Freya couldn't sleep all night. Liam's question kept replaying in her mind.
"Can we do this again tomorrow?"
It was like it had been engraved in her brain. Every time she turned in bed, every time she closed her eyes, Liam's smile would pop into her head just before he left through the door.
"Why is it like this, Freya…" she whispered to herself, lying there. "Such a simple question, but it feels like a heart attack every time."
The next morning, she floated into school in a daze. Of course, Leiyah immediately noticed.
"Hey," her friend greeted, waving right in front of her face. "Why are you smiling to yourself? Don't tell me… is this about Liam?"
Freya almost tripped. "W-what?! No way!" she defended herself, though her blushing cheeks gave her away.
"Good morning, Mrs. Liam," Leiyah teased with a grin.
"Leiyah!" Freya hissed, wishing the floor would swallow her whole.
As she walked to class, Freya couldn't stop replaying Liam's question in her head.
"Can we do this again tomorrow?"
It was such a simple question… yet why did it hit her heart so hard?
"Ugh… it's like something just jumped into my chest," she whispered to herself.
The class hours dragged on, but Freya could hardly focus on the lesson. Every time she glanced toward the hallway, she half-expected to see Liam.
"Freya!" Leiyah nudged her. "Stop daydreaming! Are you excited for later?"
Freya jumped. "L-later?!"
"Yes, at your house! Your stuff—books, notes, everything—is ready!" Leiyah said with a grin.
Freya froze, a mix of excitement and nerves coursing through her. Okay, breathe. I need to focus on class… but why does it feel like the school day will never end?
After class, she hurried home. As she walked, she couldn't stop imagining how she would face Liam later.
"What do I even say? What if something happens?" she whispered to herself.
Once inside, she prepared her room meticulously. She organized her desk, arranged her notebooks, pens, and highlighters. She even set out a small tray of cookies and juice—a simple gesture, but she wanted to be ready for every detail.
While she was preparing, her phone buzzed. Her hands trembled as she opened the screen.
Liam: "Can we do it later? Are you ready?"
Freya froze. She didn't know whether to stand still or just melt right there in the middle of the room.
"Am I… ready? My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest!"
Before she could even reply, there was a knock at the door.
"Freya! Are you excited yet? Open it! Hehehe!"
It was Leiyah, grinning on the other side, barely able to contain her excitement.
Freya stood frozen, staring at both the phone and the door, unsure which to attend to first—the message from Liam or Leiyah's teasing outside.