Sarah sat on the floor of her room, back resting against the wall, knees tucked into her hoodie. Her guitar sat beside her, untouched, her notebook open with half-written lyrics scribbled in angry lines.
Her phone was face down. Just in case.
Because John had said he would text again.
And he hadn't.
Again.
"Why do boys always say things like 'I'll text you later' if they don't mean it? Is it some sort of universal lie? Like 'I'm fine' or 'One more episode'?"
Carly had tried to talk her down earlier.
"Maybe he's busy," Carly had said over a voice note. "Or maybe he doesn't want to look too eager. You know how guys can be. Pretending to be cool when they're just... awkward turtles."
Sarah wanted to believe that. She really did. But overthinking didn't allow space for logic. It filled every crack with worst-case scenarios.
"Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe Amara wasn't his cousin. Maybe I imagined the connection between us. Maybe I'm just... not enough."
Her fingers twitched. She picked up the guitar and strummed a soft chord. A sad one. Of course.
She started humming a melody. Low. Fragile. The kind of song you write when your chest is too heavy and your brain won't shut up.
Lyrics poured out:
"You said the sky would clear, but it's still raining here.
You said I looked amazing, but you disappeared.
I play our laughs on loop, but silence hits replay.
Maybe I'm too much for you to stay…"
She stopped.
Closed her eyes.
Breathed in. Breathed out.
📨 A Surprise Message
The next morning, her alarm went off. But she was already awake.
She checked her phone, not expecting much. And yet there it was.
John:"Hey. Sorry I went quiet. Yesterday was hectic. Can I call you after school?"
Her heart did a triple backflip. Then the doubt crept back in.
"What does he want to say on the phone that he can't text? Is this a let's-just-be-friends call? Is he moving to another country? Changing schools? Dating someone else? Getting married??"
By the time she got to school, she was exhausted emotionally and mentally. Carly noticed.
"You look like you haven't slept in three days."
"That's because I haven't slept in three days. I've just been... closing my eyes and panicking."
🏫 After School Vibes
John was waiting near the school gate, headphones around his neck, nervous energy radiating from him like Wi-Fi.
Sarah paused. Gulped. Walked toward him.
"Hey," he said, voice unsure.
"Hey," she echoed, heart in her throat.
They walked silently for a few steps until he blurted, "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to ghost you."
"You didn't ghost me," she lied.
He gave her a look.
"Okay, maybe a little haunting. Like... part-time ghosting."
He laughed. "I was overwhelmed. My cousin's visit turned into a family drama fest. And then school. And then I didn't know how to reach out without sounding like a jerk."
Sarah nodded. "I get it. I overthink too much. I thought maybe I'd done something wrong."
"You didn't. At all. Actually… I keep thinking about that day at the mall. How your face lit up when you saw the arcade. And how you scrunched your nose when you sipped my smoothie. I noticed all of that."
Sarah looked up, startled. "You noticed that?"
He nodded. "I notice you."
Cue internal screaming.
🎶 Sharing Playlists
That night, John sent her a Spotify link.
John:"Songs that remind me of you. Especially track 3."
She clicked. The playlist was called "Soft Chaos."
Track 3 was titled: "Girl with the Ocean Eyes."
She didn't cry.
Okay, maybe she did. But just a little. Like, one tear. Two at most.
She grabbed her notebook and started writing again. This time, not out of anxiety. But from somewhere deeper. Somewhere warm.
🎧 Voice Memo – Entry: 'The Unsent Playlist'
"Sometimes people disappear. And sometimes, they come back. Not everyone who goes quiet is leaving forever. Maybe they're figuring themselves out. Or gathering the right words. Or just… afraid, like me. But today, someone showed up again. And that matters."