The corridors were already alive when Nina arrived the next morning. The buzz of laughter, the squeak of sneakers against the polished floor, the slam of locker doors — everything seemed louder than usual. She had barely stepped through the gates when she caught sight of William, leaning casually against a locker, surrounded by Thomas, Franklin, and Junior. His grin was effortless, as if the world bent slightly to make room for his confidence.
She hesitated for a second before walking over, adjusting the strap of her backpack, trying to hide the nervous tremor in her hands. Why am I nervous? It's just William. It's always been William.
"Morning," she said, forcing a bright tone.
William turned, his smile widening. "There you are. Thought you overslept again."
"I didn't." She tried to sound teasing, but her voice came out softer than intended.
Thomas chuckled, leaning against the locker next to William. "You two are always together, huh? Same class, same break, same everything."
Nina rolled her eyes, but before she could answer, Franklin added with mock seriousness, "They're basically married."
A ripple of laughter broke out, and though she smiled faintly, her cheeks warmed. Married? What kind of joke is that? But William only grinned, shaking his head.
"Yeah, sure," he said lightly. "We've been stuck with each other since we could barely spell our names."
Nina laughed too, but the words pricked somewhere inside her chest — an ache she didn't understand yet.
As the first bell rang, they walked together toward class. The morning light filtered through the tall windows, catching on floating dust particles like lazy stars. Students whispered and giggled in small groups, their voices bouncing off the walls. Nina noticed some of them glancing their way, exchanging knowing smiles.
By the time they reached their seats, Sophia was already waiting. She leaned closer as Nina sat down. "Did you hear?"
"Hear what?" Nina whispered back.
Sophia smirked. "People are saying you and William are, you know…" She wiggled her eyebrows. "…a thing."
Nina blinked. "What? That's ridiculous."
"Yeah, but rumors spread fast here," Sophia replied with a half-grin. "Apparently, Thomas started it."
"Of course he did," Nina muttered, exhaling sharply. Why would anyone even think that?
William, oblivious, was chatting with Junior across the aisle. He laughed, that warm, easy laugh that drew everyone in, and Nina felt her stomach twist — not from embarrassment this time, but something heavier, quieter. She didn't like how the rumor made her feel. Not because it was wrong… but because it was almost right.
---
The morning passed with the usual rhythm of new lessons and introductions. Teachers moved briskly from one subject to another, chalk tapping against boards, while the class fought to stay awake. During a brief lull, Nina caught herself doodling in the margins of her notebook — two stick figures, standing side by side under a childish drawing of the sun. She quickly closed it when William leaned over.
"What are you hiding?" he asked with a grin.
"Nothing. Focus on the lesson."
He tilted his head, teasing. "You're blushing. That means it's something."
"It's not!" she insisted, maybe too quickly.
His laugh was quiet, genuine. "You're terrible at lying, Nina."
She wanted to retort, but her throat tightened. Why does he always have to notice everything?
When the bell finally rang, she gathered her things a little too fast, hoping he wouldn't see the small smile tugging at her lips.
---
At lunch, the courtyard was bustling — trays clattering, students sprawled across benches, voices overlapping in chaotic harmony. Charlotte waved from under a tree, motioning Nina over. "Over here! We saved you a spot!"
Sophia and Rose were already there, unpacking their lunches. The moment Nina sat, Charlotte leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Okay, I need to know — is it true?"
Nina sighed. "If you're talking about the rumor, then no."
Sophia grinned. "Come on, we've all seen how you two look at each other."
"I look at him the same way I look at all of you," Nina protested, stabbing her fork into her salad.
Charlotte laughed softly. "Except you don't blush when you talk to us."
Rose, ever quiet, finally spoke. "People always assume too much. You shouldn't let it bother you."
"It doesn't," Nina said quickly, though even she didn't believe the words.
Across the courtyard, William sat with Thomas and Franklin. Their laughter carried across the air, bright and effortless. Nina watched for a moment — the way William leaned back, arms crossed, the sunlight catching his hair — and felt that now-familiar ache again. She looked away before anyone noticed.
"See?" Sophia nudged her. "You can't even stop looking."
Nina glared half-heartedly. "Can we talk about something else, please?"
Charlotte raised her hands. "Fine, fine. But just saying — rumors start somewhere."
Nina tried to focus on her food, on anything else, but her thoughts wouldn't quiet. Do I look at him differently? Have people always noticed something I didn't?
---
That afternoon, during gym class, the teasing grew louder. The class was split into teams for basketball, and as fate would have it, Nina and William ended up on the same side. Thomas's voice rang across the court: "Careful, guys, don't get distracted! Lovebirds on the same team!"
Laughter erupted. Nina froze, the basketball clutched in her hands. Her cheeks burned as she forced a laugh, trying to brush it off. "Very funny."
William frowned slightly, his voice calm but sharp. "Knock it off, Thomas."
But the damage was done. Every missed pass, every stumble drew more playful comments. The gym echoed with taunts that weren't cruel, just too close to the truth.
After the game, Nina stayed behind to put the equipment away. William joined her silently, picking up stray balls. The echo of bouncing rubber filled the empty gym.
"Sorry about that," he said quietly.
"It's fine," she murmured, not meeting his eyes.
He hesitated, studying her face. "It's not fine. I should've said something sooner."
"You did," she said, finally looking up. "But it doesn't matter. People will talk anyway."
For a moment, neither spoke. The sound of the rain tapping against the gym roof filled the space between them. William leaned against the wall, exhaling. "You know, I never thought people would actually think that about us."
Her heart gave a small, painful twist. "Yeah. Me neither."
He smiled faintly, a mix of amusement and nostalgia. "Guess we've always been too close."
"Is that… a bad thing?" she asked before she could stop herself.
He looked at her then — not teasing, not amused, but thoughtful. "No. It's not."
The silence that followed was heavier than anything they'd shared before. When he finally turned away, Nina felt as though the air had shifted between them, something delicate now balancing on the edge of change.
---
That evening, back in her room, Nina opened her notebook. The faint hum of rain outside softened the quiet. She stared at the blank page for a long time before writing:
They said we look like a couple. Maybe they're wrong. Maybe they're not. But why does hearing it make my heart race like this?
She closed the notebook and pressed it against her chest. The warmth of embarrassment and confusion lingered. It's just a rumor. It doesn't mean anything… right?
Yet deep down, she knew that something invisible had begun to stir — something neither of them could name, but both would soon feel.