«The most dangerous feelings are not the ones that arrive loudly. They are the ones that quietly settle into your heart before you even realize they're there.»
Naveah's Thought
"I have always believed I understood myself.
I knew my strengths. My weaknesses. My fears. My dreams.
But no one ever warned me that the hardest person to understand would be myself."
---
The rest of the school day should have been normal.
At least, that was what I kept telling myself.
Normal meant attending classes.
Normal meant completing Student Council duties.
Normal meant ignoring Camellia's endless theories.
Normal meant not thinking about a certain new student with a soft smile and an even softer voice.
Unfortunately...
My brain clearly did not receive the memo.
"You're doing it again."
I looked up from my notebook.
Camellia was staring at me.
"Doing what?"
"Thinking."
I sighed.
"That's not a crime."
"No, but the way you do it is suspicious."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Suspicious?"
"Yes."
She leaned closer.
"You have the same expression you had when you were trying to solve that impossible chemistry problem in sophomore year."
"That was different."
"How?"
"I was actually trying to solve something."
She smiled.
"And now?"
I looked back at my notebook.
"Nothing."
"Nothing has a name now?"
I immediately looked at her.
"Cami."
"What?"
"Stop."
She laughed.
"I knew it."
"You know nothing."
"I know everything."
"You are unbelievably confident for someone who once forgot where she put her phone while holding it."
She gasped.
"That happened once."
"It happened three times."
"Details."
I shook my head, but I couldn't stop the small smile that appeared.
That was Camellia.
She could annoy me endlessly and somehow still make my day better.
---
After our final class, the Student Council members gathered in the office for a short meeting.
The transfer student situation had everyone curious.
"Do we know how many students are arriving?" Mina asked.
Oliver checked the documents.
"Three new students officially transferred this semester."
"Only three?" Camellia asked.
"Yes."
She nodded thoughtfully.
"Interesting."
I looked at her.
"Why did you say that like a detective?"
"Because I am one."
"No, you're not."
"I could be."
"You'd be the worst detective."
She placed a hand over her chest dramatically.
"I am offended."
"Good."
The room filled with laughter.
Moments like this reminded me why I loved the Student Council.
It wasn't just about schedules and responsibilities.
It was about people.
---
When the meeting ended, most of the council members left immediately.
Camellia, however, stayed behind.
I already knew what that meant.
"Don't."
She blinked.
"I haven't said anything."
"You were about to."
She smiled.
"Fine."
She packed her books slowly.
"But I have a question."
I sighed.
"What?"
"Do you think Aria is pretty?"
I stared at her.
"Cami."
"What? It's a simple question."
"Why are you like this?"
"Because someone has to be honest with you."
I looked away.
"She's... pretty."
Camellia's eyes widened.
"Oh?"
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
She tried to hide her smile.
"Okay, okay."
I picked up my bag.
"Besides, she probably thinks I'm weird."
"Why would she think that?"
"Because she thought I was a boy."
Camellia laughed.
"Honestly, that was the funniest thing that happened today."
I gave her a look.
"You are supposed to support me."
"I do support you."
She smiled.
"I just also enjoy your suffering."
"You're horrible."
"But you love me."
I couldn't argue with that.
---
The next morning, Ashwood Academy felt slightly different.
Not dramatically.
Not enough for anyone else to notice.
But I noticed.
Maybe it was because I knew there were new faces around campus.
Maybe it was because I wondered if I would see Aria again.
Which was ridiculous.
I didn't know her.
She was just a new student.
That was all.
I repeated that thought several times.
It didn't help.
Walking toward my locker, I heard a familiar voice.
"President?"
I turned.
Aria stood a few feet away.
For a second, she looked nervous.
Then she smiled.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
There was an awkward silence.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, she laughed softly.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For yesterday."
I understood immediately.
"The locker situation?"
She covered her face slightly.
"Yes."
I smiled.
"It's okay."
"No, really. I feel terrible."
"You didn't know."
"I should have asked."
I shrugged.
"It's not the first time someone has mistaken me for a boy."
Her expression softened.
"Does it bother you?"
The question caught me off guard.
Usually, people asked because they were curious.
Not because they cared.
I thought for a moment.
"Sometimes."
I looked down at my hands.
"But I've learned not to let other people's assumptions decide who I am."
Aria smiled.
"I like that."
My heart did that strange thing again.
A small, annoying jump.
I ignored it.
"So..."
I cleared my throat.
"How are you adjusting to Ashwood?"
Her face brightened.
"It's amazing."
She looked around.
"Everything is so different from my old school."
"Different good or different bad?"
"Different good."
She laughed.
"The students are nice."
"Most of them."
She smiled.
"And you?"
"What about me?"
"You seem like someone everyone respects."
I shrugged.
"It's just a title."
"No."
She shook her head.
"I don't think it is."
I looked at her.
"You seem like someone who actually cares."
For some reason...
That meant more than I expected.
Before I could respond, the bell rang.
Aria looked toward the hallway.
"I should go."
"Yeah."
She walked away, then turned back.
"See you later, Naveah."
I froze slightly.
Not because she said my name.
Because of the way she said it.
Like she had already become comfortable saying it.
"See you later, Aria."
And then she was gone.
I stood there for a moment.
Completely confused.
"Naveah."
I turned.
Camellia was standing behind me.
Her arms were crossed.
I immediately knew that expression.
"No."
She smiled.
"Oh, yes."
"Cami."
"You smiled."
"I always smile."
"Not like that."
I looked away.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
She laughed.
"Sure you don't."
And unfortunately...
I couldn't even convince myself.