The weekend came and went without ceremony.
That, too, felt wrong.
XH woke up on Monday expecting something to feel different. A sense of relief, maybe. Or clarity. Instead, he woke with the same weight in his chest, the same half-formed thoughts circling like they had nowhere to land.
Campus 2 was calm in the mornings. Fewer voices. Softer footsteps. The air smelled faintly of coffee and cleaning solution. It was the kind of calm that suggested order, routine, reassurance.
XH didn't feel reassured.
He arrived early again, taking the same seat he always did. He placed his notebook on the desk, aligned his pen, and stared at the board without really seeing it.
Kitty arrived ten minutes later.
She paused at the door briefly, scanning the room like she was checking where she might land safely. When her eyes found XH, she smiled. It was polite. Careful.
She chose a seat two rows ahead.
Not beside him.Not far away.
Just enough.
TR dropped into his seat with a yawn that sounded painful. "Mondays should be illegal."
PL nodded enthusiastically. "I would vote for that."
JP glanced up. "You wouldn't vote."
"That hurts," PL said.
NS arrived quietly and took a seat near the aisle. He didn't look at XH. He didn't look at Kitty either. His posture was calm, but there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there before.
The lecturer began talking about applied concepts, things that sounded practical and important. XH tried to listen. He really did.
But his attention kept drifting.
To the space Kitty left behind.
To the way NS scribbled notes harder than necessary.
To the feeling that everyone was pretending something hadn't shifted.
During the break, TR stretched and stood up. "Alright. Who's alive?"
PL raised his hand. "Barely."
HS smiled softly. "We're doing fine."
Kitty stood too, gathering her things. She didn't look toward XH, but she slowed her pace slightly as she passed his row.
XH stood, heart pounding harder than it should have.
"Kitty," he said.
She stopped and turned.
"Yes?"
The word was neutral. Open. Guarded.
"Can we talk?" he asked.
Her eyes searched his face for a moment, then she nodded. "Okay."
They stepped aside near the windows where the light was softer and fewer people passed. The campus outside looked peaceful. Trees barely moved in the breeze.
XH didn't know where to start.
"I've been thinking," he said finally.
Kitty smiled faintly. "You always say that."
He let out a quiet breath. "I know I haven't been… clear."
Kitty waited.
That patience hurt more than anger would have.
"I don't want you to feel like a rumor," he continued. "Or like you're waiting on something that may not happen."
Kitty tilted her head slightly. "Then what do you want me to feel?"
The question was simple.
The answer wasn't.
"I want you to feel… important," XH said.
Kitty's eyes softened. "I already do."
That wasn't relief.
That was a warning.
"But," she added gently, "importance without direction still hurts."
XH nodded slowly. "I'm trying to figure things out."
Kitty studied him, then sighed quietly. "I believe you. I really do."
She paused.
"But believing you doesn't mean I can ignore how this feels."
XH swallowed. "I understand."
She smiled again, softer this time. "Good."
They rejoined the group without drama. Without conclusions.
TR immediately sensed the shift. "Did you two just have a serious conversation?"
PL leaned in. "Did it resolve anything?"
"No," Kitty said honestly.
"Yes," XH said at the same time.
TR blinked. "Amazing. I love ambiguity."
Lunch was quieter than usual. Not tense. Just… measured.
Kitty sat near HS, talking softly. XH sat across the table, listening more than speaking. NS ate quickly, eyes down, like he wanted the moment to end.
At one point, TR started telling a ridiculous story about nearly missing a deadline because he forgot what day it was. Everyone laughed. Even Kitty.
But when the laughter faded, the quiet returned.
That afternoon, the group gathered for a casual study session. Not because they needed to. Because it had become habit.
Books were open. Notes scattered. Phones ignored.
XH found himself sitting beside Kitty again, closer than in the morning. Their shoulders brushed occasionally, accidentally on purpose.
She didn't pull away.
That closeness felt dangerous.
Comfortable.
NS watched them from across the table, expression unreadable.
"Can someone explain this again?" PL asked, pointing to a diagram.
HS leaned over to help. JP added clarification without being asked. TR pretended to listen.
Kitty leaned closer to XH to see his notes. Her hair brushed his arm lightly.
XH froze.
She noticed immediately. "Sorry."
"No," he said quickly. "It's fine."
She smiled. "Okay."
The study session ended without incident, but the air felt heavier as the evening settled.
As they packed up, NS stood abruptly. "I'm heading out."
"Already?" TR asked.
NS nodded. "Yeah."
XH stood too. "Hey."
NS hesitated, then turned.
"You okay?" XH asked.
NS stared at him for a long moment. "I'm trying to be."
XH stepped closer. "I don't want this to get weird between us."
NS exhaled slowly. "Then don't let it."
"Let what?"
NS's eyes flicked briefly toward Kitty, who was zipping her bag a few steps away.
"This," NS said quietly. "Whatever this is."
XH clenched his jaw. "I'm not trying to hurt anyone."
"I know," NS replied. "That's why it's frustrating."
TR cleared his throat loudly. "Do we need snacks to survive this conversation?"
"No," NS said flatly.
"Yes," TR said anyway.
The tension eased slightly, but not fully.
As they walked back toward the dorms, Kitty stayed a step behind the group, walking with HS. XH wanted to slow down to walk beside her.
He didn't.
At the dorm entrance, the group paused out of habit.
"Same routine tomorrow?" TR asked.
"Sure," PL replied.
Kitty nodded. "Yeah."
She looked at XH. Just briefly.
It wasn't accusation.
It wasn't longing.
It was something quieter.
I'm still here.
XH felt both comforted and trapped by that.
Later that night, XH sat alone at his desk, notebook open but empty. His phone buzzed.
A message from NS.
NS: I wasn't trying to attack you.I just don't want you to wake up one day and realize you waited too long.
XH stared at the screen.
He didn't reply immediately.
Across campus, Kitty lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the same conversation from earlier. She told herself she had said enough. That she had drawn a boundary.
But her chest still ached.
Because caring didn't stop just because you asked it to.
And somewhere between care and fear, something was slowly shifting.
Not breaking.
Shifting.
And none of them knew yet what it would become.