Everyone quickly returned to their seats.
Rayan slumped down into his chair with zero interest, leaning back just enough to look rebellious.
Nate sat beside him, Soren behind him.
Rayan lowered his head, pretending to write, then whispered under his breath:
"I'm quitting the basketball main team."
Nate almost choked.
"HA—"
Rayan immediately slapped a hand over his mouth.
"SSSHHH!"
Soren leaned forward.
"Why the sudden decision? Did the basketball hoop hit your head or what?"
Rayan exhaled, acting nonchalant.
"My mom told me to stop. She said I cause too many problems."
Nate stared at him.
"That's your reason? Seriously?"
Soren frowned.
"Weren't you like… the star athlete before? How can you quit over something that flimsy? It doesn't make sense, dude."
Rayan stared at his desk, refusing to meet their eyes.
"I told you… I'm tired. I have other things to deal with. Besides—"
He leaned back slightly and pointed his chin toward Evan sitting a few rows ahead.
Evan sat with perfect posture, arranging his books neatly, calm as ever.
Rayan muttered:
"There. The new athlete. Evan. I'm sure he can take my spot."
Nate and Soren exchanged looks.
Nate:
"So you're leaving because of him…?"
Soren:
"Or because you're annoyed he's on the team?"
Rayan glared, trying to look serious but only sounding defensive.
"I just want a break, okay? It has nothing to do with that ice statue."
Nate narrowed his eyes.
"But yesterday when he scored three in a row, your face went dark."
Soren:
"And when Evan talked to Liana… you bit your straw so hard it bent."
Rayan turned away, pretending to read a book.
"…that was a coincidence."
Nate:
"You sure?"
Rayan:
"YES."
From the front, Liana turned around because their whispering was getting louder.
She saw Rayan sulking, Nate and Soren interrogating him like detectives, and Evan calmly reading like the main character of a drama.
Liana sighed under her breath:
"…their lives are so dramatic."
The teacher shot a warning glare.
"You three in the back. If you don't stop whispering, I'll separate your seats."
Rayan instantly sat up.
"YES, MA'AM."
Nate nudged him again.
"So… you're really quitting?"
Rayan let out a quiet breath, eyes softening for a moment.
"Yeah… it's better for everyone. Just let it go."
He forced a small smile, but his eyes didn't match it.
A secret he never told anyone was slowly becoming a heavier weight.
At Liana's house — afternoon
Liana's father quietly opened her bedroom door.
The room was empty—Liana was still at school.
He stepped inside and immediately noticed something: small photos scattered on the desk and shelves.
Photos of little Liana with a young boy, smiling wide, playing in the park, riding bikes, laughing without a care in the world.
A faint smile appeared on his face, but a pang of nostalgia and sadness tugged at his chest.
Next to the photos, he noticed a diary.
Liana's neat handwriting was visible on the first page.
Curious, and slightly hesitant, he opened it and began to read.
"Sometimes I feel like this house is too heavy for me.
Dad always gets angry if my grades aren't perfect, and Mom is always sad because Dad won't listen.
They fight all the time… as if I don't even exist.
The only one who is always there for me… is Ray.
Ray always understands me, makes me laugh, and is always there when I'm sad."
He closed the diary slowly, a lump forming in his throat.
He looked again at the photos, seeing how much Liana relied on her friendship with Rayan—the one person who truly made her feel safe and valued.
He muttered softly, full of regret:
"I… have been too focused on myself. I was never really there for you, Lia."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared out the window.
His eyes, once filled with authority, now glistened with tears.
In his heart, he realized: their family wasn't perfect, but one thing was clear—Liana and Rayan's bond was unshakable, stronger than what he, as a father, had been able to provide.
Gently, he closed the diary and placed it back, silently promising himself:
"I'll try to do better… for my daughter."