how to name.
During history class, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She jumped slightly, glancing back to see Kai leaning toward her, a folded note in his hand. She took it carefully, heart hammering, and unfolded the paper when he returned to his seat.
Meet me at the library after class. Don't worry about anyone else.
Her hand shook as she folded the note back. She kept her expression neutral, sliding it into her notebook so no one could see. Around her, her fake friends chatted and giggled, completely unaware of the exchange.
All day, the tension of pretending pressed down harder than ever. She laughed at jokes that weren't funny, nodded at comments that bored her, and still felt the weight of Kai's quiet attention lingering behind her eyes.
By the time the last bell rang, she was trembling—not from exhaustion, but from the anticipation of what was waiting for her. She packed her bag slowly, listening to the sounds of the hallways filling with rushing students. She glanced toward the library, and there he was, waiting. Silent. Patient. The same dark eyes, the same heavy sadness, and now a spark of something else—something gentle, like a bridge she wasn't sure she was ready to cross.
Her chest tightened again, and she realized that she wanted to go. She wanted to step into whatever he was offering. But a part of her hesitated, afraid of the unfamiliar, afraid of letting someone in.
Still, she moved forward, one step at a time, toward him.