If yesterday felt heavy,
today felt… tighter.
Like something invisible wrapped around the four of us—
me, Kaelor, Derek, Devin—
pulling us closer
while pushing us apart.
I didn't like it.
---
Morning — The Whisper That Was Too Loud
The moment I walked into school, Sana rushed to me.
"You HAVE to hear this," she gasped.
Meera followed behind her, out of breath.
"Drama. Big drama. Chaos-level drama."
"Okay, okay, breathe," I said.
"What happened?"
Sana pointed at me as if accusing me of a crime.
"Someone said you got into a fight between Kaelor and Derek yesterday."
I froze.
Meera added, "They said Kaelor dragged you away."
"What— NO. That didn't happen. THEY talked, I didn't do anything!"
Sana folded her arms.
"People don't want accuracy. They want content."
Zoe appeared behind us like a ghost.
"Well, at least it's more entertaining than the last rumor. The teachers are even asking questions now."
"Oh fantastic," I muttered.
"Love being the trending topic."
---
Mid-Morning — The Library Incident Begins
Our group project required research, so Mr. Hayes sent us to the library.
Which already meant disaster.
The four of us sat at one table again:
Devin beside me
Kaelor across
Derek diagonally with his permanent smirk
The silence was LOUD.
We all pretended to read.
Until Devin leaned toward me, voice soft.
"Arista… can I tell you something?"
My stomach dropped.
Not again.
Not today.
I nodded slowly.
He opened his mouth—
and the librarian slammed a book onto her desk.
Everyone jumped.
She glared at us.
"No talking."
Devin sank into his seat.
Well, that was anticlimactic.
---
Devin's Almost-Confession — Take Two
We moved to a quieter corner to avoid the librarian.
Devin tried again.
"Arista… I feel like—"
A book fell loudly behind us.
We both turned.
Derek stood there.
Holding the book he "accidentally" dropped.
"Oh," he said with zero sincerity,
"sorry for interrupting."
He wasn't sorry at all.
Devin tensed beside me.
He inhaled deeply.
"I'll say it later."
Derek smirked.
I hated that smile.
---
Derek's Mask Cracks
While Devin searched another shelf, I stood alone, flipping through pages.
Derek suddenly appeared next to me.
Too close.
"Why do you look so uncomfortable?" he asked quietly.
"I'm not," I lied.
He leaned forward slightly.
"Is it because of yesterday?"
"Nothing happened yesterday."
"But something is happening," he whispered.
I closed the book sharply.
"Derek, stop."
His smile faltered.
Just a fraction.
But I saw it.
A crack.
A glitch in the mask he wore so perfectly.
"You don't trust me," he said softly.
"I don't know you."
He stared at me for a moment.
Too long.
Then he turned and walked away abruptly—
no smirk,
no fake charm.
Just… something else.
Something colder.
I didn't know what that meant.
And I didn't want to guess.
---
Kaelor's POV
(Arista doesn't hear this.
This is what he feels, quietly, internally.)
Kaelor watched.
Not the books.
Not the project.
Her.
The way Derek stood too close.
The way Devin looked heartbroken.
The way Arista shrank when she was uncomfortable.
He gripped the book in his hands so tightly the edges bent.
He wanted to walk over.
He wanted to pull her away.
But she didn't look at him once.
Not once.
And he didn't know why that hurt more than anything Derek said.
---
Study Table — The Shift
Arista's pov
When we all sat down again, something had changed.
Derek was quiet—dangerously quiet.
Devin was pale and frustrated.
Kaelor was focused but tense, jaw tight.
And I…
I felt like a rope being pulled from three sides.
Finally, Kaelor broke the silence.
"We need to divide the work."
His voice was low, steady, but sharp.
Devin nodded instantly.
"Y-yeah. Let's do that."
Derek smirked lightly, mask back on.
"I'll take the analytical part."
His eyes flicked to me.
"I have a talent for understanding people."
I clenched my jaw.
Kaelor noticed.
---
After School — Rain, Again
Because the universe hates me,
it started raining AGAIN as soon as school ended.
I hadn't brought an umbrella.
Of course I hadn't.
I stood under the roof, waiting for it to slow down.
Then someone held an umbrella above my head.
I looked up.
Kaelor.
He didn't look at me.
Just held it silently between us.
"I'll walk with you," he said simply.
My heart stuttered.
"Kaelor… you don't have to—"
"I want to."
"Don't you remember what happened last time ? That day the whole school talked about us. I don't want that to happen again" I explained, expected him to understand.
" I don't care what the world says. The only thing matters is you"he said💕
Why does my stomach is having so many butterflies today . Okay I agree , I was flattered by his word.
I agreed.
The rain roared around us.
And for the first time today,
the noise in my chest paused.
He stepped closer so we both fit under the umbrella.
But then—
A voice echoed behind us.
"Arista!"
I turned.
Devin.
Holding his own umbrella, breathless.
"I need to talk to you!"
Kaelor instantly stiffened beside me.
Devin looked at him, then at me.
"It's important."
And somewhere behind them,
under another corner of the building,
Derek watched.
Expression unreadable.
Smile gone.
Eyes dark.
The storm wasn't outside.
It was right here.
Between all of us.