Rhaine woke up to the faint buzz of her phone on the bedside table. She blinked against the morning light streaming through her curtains, rubbed at her eyes, and reached lazily for the device. The lock screen lit up with a cascade of notifications — group chats, reminders, a couple of memes from Eli. She scrolled without much thought until her gaze landed on the one message she had been avoiding since last night.
Sam: Did you get home safe?
It sat there, unread. Simple. Harmless. Ordinary.
Her thumb hovered over the bubble. A single tap would open it, and the little "seen" mark would appear, and then… then what? She would have to answer. Or not answer. Either way, it would mean something. And she wasn't ready for that.
"God," she whispered, tossing the phone back on the table like it had burned her. She flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "It's just a text. Why are you being so dramatic?"
But the words rang louder in her head than they had any right to. Did you get home safe?
Safe.
Her chest tightened.
Maya's voice came muffled through the door. "Rhaine! You're going to be late if you don't get moving!"
"I'm up!" Rhaine lied, scrambling to sit up. She grabbed her glasses, shoved them onto her face, and yanked on the nearest hoodie. Her reflection in the mirror looked as frazzled as she felt — long hair messy, eyes shadowed, lips pressed into a thin line.
"Get it together," she muttered at herself, then slung her bag over her shoulder and bolted out the door.
---
Hallway Banter
School hallways always buzzed like a beehive in the mornings — lockers slamming, laughter bouncing off walls, footsteps echoing as people rushed to beat the bell. Rhaine usually kept her head down and blended in, but today her ears buzzed with every sound, her mind replaying that single text.
Maya spotted her instantly, waving from their usual spot near the lockers. Eli leaned casually against the wall, munching on a bag of chips even though it was barely eight-thirty.
"There she is!" Maya called. "The walking ghost of section!"
"Ha, ha," Rhaine deadpanned.
"You look like you didn't sleep," Eli said around a mouthful of chips.
"I slept fine," Rhaine lied, shoving her locker open.
Maya narrowed her eyes knowingly. "Uh-huh. Sure. And I'm secretly the queen of England."
Rhaine kept her back to them, swapping her books with unnecessary force. If she looked at Maya too long, she knew her best friend would see straight through her.
"Anyway," Eli said, "we're still good for lunch later? I heard the canteen has new menu items. Mystery meat 2.0."
"Gross," Maya wrinkled her nose. "We're not letting you choose where we eat."
Rhaine let their chatter wash over her, grateful for the distraction. But her reprieve didn't last long.
---
First Period
She slipped into her seat in class, relieved to see Sam wasn't there yet. She busied herself pulling out a notebook, pretending to review yesterday's notes. Her pen tapped restlessly against the page.
Then the door creaked open, and Sam walked in.
Rhaine's breath hitched.
She looked… normal. Perfectly normal. Hair pulled back neatly, uniform crisp, the faintest trace of a smile lingering like she carried sunshine in her pocket. She slid into the desk beside Rhaine with an easy grace that made Rhaine's throat dry.
"Morning," Sam said softly.
"...Morning," Rhaine managed, eyes glued to her notebook.
Sam leaned slightly closer. "You disappeared fast yesterday. Did you get home okay?"
Rhaine's pen slipped, leaving a dark blotch of ink on the paper. Her pulse roared in her ears. "I—uh—yeah. Fine. Totally fine."
Sam smiled, just a little. "Good."
That was it. No more, no less. She turned her attention to the front as the teacher began roll call, as if she hadn't just detonated a grenade in Rhaine's chest with two words.
Rhaine stared at the blot of ink spreading across her page. Safe. Fine. Good. Words shouldn't feel this heavy.
---
Between Classes
By mid-morning, Maya cornered her near the stairwell. "Okay, spill."
Rhaine blinked. "What?"
"You've been acting like your soul left your body since you walked in," Maya pressed. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Rhaine." Maya's tone left no room for escape.
Rhaine glanced around, making sure Eli wasn't within earshot. She lowered her voice. "Sam texted me."
Maya's eyes widened. "When?"
"Last night."
"What did she say?"
"Just… asked if I got home safe."
Maya's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. "Ohhh."
"It's nothing!" Rhaine hissed, heat rushing to her face.
"Rhaine. People don't text that unless they care."
"She was just being polite," Rhaine argued, but even to her own ears, it sounded weak.
Maya shook her head, still smirking. "You can keep pretending if you want. But you're blushing, girl."
"I'm not."
"You so are."
Rhaine groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you."
"You love me," Maya sang, then linked her arm with Rhaine's. "Come on. Don't overthink it. Just… live a little."
---
Lunch
By lunchtime, the cafeteria buzzed with noise. Rhaine sat wedged between Maya and Eli at their usual table. She picked at her food, trying to tune out their bickering about which superhero movie was superior.
Then Sam appeared, tray in hand.
"Mind if I join?" she asked.
Maya's grin was wicked. "Of course not. Sit."
Eli shrugged. "The more the merrier."
Rhaine's fork froze halfway to her mouth. Sam slid into the seat across from her, their eyes locking for the briefest moment before Rhaine dropped her gaze to her plate.
Conversation flowed easily between Sam and the others. She laughed at Eli's bad jokes, asked Maya about her drama marathon, even chimed in about the mystery meat. Rhaine stayed mostly silent, chewing slowly, her throat tight.
Then Sam leaned forward, catching her eyes again. "You're quiet today."
Rhaine's stomach flipped. "I'm always quiet."
"True," Sam said with a small smile. "But today feels different."
Maya's gaze flicked between them, sharp and amused. Rhaine shot her a glare that screamed don't you dare.
Sam didn't press further, turning back to Eli's rant about sequels. But the damage was done. Rhaine's chest ached, her pulse refusing to settle.
---
After Classes
The day blurred past in a haze of half-heard lectures and scribbled notes. Rhaine moved through the motions, trying desperately not to think, not to feel.
But every time Sam's laugh rang through the room, every time their shoulders brushed as they squeezed past each other, every time Sam's eyes lingered just a fraction longer than necessary — Rhaine's carefully built walls cracked.
By the final bell, she felt exhausted, like she had run a marathon without leaving her seat.
She said quick goodbyes to Maya and Eli, muttering an excuse about needing to get home early. She couldn't take another second of pretending everything was normal.
---
At home, she collapsed onto her bed, face pressed into her pillow. She wanted to sleep, to shut it all out, but her phone buzzed again.
Her heart lurched.
She grabbed it, half-hoping, half-dreading.
Sam: Did you get home safe today?
The same words. Simple. Harmless. Ordinary.
And yet, Rhaine's fingers trembled as she stared at the screen, unable to breathe.
The smallest words. The loudest noise.