I didn't open the textbook.
I opened YouTube.
"Vectors explained simply."
The first video loaded. I propped my phone against my pencil case and watched.
Paused.
Rewound.
Tried the example again in my notebook.
It made sense for three seconds.
Then it didn't.
My phone buzzed.
Group chat.
Lunara: Library this weekend.
Lunara: Saturday. 10am.
Lunara: We are not failing midterms because of vibes.
Sera: Speak for yourself.
Miren: I'm in.
My chest tightened.
Miren: Cala?
Me: I'll check.
Lunara: Check what?
Me: I have to ask my parents.
Lunara: Oh.
I stepped out of my room.
For a second, I listened.
Dad wasn't back yet.
I was about to turn around when Erin appeared at the end of the hallway.
"Cala, come finish this for me," she said, handing me a basket of folded laundry.
I followed her into the living room.
We worked in silence for a minute.
I told myself not to rush it.
"Um," I started. "Can I go to the library on Saturday? With Lunara and them. For midterms."
She didn't look up immediately.
"You can study here."
"It's just group revision."
"You focus better alone."
It wasn't sharp.
Just settled.
I nodded.
"Okay."
I carried the empty basket back to my room.
My phone buzzed again.
Me: Can't. Studying at home.
Sera: That sucks.
Miren: We'll send notes.
Lunara: Fine. But we're revising together next week.
I placed my phone face down.
The video was still paused mid-sentence.
The man on the screen looked frozen, marker lifted toward a diagram I should have understood.
I pressed play.
He kept explaining.
I kept watching.
Alone.