Arista's POV
Yesterday ended with silence.
Not the peaceful kind.
The kind that lingers after something almost happens and doesn't.
That's how Monday felt.
I sat at my desk, staring at the board, pretending to copy notes while my mind replayed yesterday like a stubborn echo. Kaelor standing too close. His laugh stopping halfway. The way his eyes lingered as if he wanted to say something but decided against it.
I hated that pause.
I hated that I noticed it.
"Earth to Arista," Sana whispered, poking my arm. "You've written the same line three times."
I glanced down.
She was right.
I sighed and crossed it out. "Long weekend."
"That's not a long-weekend face," Meera added from behind. "That's a something-is-brewing face."
I didn't answer.
Because how do you explain something that doesn't even have a name yet?
Across the room, Kaelor leaned back in his chair, balancing it dangerously on two legs like always. He was joking with Devin, grinning, completely normal. Too normal.
But every time I shifted, I felt it.
His attention.
Not obvious.
Not intense.
Just… present.
And somehow, that made it worse.
---
In the break, The corridor buzzed with noise, lockers slamming, people shouting plans. The school felt alive in that loud, chaotic way—but I felt strangely detached.
Advi linked her arm with mine. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I said automatically.
She raised a brow. "That was a lie."
I exhaled. "I'm just tired of feeling like I'm standing in the middle of something without knowing what it is."
She smiled softly. "Welcome to adolescence."
We stopped near the staircase, and that's when I heard it.
Kaelor's laugh.
Unfiltered. Bright. The kind that made other people turn to look. He was teasing Sana about something, leaning forward with that easy confidence that somehow never felt arrogant.
"Why are you staring?" Advi asked.
"I'm not," I snapped, a second too fast.
She smirked. "Sure."
As if he sensed it, Kaelor's eyes flicked toward me.
Our gazes met.
Just for a second.
He raised his hand in a lazy half-wave. "Hey."
"Hey," I replied.
That was it.
No dramatic pause.
No heartbeat moment.
Just a greeting.
And yet my chest felt tight like I'd missed a step on the stairs.
---
The announcement came right before the final bell.
"Attention students—final confirmations for the upcoming school trip will be posted by tomorrow. Group leaders, ensure your responsibilities are finalized."
The room erupted.
Chairs scraped. People cheered. Someone yelled, "FINALLY!"
Meera turned to me, eyes shining. "Trip."
I nodded. "Trip."
For some reason, my stomach flipped.
Because trips weren't just trips.
They were late-night talks, shared snacks, accidental closeness.
And Kaelor.
---
In the evening, I stayed back to finish my duties. By the time I stepped outside, the sky had turned a soft orange, the kind that made everything look gentler than it really was.
"Arista."
I turned.
Kaelor jogged over, hands in his pockets, breath slightly uneven like he'd been looking for me.
"You disappeared," he said lightly.
"I had stuff."
"Of course you did," he smiled. "You always do."
There was a beat of silence—not awkward, just… full.
"So," he continued, rocking back on his heels, "trip's almost here."
"Yeah."
"You excited?"
I thought about it. About the bus rides. The laughter. The unknown.
"I think so."
He nodded, then hesitated. "You've been quiet today."
I laughed weakly. "So have you."
"That's because I'm thinking."
"Dangerous."
He chuckled. "Very."
Another pause.
Then, softer: "If I say something stupid someday… you'll tell me, right?"
I blinked. "What?"
He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly less confident. "I mean—sometimes I joke too much. Or avoid things. If it ever bothers you… just say it."
My heart skipped.
"Okay," I said. "Same goes for you."
He smiled at that. A real one. Warm. Familiar.
"Deal."
---
At home, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
I thought about that empty space between words.
Between looks.
Between what we were and what we weren't.
I didn't know what was coming.
But something told me this wasn't just another school phase.
It felt like standing at the edge of a chapter—
not ready to turn the page,
but unable to go back.
And somewhere in that space…
Kaelor Han existed.
Not as a crush.
Not as a problem.
But as a question I wasn't ready to answer yet.