Grace told herself it didn't matter.
People changed classes all the time. That didn't mean friendships changed.
Right?
But still… every recess, her eyes would drift toward the 5C corridor.
Just in case.
For the first few weeks, she waited for Nate, Adrian, and Julian to come like they promised. The first week, they did. The second week, only once. By the third week, they stopped completely.
Theo didn't mention it.
Lucy didn't either.
But Grace noticed.
One afternoon during lunch break, while Lucy and Claire were laughing over something on Claire's notebook, Grace quietly stood up.
"I'll be back," she said.
"Where are you going?" Lucy asked.
"Just… somewhere."
She walked down the corridor toward 5C.
Her heart was beating faster than it should have been. It was just a classroom. Just friends. Why did it feel like she was about to take an exam?
When she reached 5C, she paused at the door.
Inside, Nate was sitting with two new boys. Adrian was laughing loudly at something. Julian was leaning back in his chair, looking completely comfortable.
Comfortable.
Without them.
Grace swallowed and stepped inside.
"Nate?"
He looked up. For a split second, surprise flashed across his face.
"Oh. Hey, Grace."
Hey.
Not "Gracie."
Not "Where have you been?"
Just… hey.
"Hi," she smiled. "You guys didn't come this week."
"Yeah, we've just been busy," Adrian said casually. "New class and stuff."
Julian gave her a small smile. "How's 5A?"
"It's good," she said quickly. "You should come tomorrow. Theo and Lucy will be there during recess."
"Yeah, maybe," Nate replied, already turning slightly back toward his new friends.
Grace noticed the way the two boys beside him were watching her — like she didn't belong there.
"Well… okay," she said softly. "See you."
"Yeah. See you," Julian said.
She walked back to her class, the hallway suddenly feeling longer than usual.
The next day, she waited.
Recess came.
Students flooded the corridors.
But 5C didn't.
Lucy didn't seem to notice.
Theo was busy talking to Audrey.
Grace told herself not to feel weird about it.
The following week, she tried again.
This time, she dragged Theo with her.
"Come on," she insisted. "Let's go to 5C."
When they entered, it was louder than usual. The boys were surrounded by their classmates.
"Grace! Theo!" Julian said, sounding genuinely happy this time.
For a moment, it felt normal again.
They joked. They laughed. Nate even threw a crumpled paper at Theo like old times.
Grace felt relief spread through her chest.
See? Nothing changed.
But when the bell rang, something did.
As Grace and Theo turned to leave, she heard one of the new boys whisper to Nate, "Bro, are they your old class friends?"
Old.
The word echoed in her mind.
Old class friends.
Not best friends.
Not "The Six."
Just old.
That evening, Grace sat at her desk, staring at the small doodle she had once drawn — six stick figures holding hands.
She traced over them with her pen.
Maybe she was trying too hard.
Maybe some friendships weren't meant to stay the same.
But Grace wasn't ready to let go.
Not yet.
The next morning, she made a decision.
If they weren't coming to her, she would keep going to them.
Because promises mattered.
And she still remembered every single one.