Elara's POV
The sky is changing by the time I steady my breathing.
Blue fades into gold, and the campus feels slower, quieter—like the day is finally letting me go. I wipe my face, embarrassed, even though Claudio hasn't said a word about my tears.
"It's getting dark," he says gently. "I can walk you home. If you want."
I look at him.
He's not watching the sky or the path. He's watching me, like he's making sure I'm okay without asking.
"I'd like that," I say.We walk side by side, our steps falling into an easy rhythm. The sunset wraps everything in warmth, turning the familiar paths into something softer. I don't feel the need to fill the silence. With him, quiet doesn't feel awkward.
It feels kind.
"My dance competition is in two days," I say after a while.
He looks at me, really looks. "The big one?"
I nod. "Nationals qualifiers."
"That's incredible."
I shrug, but my heart is beating faster. "I don't usually invite people."
He waits. Patient."But I want you to come," I add, my voice barely above the breeze.
For a moment, he doesn't speak. Then he smiles—small, sincere.
"I'll be there," he says. "Just tell me when."
Something inside me loosens.
We keep walking as the light fades into dusk, our shadows stretching and overlapping on the path ahead. I don't feel like crying anymore.
Instead, I feel steady.And as we walk together, enjoying the quiet comfort of each other's presence, a thought slips into my mind—soft but certain:
Maybe moving on doesn't mean moving away.
Maybe it means moving forward.
Elara's POV — That Night
My room is dark except for the glow of my phone.
I lie still, replaying the day in fragments—the quiet walk, the sunset, the way being with Claudio made everything feel less heavy.
My phone buzzes.
Freya:
I wanted you to hear it from me first.
Alex asked me out. I said yes.
My chest tightens.
I type I'm really happy for you and stare at the words before sending them. I mean them, even if they ache a little on the way out.
I turn onto my side, hugging the pillow close, letting the feeling pass.
Another buzz.
I check it without thinking.
Claudio:
I checked the date you told me about.
I'll be there.
Front row, if that's okay.
Something warm settles in my chest, easing the sadness that hadn't fully left.
Me:
That's more than okay.
I smile into the darkness, a real one this time.
Freya is moving forward.
Alex is choosing her.
And somehow, tonight, I don't feel alone.
I set my phone down, the room feeling softer than before, and let sleep come quietly.
Freya's POV — That Night
I sit on my bed with my phone in my hands longer than I need to.
I already told Elara. I wanted her to hear it from me first—before rumors, before assumptions. She replied exactly how I knew she would. Kind. Supportive. Selfless.
That's what makes the guilt settle quietly in my chest.
Alex asked me out today.
I replay the moment again—not the words, but the way his voice dropped, the way his confidence slipped just enough to feel real. He wasn't the football captain then. He was just a boy asking a girl if she mattered to him.
And somehow, that meant everything.
My phone buzzes.It's him.
Can't believe you said yes, the message reads. Still smiling.
I smile too, softer this time.
I think about Elara—about the way she watches people, how she feels things deeply even when she pretends she doesn't. I hope she's okay. I hope she knows I never meant to hurt her.
But I also know this feeling in my chest isn't something I want to push away.
For once, I'm choosing myself.
I type back slowly.
Me too. See you tomorrow.
I set my phone down and stare at the ceiling, heart light and nervous all at once.
Tomorrow is a date.
Tomorrow is something new.And for the first time, I let myself believe that it's okay to want this.