Nobody Knows

Chapter 7: Caught of Guard

The sun was bright but not harsh, stretching gold across the small community park like it had all the time in the world.

Our street’s annual gathering was in full swing. Plastic tables lined the grass. Children ran in uneven circles. Someone was grilling skewers near the corner. Laughter overlapped with music from a small speaker that was trying its best.

And there I was.

Walking half a step behind my parents.

My mother’s hand rested lightly on my arm, guiding me forward as if I needed direction. My father greeted neighbors with firm handshakes and careful smiles. They looked proud. Comfortable.

Everyone knew us.

Which meant everyone knew me.

“Sam, you’ve grown so much,” one of the aunties said, squeezing my shoulder. “Still the most polite girl on this street.”

I smiled on cue. “Thank you, po.”

Another added, “Your parents raised you well.”

I could feel my mother straighten slightly beside me.

Inside, something felt… slow.

Not pain.

Not nausea.

Just a strange heaviness. Like my body was slightly delayed compared to everything around me.

Cael was near the long table, helping arrange bottled drinks. When he saw me, he raised an eyebrow, then grabbed two stacks of paper plates.

“Hey, Miss Proper,” he said quietly as he approached. “You look like you’re about to attend a presidential ceremony.”

I gave him a look. “I am being dignified.”

“You look exhausted.”

“I’m not.”

He tilted his head. “You blink slower when you’re tired.”

“That’s not scientific.”

“It is when I say it.”

I almost smiled.

Almost.

Because there it was again.

That strange pull in my stomach. Not sharp. Just… there.

I inhaled slowly, hoping it would pass.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, voice softer now.

“It’s just the heat,” I said quickly. “And the noise.”

The noise was actually fine.

It was me that felt different.

Games started. Kids screaming during a sack race. Someone tripped. Everyone laughed. I clapped when appropriate. Smiled when expected.

But my chest felt tight.

And my head… heavier.

Like I was slightly underwater.

My parents were glowing. Social. Perfect.

I excused myself quietly and walked toward the edge of the park, near a large tree where the shade felt thicker.

I leaned back against the trunk and closed my eyes for a second.

Just one second.

The world didn’t spin.

It just felt distant.

When I opened my eyes, Cael was walking toward me again, two cups in his hand.

He handed me one. “Drink.”

“I’m not five.”

“Drink,” he repeated.

I took it.

“You’re pale,” he said.

“I’m wearing beige.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

I swallowed the lemonade slowly. The cold helped. A little.

“You’re thinking too much again,” he added.

“I always think.”

“Yeah. But today it looks like it’s thinking you.”

I didn’t answer that.

Because maybe he was right.

Maybe I was

I thought the moment under the tree would be the worst part of the afternoon.

I was wrong.

My mother’s voice carried across the grass. “Sam! Come here for a second.”

Of course.

I straightened immediately, forcing my shoulders back into place. Smile ready. Chin slightly lifted.

When I reached them, a small circle of neighbors had formed. Familiar faces. Familiar approving looks.

“This is my daughter,” my mother said warmly, resting her hand on my back. “Education major. Very focused. Very disciplined.”

My father nodded. “Top of her class in mathematics.”

I wanted to disappear.

“That’s impressive,” one of the women said. “You must be very proud.”

“We are,” my mother answered without hesitation. “She knows her priorities. She doesn’t get distracted easily.”

The irony almost made me laugh.

I felt like a trophy being displayed under sunlight.

Polite.

Smart.

Careful.

“She helps in church every Sunday too,” my mother continued. “Very responsible.”

I kept my expression soft. Grateful. Controlled.

Inside, something twisted.

If you only knew.

A few feet away, I saw Cael watching. Not smiling this time. Just observing. Like he knew how uncomfortable I felt but didn’t interrupt.

“And she’s not like other girls her age,” my father added. “Very grounded.”

Very grounded.

The word echoed strangely in my chest.

Before I could respond, another voice entered the circle.

“Mom.”

My stomach dropped before I even turned.

I knew that voice.

I turned slowly.

Lucas stood there, hands in his pockets, sunlight catching his face like he belonged in this perfect little community scene.

His mother looked surprised. “Oh, you know them?”

He looked at me.

Not at my parents.

At me.

And smiled.

“Yeah,” he said casually. “I feel like I’ve met her before.”

My pulse stuttered.

My mother blinked. “Really? Where?”

My father turned slightly, curious.

I felt exposed in a way I hadn’t felt even at the bar.

Lucas tilted his head, studying my face like he was searching his memory.

“Same school, maybe?” his mom suggested.

My mom nodded quickly. “Yes, they’re both in the same university.”

Lucas didn’t look convinced.

He looked at me.

“Brianna—” he started, then corrected himself, “Brooke, right?”

The name hit like a dropped glass.

I heard it.

My parents heard it.

Cael definitely heard it.

My mouth went dry.

I forced a small laugh that sounded nothing like me. “It’s Samantha,” I said lightly. “But some people call me Brooke. Middle name.”

I hated how fast my heart was beating.

Lucas squinted slightly. “Right. Brooke.”

He stepped a little closer.

“I saw her at the b—”

“Basketball court.”

Cael’s voice cut in smoothly.

We all turned.

He stepped forward casually, like he had been part of the conversation the whole time.

“You’re the basketball captain, right?” Cael continued. “Last month she got hit in the head during practice. That was your throw, wasn’t it?”

Lucas paused.

The shift was almost invisible.

But I saw it.

He looked at Cael.

Then back at me.

A second of calculation.

Then he laughed.

“Oh. Yeah. That was me,” Lucas said. “Didn’t expect to see you here, Brooke.”

There it was again.

Brooke.

My father chuckled. “Small world.”

My mother smiled politely. “You students really cross paths everywhere.”

I could feel sweat gathering at the back of my neck.

Cael looked at me briefly.

Not accusing.

Not suspicious.

Just steady.

I forced a small smile. “Yeah. Small world.”

Lucas didn’t stay long.

He exchanged a few more casual words with my parents, laughed politely at something his mother said, then excused himself. But before he walked away, his eyes flicked back to me.

Just for a second.

Long enough to make my stomach tighten.

Then he was gone.

The air around me felt thin.

My parents went back to talking about community plans and next month’s church event as if nothing had happened.

As if I hadn’t almost cracked open in front of them.

“Sam,” my mother said softly, squeezing my arm. “You’re quiet today.”

“I’m just tired,” I replied automatically.

My father nodded. “You should rest more. Health is important.”

If only that was the problem.

I stepped away before they could look too closely at my face.

I didn’t notice Cael following me until we were a few steps away from the crowd.

“Brooke?” he said casually.

I stopped walking.

Slowly, I turned. “Don’t.”

His eyebrow lifted. “Don’t what?”

“Call me that.”

He studied me carefully now. Not teasing. Not light.

“Why?” he asked.

“It’s my name,” I said. “Samantha Brooke. It’s not a crime.”

“I didn’t say it was.”

“You reacted.”

“So did you.”

I looked away first.

He exhaled quietly. “You don’t like when other people use it.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is.”

The calmness in his voice irritated me.

“It’s just a name,” I insisted. “Is that a big deal?”

He didn’t answer right away.

Then, softer, “It seemed like one.”

Silence stretched between us.

“You jumped in fast back there,” I said.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

He shrugged, but his jaw tightened slightly. “Because he looked like he was about to say something you didn’t want him to.”

My chest tightened.

“And you know that how?”

“I know you.”

The words landed heavier than they should have.

“You don’t know everything,” I said quietly.

“No,” he agreed. “But I know when you’re panicking.”

I hated how accurate he was.

He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice.

“Who is he really?”

“No one.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

I crossed my arms defensively. “You’re overthinking.”

“And you’re avoiding.”

We stared at each other.

Best friends weren’t supposed to feel like this.

Tight.

Charged.

Almost confrontational.

“Sam,” he said carefully, “if there’s something going on, I’d rather hear it from you than guess.”

“There’s nothing to hear.”

He searched my face again.

Then something in his expression shifted.

Not suspicion.

Not anger.

Something quieter.

“Okay,” he said finally. “If you say so.”

And somehow that hurt more.

He didn’t push.

He didn’t accuse.

He just… stepped back.

Like he was giving me space.

Or maybe distance.

I didn’t know which one scared me more.

He walked ahead first this time, hands in his pockets.

For the first time in years, I felt like I was the one being left behind.

—

By the time I got home, the heaviness had returned.

Not just in my body.

In my chest.

In my head.

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling again.

Why did I care that Lucas used my name?

Why did I care that Cael noticed?

Why did I care what Vhan would think if he ever found out?

That was the worst part.

The caring.

The entire point of Brooke was not caring.

She didn’t overanalyze.

She didn’t freeze.

She didn’t worry about being seen.

So why did I pull away last night?

Why did I panic today?

Why did the name suddenly feel like a crack in the wall I built so carefully?

I turned to my side, hugging a pillow tightly.

Maybe I am tired of juggling.

Maybe I am tired of switching masks so fast that even I forget which one is real.

But I can’t stop.

If I let one world bleed into the other, everything collapses.

My parents.

My image.

School.

The future they planned for me.

And now Cael is watching more closely.

And Lucas exists.

And Vhan—

I squeezed my eyes shut.

This is getting messy.

For the first time, sneaking out doesn’t feel powerful.

It feels reckless.

And the worst part?

I don’t even know who I’m trying to impress anymore.

My room was dark except for the faint glow of my desk lamp.

I hadn’t changed yet. I was still in the dress I wore to the park, sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at nothing.

The house was quiet downstairs. My parents had settled into their usual routine. Television murmuring. Dishes clinking. Safe sounds.

I felt anything but safe.

My phone buzzed beside me.

I flinched.

For half a second, I thought it might be Lucas.

It wasn’t.

Cael.

I stared at the screen longer than necessary before opening the message.

Cael:

You home?

I typed back.

Me:

Yeah.

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

Cael:

You okay?

I stared at that question.

He had already asked me that today.

Twice.

Why does he keep asking.

Me:

I told you earlier. I’m fine.

The typing bubble appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.

Cael:

You weren’t.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Me:

You’re overthinking.

Cael:

Maybe.

A pause.

Then another message.

Cael:

But I’d rather overthink than ignore something that matters.

My chest tightened.

Matters.

I swallowed.

Me:

It was nothing. He just mixed up my name.

Cael:

You don’t react to nothing like that.

I didn’t respond right away.

Another message came in.

Cael:

Did he meet you somewhere he shouldn’t have?

My heart dropped.

He doesn’t know.

He can’t know.

Me:

What does that even mean?

Cael:

It means you looked like you were about to run.

Silence filled my room.

He wasn’t accusing me.

He was observing me.

That somehow felt worse.

Me:

You’re being dramatic.

Cael:

Am I?

Another pause.

Then—

Cael:

If someone makes you uncomfortable, I’d rather know.

There it was again.

Not jealousy.

Not suspicion.

Protection.

I leaned back against my headboard slowly.

Why does that feel heavier than it should?

Me:

He doesn’t make me uncomfortable.

Cael:

Then what was that?

I stared at the ceiling.

I don’t know.

Me:

I just don’t like being put on the spot.

Cael:

Fair.

Three dots.

Cael:

I didn’t mean to step in like that, by the way.

My eyebrows furrowed.

Me:

Step in?

Cael:

At the park.

Oh.

Me:

You saved me from awkward small talk.

Cael:

That’s not what I mean.

My pulse ticked up slightly.

Me:

Then what do you mean?

A longer pause this time.

Long enough that I almost thought he wouldn’t reply.

Then—

Cael:

I didn’t like the way he looked at you.

My breath caught.

Not because it was dramatic.

But because it wasn’t.

It was simple.

Honest.

Me:

How did he look at me?

Cael:

Like he knew something I didn’t.

That landed hard.

I swallowed.

Me:

You’re imagining things.

Cael:

Maybe.

Another message followed immediately.

Cael:

Or maybe I just don’t like not knowing.

My fingers tightened around my phone.

Not knowing what.

Me:

You don’t have to know everything about me.

The reply came slower this time.

Cael:

I know.

Then—

Cael:

But I’d like to.

The room felt smaller.

Quieter.

More fragile.

I typed.

Deleted.

Typed again.

Deleted.

Me:

We’ve known each other forever.

Cael:

Yeah.

Me:

Isn’t that enough?

Three dots.

Stopped.

Then—

Cael:

For now.

For now.

I read it twice.

Something about that felt like a shift.

Like a line quietly drawn in sand.

Me:

Go to sleep.

Cael:

You first.

I rolled my eyes slightly despite the tension.

Me:

Goodnight.

A few seconds passed.

Then—

Cael:

Goodnight, Sam.

Not Brooke.

Sam.

I placed my phone face down on the bed.

Staring at the ceiling again.

The heaviness in my body was still there.

But now something else layered over it.

Awareness.

The worlds aren’t just colliding anymore.

They’re watching each other.

And Cael is starting to notice the cracks.