Arista's POV
I was barely awake when Meera suddenly tugged my sleeve.
"Arista. Arista. ARISTA."
"What?? Did the school collapse?"
"Worse," she hissed. "Arvin is here."
I blinked.
"Meera… this is literally his class too."
"No, Arista, you don't get it. He's walking toward us."
I turned.
Arvin was indeed walking toward us, looking like a shy golden retriever trying to approach a cat that might bite him.
"Uh… hey," he said, smiling at Meera.
Meera's soul left her body.
"H—Hi–hi–BYE."
She panicked and dashed down the hallway like the floor was lava.
Arvin looked crushed.
"Did… did I do something?" he asked softly.
Before I could answer, Zoe slid in like she was entering a K-drama scene.
"Come sit," she said, dragging Arvin to an empty bench. "We need a talk."
---
In the break, when I stepped out of the class to fill my water bottle , I saw Arvin and Zoe talking to eachother
I swear I wasn't tting to listen but it caught my ears so , I pretended I wasn't listening.
I totally was.
Zoe crossed her arms. "Arvin, listen. Whatever you're doing with Meera? Continue."
He blinked. "She ran away."
"Exactly," Zoe said. "Classic Meera strategy. If she runs, it means she cares."
"That sounds… unhealthy," Arvin mumbled.
I snorted. What should I do in it ? Well it was funny.
Zoe ignored both of us.
"Arvin, Meera rejected you because she was overwhelmed. Not because she hates you. She thinks she's not your type."
Arvin froze.
"What? That's not—she's literally—she's my favorite person to talk to."
Zoe smiled sharply. "Then say that. Not now. Not dramatically. But naturally. She'll melt."
Arvin's ears turned red.
"…Okay. I'll try."
"Good boy," Zoe said, patting his back.
I choked on my water.
---
We sat in our cursed four-person group — me, Kaelor, Devin, Derek.
Classic hell.
Devin was explaining something about presentation slides when Kaelor interrupted.
"I can handle the visuals," Kaelor said, tone stiff.
Devin frowned. "I already started—"
"I'll finish it."
This man was allergic to being polite, I swear.
I nudged him.
"Kaelor."
"What?"
"You're being… sharp."
He paused.
Looked at me.
Softened visibly.
"Sorry."
Devin looked between us like he suddenly needed popcorn.
I looked away.
Great. Amazing. Embarrassing.
--
Meera sat with us, aggressively eating her sandwich.
She refused to look behind her.
Zoe leaned close to me.
"She knows he's here. She can feel his presence."
"I'm not a psychic," Meera muttered.
"You literally sensed him from 20 meters away."
Meera whispered, "I don't know what to say to him, okay?"
I softened.
"Just say hi."
Meera glared.
"Arista, this is not 'hi' level. This is 'I rejected him now feelings are weird' level."
Fair enough.
---
Class ended with thunder crashing outside.
Sana groaned. "Ugh. Rain again."
I walked toward the main gate and paused.
No umbrella.
Of course.
Kaelor approached first.
"You can walk with me," he said, quiet but firm.
Before I could answer, Devin appeared with an umbrella.
"You can walk with me too," he added, smiling softly.
I froze.
Two umbrellas.
Two boys.
One me.
Friends watching like it's a Netflix premiere.
I sighed.
"Let's just—walk all together?"
Devin: "Sure."
Kaelor: death glare at Devin
So we walked.
Rain pouring.
Me in the middle.
Devin chatting gently.
Kaelor silent but dangerously observant.
It was… weird.
Comfortable.
Chaotic.
Tense.
Somewhere behind us, Derek was watching.
Because of course he was.
---
Later, when we waited for our rides, Arvin walked past us and stopped in front of Meera.
He swallowed.
"Meera… you don't have to run every time you see me."
Meera froze.
He continued quietly:
"I'm not here to pressure you. I just… like talking to you. That's all."
Meera blinked at him.
Then nodded once — tiny but real.
Arvin smiled.
A real, hope-filled, gentle smile.
Zoe fist-bumped the air behind them.
I laughed.
This was going to be interesting.
---
The sky was still heavy with rain.
Everything felt strange lately.
Arvin & Meera growing closer.
Devin & Kaelor turning into walking tension.
Zoe plotting everyone's romantic life.
And me?
Caught at the center of storms I didn't understand yet.
But something told me…
Tommorow was going to be worse.