Arista's POV
The bus ride back from the trip felt longer than the trip itself.
Everyone was tired, half-asleep, leaning on windows or each other. Advi had her earphones in, humming softly, while Devin and a few others argued about snacks at the back of the bus. Laughter filled the space, but it felt distant to me, like I was hearing it through glass.
Kaelor sat two seats ahead of me.
Not beside me.
That was the first thing I noticed.
He wasn't joking loudly like usual, wasn't leaning back to tease someone, wasn't even pretending to sleep dramatically. He sat upright, phone pressed to his ear, voice low — so low that I couldn't hear the words, only the seriousness in his tone.
I'd never seen him talk like that before.
Not playful.
Not relaxed.
Not him.
He glanced out the window while speaking, jaw tight, fingers tapping nervously against his knee. Whatever the conversation was, it wasn't small.
I looked away, telling myself not to stare.
But my chest felt oddly heavy.
When the call ended, he didn't turn around. Didn't look for me. He just slid his phone into his pocket and rested his forehead against the glass, eyes closed.
I told myself he was tired.
I told myself everything was fine.
---
When we reached school, chaos followed — bags unloading, teachers shouting instructions, students rushing to find their parents or rides. I stepped down from the bus and instinctively looked for Kaelor.
He was already walking away.
I called his name once.
"Kaelor!"
He turned, smiled — that familiar smile — but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I'll catch you later, okay?" he said quickly.
"Later when?" I asked, confused.
"Soon."
Before I could say anything else, he walked off toward the opposite gate.
I stood there longer than I should have.
Two hours passed.
The group dispersed. Teachers left. Even Advi went home after asking me twice if I was okay.
Kaelor didn't come back.
---
Kaelor's POV
I shouldn't have taken that call on the bus.
But I didn't have a choice.
My phone buzzed, the name flashing on the screen like a warning I couldn't ignore. The moment I answered, my chest tightened.
"Is it confirmed?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," came the reply. "The paperwork is almost done."
I closed my eyes.
Every laugh from the back of the bus felt like a reminder of what I was about to lose.
I didn't want Arista to hear. I didn't want her to see the version of me that was scared, cornered, running out of time. So I stayed quiet. Distant.
Cowardly.
When we reached school, I knew I had to leave — not home, not properly, just away. I needed air. Time. Space to think without her eyes on me.
That was why I disappeared.
Not because I didn't care.
Because I cared too much.
I walked for almost an hour, phone clenched in my hand, replaying conversations in my head. Everything felt rushed suddenly. Decisions I thought I had months to face were standing right in front of me.
And Arista…
She wasn't part of the problem.
That made it worse.
---
Arista's POV
He didn't text.
Didn't call.
When I finally went home, the silence followed me.
That night, I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, replaying small moments from the trip — him laughing during the games, him standing too close during group photos, him handing me water when I forgot mine.
Nothing felt wrong back then.
So why did it feel wrong now?
I opened my phone.
Typed his name.
Deleted the message.
I didn't want to sound needy. Or paranoid. Or stupid.
Still, something inside me whispered that this wasn't just about being tired.
---
Kaelor's POV
I returned home late.
Later than usual.
My room felt unfamiliar, like I'd already started leaving without physically moving. I sat on the edge of my bed, head in my hands, thinking of her face when I'd brushed her off.
She deserved honesty.
But not yet.
Not like this.
I picked up my phone, opened our chat, stared at the blank screen.
Then I locked it.
Some goodbyes don't happen all at once.
They happen in fragments.