The math classroom was dim despite the overhead lights, gray clouds outside swallowing whatever daylight tried to filter through the tall windows. The whiteboard at the front of the room was smeared faintly with old marker stains, numbers blurring together as Kara stared straight through them.
Her pencil rested idle between her fingers.
Her mind had already drifted far away.
She was back in the nurse's office.
Back to that moment.
The inches between her and Adam felt just as suffocating now as they had then. She could still picture his expression so clearly—how his usual smugness had faded, replaced by something quieter, something intent.
Calm. Almost fake.
She swallowed.
She wondered what his face had looked like after she left.
Had he looked confused? Hurt? Or had he masked it with that same easy smile he always wore?
Her fingers curled slowly around her pencil, grip tightening as the memory replayed in fragments—his bandaged face, the harsh white of the sheets beneath him, the way his eyes had searched her like she was the only thing anchoring him to the room.
Her jaw tightened.
How could he have done something so reckless?
Her thoughts sharpened, anger mixing with something heavier.
What made him snap like that?
Kara's gaze finally dropped back to the worksheet in front of her, rows of equations staring back accusingly. The numbers refused to make sense. Her focus fractured again as the faint, rhythmic tapping of rain reached her ears.
Patter. Patter. Patter.
She turned her head slightly, eyes drifting toward the window.
Rain streaked down the glass in uneven trails, blurring the outlines of the schoolyard beyond. Students hurried past with jackets pulled tight, umbrellas bobbing like dark flowers against the concrete.
Her expression shifted—annoyance flickering across her face as her brow twitched.
Great.
She worked after school today.
Her eyes dropped to the raincoat slung messily over her bag, dark fabric already speckled with water. She paused, then gave a small, reluctant smile.
Before Adam, she would've just walked straight through the rain. No jacket. No boots. Cold and soaked by the time she got home or to work.
Now—
She had a proper raincoat. Waterproof boots. Even gloves tucked into her pocket.
Her smile softened before she caught herself.
Her expression faltered.
She reached into her bag.
No umbrella.
"…Fuck," she muttered under her breath.
I must've forgotten it since I was in a rush this morning.
Her annoyance flared as she turned her glare to the blank wall in front of her like it was personally responsible for her forgetfulness.
Then—
The teacher's voice cut through the room.
"My, my," the woman said lightly, glancing toward the window. "Look how hard it's raining. Hopefully it doesn't rain like that during your prom night, huh?"
A few students chuckled.
Kara froze.
Her pencil stopped mid-air.
Prom.
It was already April.
Her chest tightened slightly as the realization settled in. Prom was only two months away—the night everyone talked about like it was some magical milestone.
Dresses. Dates. Dancing. Photos that would end up forgotten in dusty albums.
She scoffed internally.
So stupid.
Who would even want that?
…Then her cheeks warmed.
Her brows furrowed as the very first image that surfaced in her mind was Adam—his lopsided grin, the way he leaned too close when he teased her, the warmth of his hoodie draped over her shoulders on cold mornings.
She pressed her lips together, heat rising up her neck.
He wouldn't agree anyway.
Her grip on the pencil tightened.
I don't even know if he likes me like that.
Sometimes he treated her like just a friend. Casual. Easy. Other times… he was too close, too comfortable, too intimate for her to know where she stood.
She hated not knowing.
The final bell rang, jolting her back to reality.
After school, Kara headed straight for work.
On days like this, she and Adam never walked together—his route veered in the opposite direction of the orphanage. Still, her steps felt heavier without him beside her, the sidewalk strangely quiet despite the noise around her.
Water splashed up with every step as her boots hit the pavement. Cars hissed past, tires slicing through puddles. Groups of students laughed loudly or complained about the rain, voices echoing off brick buildings and bus shelters.
Kara pulled her black hood over her head, rain sliding smoothly off the fabric. Her bag, however, was completely drenched.
She sighed.
Good thing everything's in a binder.
She walked for nearly twenty minutes, her thoughts drifting aimlessly—half-formed worries, strange intrusive thoughts about death, and flashes of Adam's face intruding no matter how hard she tried to push them away.
When she finally reached the orphanage, warm light spilled out from the windows, glowing against the wet pavement.
The moment she stepped inside—
"Miss Kara!"
"Kara! Kara's here!"
Before she could even shrug off her jacket, small bodies collided with her legs, arms wrapping around her waist. Laughter filled the room, loud and bright and alive.
She smiled genuinely now.
Kneeling down, she gently patted one child's head.
"Yes, yes," she said softly. "I'm here. I missed you all too."
That was all it took.
They dragged her toward the play area, tugging at her sleeves, pulling her hands. Someone tried to braid her hair. Another smeared glittery makeup across her cheek. She let them, laughing quietly, her earlier tension melting away.
For a few hours, the world felt simple.
By the time she clocked out, it was nearly 7 p.m.
When she stepped back outside, the rain had stopped.
The air smelled thick and clean—wet grass, concrete, and distant mountain rain. Water dripped lazily from rooftops and street signs. The sky had cleared just enough to reveal streaks of pink and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Her phone buzzed.
She pulled it out.
Her heart jumped.
Big Back:
Kara, after school tomorrow I wanna take you somewhere. Don't ditch me k? :]
She exhaled a soft chuckle, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. Her eyes softened instantly, a familiar warmth blooming in her chest.
She typed back.
Kara:
Okay. I won't ditch you. :p
Pocketing her phone, she continued toward her apartment, a small smile lingering on her lips as the sky darkened above her.