The rest of the morning passed like Aira was walking underwater.
Her heart wasn't beating normally.
Her brain wasn't forming full thoughts.
Her entire system was malfunctioning because of one stupid boy with messy hair and soft eyes.
Reyhan Malhotra.
She hated that she cared.
She hated that he cared.
She hated that she didn't hate any of it.
When she walked into her next class, she expected him to slip into the seat beside hers, smirk, and say something annoying in that stupid low voice.
But he didn't sit beside her.
He didn't sit anywhere near her.
Reyhan took a seat by the window—the farthest corner of the room—hoodie up, eyes down, headphones in.
Aira felt her heart drop straight to her shoes.
Sia leaned over. "Girl. Why is your menace sitting like a lonely K-drama protagonist?"
Aira whispered, "Because I accidentally traumatized him yesterday."
Sia widened her eyes. "Oh honey… FIX IT."
Aira glared. "It's not that simple!"
Sia sighed dramatically. "Love never is."
Aira nearly threw her pen at her.
The teacher began the lesson, but Aira couldn't focus.
Her attention kept drifting to the back corner.
Reyhan wasn't doodling.
Wasn't drumming his fingers.
Wasn't watching her.
It was like someone had turned down his brightness.
Aira twisted her fingers anxiously.
Should she talk to him?
Should she leave him alone?
Should she pretend she didn't notice?
Her brain: Leave him alone.
Her heart: Go to him.
Her legs: Already standing up.
"Aira?" Zayden whispered. "Where are you going?"
"Bathroom," she lied.
The teacher didn't even look up.
Aira walked quietly toward the back corner.
Her palms felt sweaty.
Her heartbeat felt stupid.
When she reached him, she tapped his desk gently.
Reyhan looked up slowly.
His expression didn't shift.
Not surprise.
Not annoyance.
Just a quiet question in his eyes.
Aira swallowed. "Can we… talk?"
He pulled out one earbud. "Now?"
She nodded.
He stared at her for a long second—too long—and then finally stood.
They stepped outside the classroom into the empty hallway. Aira hugged her arms nervously.
Reyhan leaned against the wall, looking everywhere except at her.
Aira took a breath. "Are you… okay?"
Reyhan's jaw flexed. "I'm fine."
She frowned. "You don't look fine."
He looked down at his shoes.
His voice dropped low. "I don't want to bother you."
Aira blinked.
"…Bother me?"
"You said you needed space," he said quietly. "So I'm trying not to be… too much."
Aira's heart twisted painfully.
"Reyhan," she whispered, "you're not too much."
He finally looked at her—really looked.
There was something raw in his eyes.
Something he didn't know how to hide.
"Then why did you run?" he asked softly.
Aira froze.
She didn't expect him to say it like that.
Didn't expect it to hurt the way it did.
She forced her voice to stay steady.
"I wasn't running from you. I was running from… feelings."
Reyhan straightened.
"…Feelings?"
Aira's cheeks flushed. "Just—confusing ones."
He stepped closer—slow, careful, like approaching something fragile.
"How confusing?"
She glared. "Don't make me say it."
"Then don't say it," he murmured. "Just let me understand."
Aira's heart raced.
She looked down. "I didn't want to hurt you."
Reyhan went still.
"…You were worried about hurting me?"
Aira nodded, embarrassed. "Yeah."
Something unguarded flickered across Reyhan's face—surprise, relief, something deeper she wasn't ready to name.
"Aira," he said quietly, "I'm not going anywhere."
Aira's breath caught.
"You don't have to be scared of me," he continued softly.
"I'm not asking for anything you're not ready for."
Her chest tightened.
Her vision felt blurry.
Not from tears—
from the overwhelming realization that she didn't want him far away.
"I… don't want you to stop talking to me," she finally whispered.
Reyhan's expression broke open—just a little.
"Then I won't," he said. "Not unless you ask again."
"And if I ask?" she challenged weakly.
He leaned in—not close enough to touch, but close enough to make her heart forget its rhythm.
"I'll give you distance," he said softly.
"But I won't stop caring."
Aira's throat closed.
He stepped back just enough to give her space.
"Class ends in twenty minutes," he said gently.
"If you want me beside you… I'll come sit."
Aira felt her heart twist painfully.
"…I want you to sit with me," she whispered.
Reyhan's eyes softened instantly.
"Okay," he said, with the first real smile she'd seen on him all day.
"I'm right behind you."
Aira turned toward the classroom door, trying not to melt on the spot.
RULE #19: Don't get used to Reyhan Malhotra's gentle side.
Because once he shows it…
you'll crave it more than his chaos.