Arista's POV
Festival week didn't slow down.
It pressed.
Like hands on my shoulders reminding me that I couldn't drop anything—not the schedule, not the people, not myself.
By Tuesday afternoon, my body was running on coffee and responsibility.
I stood near the stage, watching rehearsals blur together. Music echoed too loudly. Laughter bounced off walls. People moved around me, but somehow, I felt… still.
And then—
"Arista."
Kaelor's voice cut through everything.
I turned.
He was holding two paper cups.
"Tea," he said. "You forgot lunch."
I stared at it.
Not because of the tea.
Because someone noticed.
"Oh," I said softly. "I didn't realize."
He handed it to me without making a big deal out of it. That was his thing—care without announcement.
I took a sip.
Warm.
Sweet.
I felt something loosen in my chest.
"Thank you," I murmured.
He nodded. "You've been holding everything together since morning."
The words hit deeper than they should have.
I laughed quietly. "That obvious?"
"To me," he said.
That to me stayed with me.
-------
Later — Behind the Auditorium
I slipped out for air.
The sky was cloudy again, gray and heavy like it hadn't decided whether to rain.
I leaned against the wall, eyes closed, letting the noise fade.
"You disappear when it gets too much."
I opened my eyes.
Kaelor stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets.
"I don't disappear," I said. "I pause."
He tilted his head. "Same thing. Different intention."
I smiled faintly.
Silence settled—not awkward. Comfortable.
Safe.
"I don't like how visible everything feels this week," I admitted. "Like people are watching… waiting."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"They are," he said. "But they won't get close."
I looked at him. "How do you know?"
His eyes met mine.
"Because I won't let them."
The certainty in his voice did something dangerous to my heart.
I felt protected.
And that scared me almost as much as it comforted me.
Kaelor's POV
She looked lighter when she smiled.
Like the weight she carried wasn't crushing her in that moment.
That mattered.
Derek was watching from the stairs.
Again.
I made sure he saw me notice.
Arista's POV
By evening, exhaustion hit hard.
My legs ached. My head buzzed.
While I was reorganizing schedules, the lights flickered again.
My breath caught.
Just for a second.
Before panic could bloom—
Kaelor's voice. Close.
"Hey."
I turned fast.
He was already there.
"The power's stable," he said calmly.
"Backup's on."
My fingers trembled slightly.
He noticed.
Didn't comment.
Just shifted closer—not touching, but present.
"You're okay," he said. "You're here. It's bright. Doors are open."
My breathing steadied.
I hadn't told him any of this.
Yet he knew exactly what to say.
I hated how much relief I felt.
I loved it too.
-----
Rain — Again
By the time we wrapped up, rain finally fell.
Soft this time.
Persistent.
The courtyard shimmered under the lights.
"I should head home," I said.
"I'll walk you to the gate," he replied
automatically.
We didn't talk much.
Just walked.
Rain soaked the edges of my sleeves. His shoes splashed through puddles.
"I don't remember the last time I felt like this," I said suddenly.
He glanced at me. "Like what?"
"Like… I don't have to explain myself."
He stopped walking.
I stopped too.
"That's because you don't," he said quietly. "Not with me."
The rain fell between us.
For a second, the world felt very small.
And very safe.
Kaelor's POV
I wanted to reach for her.
Didn't.
Some things needed patience.
But I'd already chosen her.
Long ago.
-----
At the Gate
Devin waved from across the road.
Mira shouted something unintelligible.
Life resumed its noise.
I turned to Kaelor.
"Good night," I said.
"Good night, Arista."
I took a step away.
Then turned back.
"Kaelor?"
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you're here."
He didn't smile.
But his eyes softened.
"Me too."
-----
Night — My Room
Lying in bed, rain tapping against the window, I replayed everything.
The tea.
The way he stood beside me when the lights flickered.
The way he didn't ask questions but still knew.
For the first time in a long while, my thoughts didn't spiral.
They settled.
And I realized something quietly terrifying.
I wasn't just safe around him.
I was happy.