Chapter 10
Carl
Carl stirred awake, sunlight creeping past the curtains, casting a pale glow across his room.
His phone was still in his hand. He must've fallen asleep staring at Robert's message.
He blinked at the screen, the brightness stabbing at his eyes.
A small sigh slipped out of him.
The message was still there:
"I missed you today."
He didn't know how to feel about it. His heart fluttered, but his chest tightened with guilt, confusion, and… something else he couldn't quite name.
Before he could get pulled back into that spiral, a new notification buzzed at the top of his screen.
Gina added you to "CVG 🧁💋"
Carl blinked again. What?
Valerie: "What's this?"
Gina: "It's our group chat 😘 I came up with the name. C for Carl, V for Valerie, and G for Gina! I'm a genius, aren't I? 😏💅🏽"
Valerie: "I don't think that's the definition of genius…"
Carl stared at the screen, the corner of his lips curling slightly.
They made a group chat?
He chuckled under his breath and shook his head. A small, genuine smile played at his lips as he placed the phone gently on the nightstand and pushed the covers off.
He stepped into the bathroom, water running as he splashed it on his face. The cold helped ground him. For a brief second, his reflection caught his eye in the mirror.
"You're smiling, Carl Hale," he thought. "What's happening to you?"
---
At school, Carl stepped out of the car just as he spotted Gina and Valerie approaching.
"Hello," Gina said cheerfully.
Carl offered a small smile. "Good morning."
The three of them walked down the school path together. As they entered the hallway, Carl's gaze flickered across the corridor—he caught sight of Mr. Robert talking to another teacher. His glasses glinted as he listened intently, arms crossed. Then suddenly, Robert looked up.
Their eyes met.
Carl froze slightly, caught off guard. Robert gave him a brief smile, calm and casual. Carl quickly returned it.
"Where are you zoning off to, boy?" Gina nudged him playfully, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Is your boy Theo here yet?"
She looked around dramatically. Valerie giggled.
Carl laughed too, brushing it off, and soon they split up—Gina and Valerie headed toward their classroom while Carl made his way to his.
Inside, Carl walked in and saw Theo seated on a desk, talking animatedly with one of their classmates. He seemed relaxed, even laughing a little.
Carl walked past them toward his seat, dropped his bag, and unzipped it. That's when he saw it—Theo's leather pouch. He had completely forgotten about it.
He stared at it for a moment, debating. Then he looked at Theo again. Still caught up in conversation, unaware.
Carl took a deep breath, stood, and approached.
"Hi," he said, a little stiff. "Um… you left this in the restroom yesterday. I couldn't find you, so I kept it."
He held out the pouch.
Theo glanced down at it. His eyes widened just slightly.
Truth was—he'd been searching everywhere for it.
He reached out and took it from Carl. "Thanks," he said quietly.
Carl turned to leave, but Valerie's words echoed in his mind.
He paused… then turned back. "Can I… can I borrow your notes?" he asked.
Theo blinked, a bit surprised. "Which subject?"
"Math," Carl repeated.
Theo nodded, reached into his bag, and pulled out a neatly wrapped notebook. His name was scribbled along the top in sharp lettering. He handed it over without a word.
"Thanks," Carl said again, softer this time.
Before Theo could respond, the teacher walked in and class began.