Arista's POV
Monday didn't feel heavy.
For once.
I walked into school with Advi, both of us still half-living in yesterday's memory—the performance. The song, the coordination, the way the crowd had gone quiet and then loud all at once.
"I swear," Advi said, adjusting her bag, "you and Kaelor looked like you'd practiced for years."
"We practiced for one evening," I replied.
"And almost fought twice."
"That's chemistry," she teased.
I rolled my eyes, but my cheeks warmed anyway.
Classes passed normally. Notes, teachers, the usual background noise of school life.
Kaelor sat two benches away today, occasionally turning back to whisper something dumb to Aarvin, earning himself warnings and me suppressed smiles.
Just when the day started feeling long—
Our PT teacher entered.
"Change of plan," he announced. "Games period. Ground. Now."
The class erupted.
----
The sun felt brighter on the ground. Shoes hit the grass. Laughter spread fast.
Freeze Tag.
In the first round, neither Kaelor nor I were denners.
I stayed close to Mira and Sana, while Kaelor ran around dramatically, pretending to narrowly escape every tag. He almost just stopped inches before running into me
"Why do you run like that?" I laughed when he passed by.
"Style," he said, almost tripping. "You wouldn't get it."
At one point, we almost crashed into each other while dodging two students.
"Careful," he said. "I don't want my reputation ruined."
"As what?" I asked.
"School's most charming almost-injury," he replied.
Suddenly Mira ran pass through me like a hurricane, her shoulder crashed into mine
and i crashed to kaelor and....
I fell...
But why the ground is too soft? I ran my hand here and there only to find out that I fell on kaelor..
The whole class was looking at us. Some were whispering, some were teasing but my very dear besties were living in delulu.
"Ouch!" Kaelor said . He looked totally in pain.
" Hey! Are you okay?!" I asked him tensed.
"I am but are you okay?"
" Yeah thanks to you"
The whistle blew soon after. Round one
ended without much damage—except my cheeks hurting from smiling.
That's when things changed.
"Arista," the teacher called. "You're the denner."
Kaelor's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh," he said loudly, clapping. "This I have to see."
"Don't provoke me," I warned.
He raised his hands innocently. "Me? Never."
Five seconds later—
"Aristaaaa," he sang, running past me deliberately slow. "You missed."
That was it.
I chased him.
Not half-heartedly. Not playfully.
Properly.
He laughed, sprinting ahead. "Why are you running only after me?"
"Because you're annoying!"
"That hurts," he said, dodging left.
"Emotionally."
He kept teasing, slowing down just enough to stay out of reach. People laughed, cheering, some even shouting, "GET HIM!"
Finally, near the edge of the ground, I lunged and tagged his arm.
"FREEZE," I said, breathless.
He froze—mid-smile.
"Worth it," he said softly.
I walked away, heart racing faster than the run deserved.
Next round.
"Kaelor," the teacher said. "Your turn."
He cracked his knuckles dramatically.
"Alright. Everyone prepare."
I backed away immediately.
"You look suspicious," I said.
"Trust issues already?" he replied. "After one chase?"
I ran early. Smart move. According to me.
He chased me—but strangely, not directly.
He ignored everyone around me instead.
We finally stopped around a mary-go-around. He was exactly opposite me.
I stopped, exhausted. "Why are you—"
He suddenly jumped over it and tagged me.
"UNO REVERSE."
I stared at him. "You did that on purpose."
He grinned. "Strategy."
He stand in front of me, it looked like he was my personal bodyguard.
He is shouted," if anyone will go near Arista, their my life might be in danger." He looked at Derek, who wasn't even playing this game.
"What was that for?" I asked him .
"Oh, don't worry guys. I was saying this in perspective of this game."
Everyone exhaled in relief.
The bell rang and the game ended.
"You okay?" he asked, voice softer now.
I nodded. "Yeah."
For a second, the noise faded.
Walking back, Sana nudged me. "You chased him like it was personal."
"It was not."
Mira smirked. "Sure."
Ahead of us, Kaelor turned and walked backward. "Good game, Arista."
I paused, then smiled. "Yeah. It was."
For the first time, the happiness felt… simple.
And safe.