Arista's POV
If life had a pause button, I would've slammed it the second I walked into school the next morning.
Because the first thing I saw?
Arvin.
Talking to Meera.
And Meera… smiling.
Not just smiling — glowing.
I froze in the middle of the hallway like someone had unplugged my brain. Yesterday had been chaos already. Kaelor avoiding me, Derek acting like a live wire, Devin being unexpectedly soft… and now this?
Sana bumped into me.
"Why are you standing like you saw a ghost?"
I pointed.
"That."
Her eyes widened.
"OH. Ohhh. The arc thickens."
I didn't mean to eavesdrop.
But they were standing right next to my locker. What was I supposed to do, teleport?
Meera crossed her arms. "So you really meant it? What you said yesterday?"
Arvin scratched the back of his neck. "Ya… I don't say things I don't mean."
Meera blinked fast. "Oh. Uh… cool."
Why was she nervous??
Why was HE nervous??
My stomach twisted.
Meera lowered her voice. "But… are you sure it's okay? After everything?"
"Meera," Arvin said gently, "I'm not mad at you. I never was. I just want things to not be weird anymore."
Meera stared at him for a full five seconds.
Then she smiled — the soft smile she used to save only for me.
I shut my locker a little too loudly.
They jumped apart.
"Morning!" I said, way too cheerfully.
Meera looked between me and Arvin like she'd been caught hugging contraband.
Arvin gave me a tiny nod. "Morning, Arista."
I nodded back, feeling like a whole TV show was happening and I wasn't given the script.
---
Later, during lunch, I went to fill my water bottle and paused when I heard voices at the corner near the staircase.
Zoe.
And Arvin.
Of course at this moment I wasn't going to listen their conversation but I guess universe wants me to hear this
Zoe's voice was calm. "Arvin… listen. Meera's scared she messed things up with you forever."
He sighed. "I know."
"So talk to her properly. Not half-sentences. Not avoidance. You know she overthinks."
He let out a dry laugh. "She's not the only one."
Zoe smiled. "You like her, don't you?"
I slapped my hand over my mouth to stop the gasp.
Arvin didn't answer immediately.
But his silence was way louder than any words.
Finally, softly:
"Yeah. I do."
My heart dropped into my stomach.
Not because I liked Arvin like that — I didn't.
But Meera… she did.
And she had never admitted it out loud.
Zoe nudged him. "Then stop pretending you don't care. And stop waiting for the 'perfect' moment. It doesn't exist."
Arvin chuckled. "You're surprisingly wise."
"I know," Zoe said smugly.
"Now don't mess this up."
----
When I returned to class, Kaelor was already sitting in his seat.
For once, he wasn't avoiding me.
But he wasn't normal either — his expression was guarded, sharp around the edges.
"Arista," he said as I sat down.
His voice was too calm. The dangerous kind.
"You disappeared at lunch."
"I was just walking around," I said quickly.
He tilted his head.
"You look… unsettled."
I forced a laugh. "Just tired."
He studied me with that unreadable intensity that always made my chest tighten.
"You don't have to lie to me," he said quietly.
The air went still.
I swallowed.
"Kaelor, what's going on with you?"
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Looked away.
And after a long pause, he whispered—
"Someone is pretending to be something they're not… and you're in the middle of it."
My blood ran cold.
"Who?"
He looked at me.
Hard.
"Arvin."
My heart dropped. "What? Why?"
He didn't look away.
"He's hiding something from you."
Before I could respond, the bell rang, and Kaelor turned forward like he hadn't just thrown a grenade into my brain.
---
After School ,On the way out, Meera walked beside me quietly.
Too quietly.
Finally, she took a deep breath.
"Arista… can I ask you something?"
"Yeah?"
She hesitated.
"Do you… think Arvin hates me?"
My chest squeezed.
I remembered his tone.
His nervousness.
His softened voice when he talked about her.
"No," I said honestly.
"Not even a little."
She looked down, cheeks warm.
"Then why does he act so weird around me?"
Because he likes you, I wanted to say.
But it wasn't my confession to reveal.
So instead:
"Maybe he's figuring out how to talk to you again. Give him a little time."
She nodded, biting her lip.
But she was smiling.
---
At night , I was brushing my hair, trying to force calm into my brain, when my phone buzzed.
📩
Unknown Number:
You're trusting the wrong person.
My heart stopped.
📩
Me:
Who is this??
No reply.
I stared at the screen until my eyes burned.
Kaelor's words echoed in my mind.
"Someone is pretending to be something they're not…
and you're in the middle of it."
I sat on my bed, stomach twisting.
Was it Arvin?
Derek?
Someone else entirely?
I didn't know.
But for the first time, I wished tomorrow wouldn't arrive.
Because something was coming.
Something I wasn't prepared for.