Chapter 4: The Silence He Didn’t Expect
718 Words
The campus noise blurred around Jack, but his attention stayed in one place.
Where Mia had been.
Where she was no longer standing.
He didn’t move immediately.
Not because he didn’t care.
Because he was still processing something small.
Something that didn’t fit.
She didn’t respond.
Not even a nod.
Not even a glance that lingered like before.
Just silence.
His friend laughed lightly beside him.
“Did she seriously just ignore you?”
Another one added, half joking.
“And on your birthday too?”
That word landed differently.
Birthday.
Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Yeah,” one of them continued, “no ‘happy birthday’, no smile, nothing. That’s new.”
Jack didn’t answer.
But something in his expression shifted.
Not anger.
Not amusement.
Something quieter.
Uncomfortable.
He remembered how it used to be.
Mia would have noticed him before he even called her name.
She would have smiled first.
Approached first.
Talked first.
That was how it always went.
So why—
Why did she look like she didn’t know him?
Or worse…
Like she was avoiding him.
Later, when he was alone, Jack finally pulled out his phone.
His thumb hovered for a second longer than necessary.
Then he typed.
“Why did you ignore me earlier?”
He stopped.
Deleted it.
Typed again.
“Don’t forget my birthday party tonight.”
He stared at the message.
Something about it felt unnecessary.
But he still pressed send.
Mia’s phone vibrated at that exact moment.
She had just stepped away from the main campus walkway when it happened.
She paused.
Her fingers slowly reached for her phone.
Unknown feeling tightened in her chest before she even saw the name.
Jack.
The message was short.
Too simple.
But it carried weight she remembered too well.
Her breathing slowed.
Not panic.
Recognition.
A memory flashed—
A version of her smiling too easily.
Running too quickly.
Believing too much.
Mia locked her phone instantly.
But it was already too late.
The name had done its job.
It had opened a door she was trying to keep shut.
“Mia!”
A voice cut through her thoughts.
Luna.
Mia turned immediately.
And for a second—
Everything collapsed inward.
Not the present.
The past.
The version of her that laughed without fear.
That trusted without warning.
That didn’t yet know what Jack would become.
Luna ran toward her, slightly breathless, irritated but warm.
“You disappeared again! I was literally looking for you everywhere.”
Mia didn’t respond at first.
Her throat tightened.
Because Luna was real.
Not memory.
Not damage.
Real.
Before she could stop herself—
She stepped forward and hugged her.
It wasn’t planned.
It wasn’t controlled.
It just happened.
Luna froze slightly in surprise.
“Mia…?”
Mia’s grip tightened just a little.
Not enough to hurt.
Just enough to confirm she was still here.
“I missed you,” Mia said quietly.
The words came out before she could filter them.
Luna blinked in confusion, then slowly relaxed, patting her back lightly.
“Okay… that’s random,” she said, half laughing. “You’ve been acting weird today.”
Mia didn’t let go immediately.
Because for a second—
The world felt less sharp.
Less dangerous.
But only for a second.
Because her phone vibrated again in her pocket.
And reality returned.
Somewhere else on campus, Jack was still looking at his phone.
The message was delivered.
Read.
No reply.
His gaze darkened slightly.
“…She saw it,” he muttered.
His friend leaned closer. “Still no reply?”
Jack didn’t answer.
But his grip on the phone tightened.
Because this wasn’t like before.
Before, she would have replied immediately.
Before, she would have cared.
Now—
She was silent.
And silence, for the first time,
felt like rejection.
Back with Mia, Luna pulled back slightly, studying her face.
“You’re really not okay today,” Luna said softly.
Mia forced herself to breathe normally.
“I’m fine,” she replied.
But even she could hear it now.
It didn’t sound like fine.
It sounded like survival.
Her phone vibrated again.
She didn’t look at it this time.
But she already knew.
Jack wasn’t going to let the silence stay unanswered.
And this time—
Mia wasn’t sure she could afford another mistake.
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