Arista's POV
I woke up late.
Not the oops-five-minutes late.
The brain-didn't-shut-down-until-2 a.m. late.
My mind had been replaying everything on loop—Kaelor's unreadable eyes, Derek's constant weird smiling, Devin dropping me home like it was routine, and Meera and Arvin somehow ending up in the same place too often.
I brushed my teeth with one hand, massaging my temple with the other.
Congratulations, Arista, I thought. You're officially the center of a problem constellation.
Breakfast was quiet. Too quiet.
Mom noticed, of course. She always did. But she didn't ask. She just slid an apple toward me and said, "Eat."
Outside, the air felt heavier than usual.
And then I saw him.
Devin—standing near the gate, hands in his pockets, leaning casually like he owned the morning.
"You took way too long," he teased.
"That's my usual timing," I snapped, not in the mood.
He raised an eyebrow. "Someone's grumpy."
I didn't reply.
My eyes drifted, instinctively scanning the street.
That car again.
Parked too far. Engine quiet. Watching.
My stomach twisted.
"Hey—Arista!" Advi's voice cut through my thoughts.
She came running, breathless. "I thought you left!"
I steadied her. "Relax. You're fine."
When we reached school, the notice board was crowded.
Trip Group Responsibilities.
I scanned the list—and felt my soul leave my body.
Group leader.
Me.
With Mira.
Great.
I went looking for her immediately.
"Sana, where's Mira?" I asked.
"She went to the storeroom to get props," Sana replied.
The word storeroom sent a chill through me.
I hated that place.
But I went anyway.
---
The storeroom was darker than I remembered.
The door creaked shut behind me.
"Meera?" I called.
No response.
The silence pressed against my ears.
I took one step back toward the door.
Locked.
I pulled. Pushed. Slammed my shoulder once.
Nothing.
My breath started coming too fast.
Not now. Please not now.
The walls felt closer. The air thinner.
My chest tightened painfully.
"Help," I whispered, then louder. "Please—someone—"
My vision blurred.
The last thing I remember was sliding down the wall, my body giving up before my mind did.
---
Kaelor's POV
The moment attendance ended, I knew.
Arista wasn't here.
I told myself not to react—but my instincts were louder.
I went straight to her friends.
"Where is she?" I asked.
Meera blinked. "She's not with you?"
Zoe shook her head. "We thought she came early."
Advi frowned. "She didn't say anything."
That wasn't like her.
I turned—and spotted Sana near the notice board.
"Sana," I said, sharper than intended. "Where did Arista go?"
She hesitated.
"The storeroom."
My chest tightened.
I ran.
---
The hallway was empty.
Too empty.
The storeroom door was shut.
Locked.
"Arista?" I called.
Nothing.
I slammed my shoulder into the door once.
Twice.
On the third hit, the lock snapped.
The door flew open.
She was on the floor.
My heart stopped.
I dropped beside her, checking her pulse—fast, but there.
She'd passed out.
Relief hit me so hard it almost hurt.
"Hey," I whispered, brushing hair away from her face. "I'm here."
The room felt wrong. Unsafe.
I slid one arm under her knees, the other behind her back, lifting her carefully. Her head rested against my shoulder.
I didn't think.
I just moved.
Out into the hallway.
People stared.
I didn't care.
"Call the nurse," I ordered.
Sana appeared, pale. "Is she—?"
"She fainted."
I carried her all the way.
Not because it looked dramatic.
Because it was the safest way.
Because she trusted me—even unconscious.
When I finally laid her down in the nurse's office, my hands were shaking.
I stepped back.
Only then did I realize how close I'd come to losing her.
---
Arista's POV
When I woke up, the ceiling was white.
The smell of antiseptic filled the air.
My head throbbed.
"Easy," someone said.
I turned my head slightly.
Kaelor.
Standing there.
Watching me like I might disappear again.
"What… happened?" I croaked.
"You were locked in the storeroom," he said quietly. "You fainted."
Memory rushed back in fragments.
The door.
The darkness.
The air.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to—"
"Don't," he interrupted softly. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Our eyes met.
Something unspoken passed between us.
Fear.
Relief.
Something deeper.
The nurse cleared her throat. "She'll be fine. Just needs rest."
Kaelor nodded—but didn't look away from me.
As he turned to leave, I caught his sleeve instinctively.
"Kaelor."
He paused.
"…thank you."
He didn't smile.
But his voice was steady when he replied.
"Always."