The past few days had been heavy, too heavy for Jenn to carry alone.
Ever since Jeff confronted her in school, she hadn't spoken much to anyone. Not even Lucy. Not even Alden.
She spent most of her time in her room, curtains drawn, the world outside forgotten. Her meals were barely touched. The silence around her became her only comfort.
But that night, a soft knock broke through it.
"Jenn?"
She didn't answer.
The door opened slightly, and Alden stepped in. He looked at her with concern, taking in the way she sat by the window — quiet, distant, lost in thought.
"Hey," he said gently. "You've been locked up here for two days. Lucy's worried."
Jenn gave a small, tired smile. "Tell her I'm fine."
Alden frowned. "You've been saying that too much lately." He took a few steps closer. "You don't look fine, Jenn."
She sighed, brushing a stray tear off her cheek. "I just need time."
Alden sat on the edge of the couch, studying her face. "You don't have to pretend with me. If this is about Jeff"
Before he could finish, Jenn winced suddenly, clutching her lower abdomen. The sharp pain made her lean forward, her breath catching.
"Jenn?" Alden was beside her instantly, panic flashing across his face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
She pressed a hand against her stomach, trying to steady her breathing. "I… I'm fine. Just—could you please get me a pain reliever and a hot water bottle?"
He hesitated, uncertain, but when she nodded weakly, he rushed out of the room.
Minutes later, he returned with the bottle in one hand and a glass of water in the other. "Jenn?" he called softly.
No reply.
His heart skipped. He walked in slowly, eyes scanning the room. And then he froze.
There, near the side of her bed, was a faint trail, a few small drops of blood on the white marble floor.
A chill ran through him. "Jenn…" he whispered, his voice barely steady.
Before he could call again, the bathroom door opened. Jenn stepped out, pale but calm, wearing a loose shirt and holding a small towel.
Alden exhaled in relief, though confusion still clouded his face. "Jenn—" he pointed toward the floor. "You're bleeding?"
Jenn followed his gaze and gasped softly. "Oh no."
Then she realized what had happened and her cheeks turned crimson. "It's… not what you think."
Alden blinked, unsure. "Then what—"
"I'm on my period," she said quickly, her voice small.
He froze, awkward for a second, then nodded quickly. "Oh. Right. Okay. Uh… yeah."
Jenn couldn't help but laugh softly at his expression. "You look like someone who just saw a ghost."
He rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. "I thought something worse happened. You scared me."
Her smile softened. "Sorry. Didn't mean to."
Alden shook his head. "Don't apologize." He handed her the pain reliever and the warm bottle. "Here. Take this. I'll… stay here, just in case."
"You don't have to—"
"I'm not leaving you like this," he said firmly, sitting on the armchair near her bed.
Jenn hesitated but said nothing. She took the pills and lay back on her bed, clutching the warm bottle to her stomach. The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable this time — it was gentle.
After a while, Alden spoke quietly. "Does it always hurt this bad?"
Jenn gave a small nod, her voice weak. "Sometimes. It's not just pain, though. It makes everything feel heavier."
He frowned slightly. "Then I'll just stay till it's lighter."
Jenn smiled faintly, eyes half closed. "You don't even know what that means."
"Doesn't matter," he said. "You can rest. I'll be right here."
As the minutes passed, Jenn's breathing softened. She fell asleep eventually, comforted by the steady warmth beside her. Alden stayed just as he promised — watching her quietly, occasionally glancing toward the faint moonlight spilling into the room.
Something about that moment felt different — softer than all the chaos before.
Not love, not yet. Just a quiet care that spoke louder than words.
And when Jenn stirred a little in her sleep, whispering something he couldn't make out, Alden smiled faintly and whispered back, "You're safe now."
Jeff sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the faint glow of his phone screen.
Carlos leaned against the wall, watching him silently.
"You've been staring at that thing for ten minutes," Carlos finally said. "You gonna text her or just burn a hole through the screen?"
Jeff exhaled slowly. "I already did."
Carlos raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"No reply." Jeff's voice was quiet, strained. "She probably hates me. And I deserve it."
Carlos sighed, stepping closer. "You said what you had to say, man. Sometimes people need time to breathe. Maybe she just—"
"I don't want her to take time away from me," Jeff cut in, his tone low. "I just want to fix things."
Carlos nodded, understanding. "Then don't give up. But don't force her either. Just… be there."
Jeff looked up. "You think she'll ever forgive me?"
Carlos gave a small smile. "If she still thinks about you, that's already something."
Jeff glanced at his phone again, then typed another message — shorter this time.
I'm not asking you to forgive me. I just need you to know I still care.
He hesitated for a second before hitting send.
Then he lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, wishing he could turn time around.
⸻
The next morning, the sun filtered softly through Jenn's curtains.
She sat at her desk, scrolling absently through her phone. There were unread messages — one from Jeff.
She stared at it, her chest tightening, her thumb hovering over the screen.
She didn't open it.
Instead, she placed the phone down, pressing a hand against her heart.
It hurt — missing someone she was trying to stay away from.
When she got to school, she scanned instinctively.
No Jeff.
Her stomach dipped a little.
She didn't even see Carlos either, which made it worse.
It was like both of them had vanished — leaving her with silence she didn't know how to fill.
Alden noticed her unease. "You okay?" he asked, walking beside her.
Jenn forced a small smile. "Yeah. Just… tired."
But even as she said it, her thoughts were miles away — replaying Jeff's voice, his apology, the look in his eyes.
By the time she reached her class, she couldn't shake the thought:
Where is he?