BETWEEN TWO HEARTS.

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Davi’s bedroom, spilling softly across her desk and the stack of books she had forgotten to organize the night before. Davi was already awake. She usually woke up earlier than everyone else in the house. Mornings were the only time when the world felt quiet enough for her to think clearly before the noise of school, friends, and Henry’s endless energy filled the day. She stretched slightly before reaching for her phone on the nightstand. 6:32 AM. Right on schedule. From somewhere down the hallway, she heard a loud thud followed by a groan. Davi sighed. “Henry,” she muttered. Even when he wasn’t in the same room, her twin brother had a way of announcing his presence. A few seconds later, his bedroom door creaked open and his voice echoed through the hallway. “Mom! I swear the floor attacked me!” Davi couldn’t help smiling. That was Henry. Where she was quiet and observant, Henry was loud, dramatic, and effortlessly social. People seemed drawn to him without him even trying. At school, everyone knew Henry. The basketball team loved him. Teachers trusted him. Half the students greeted him in the hallways like he was some kind of celebrity. Davi, on the other hand, preferred the background. Not because she couldn’t stand out. She just didn’t feel the need to. Downstairs, the smell of toast and eggs filled the kitchen. Their mom stood by the stove while their dad sat at the table scrolling through the morning news on his tablet. Henry walked in first, hair messy like he had fought a storm in his sleep. “Morning,” their mom said. Henry grabbed a slice of toast immediately. “Best morning ever.” “You just woke up,” Davi said as she walked in behind him. “Exactly. Every morning that starts with food is a good morning.” Their dad chuckled quietly. Davi sat down across from Henry, wrapping her hands around a warm mug of tea. Mornings like this always felt comforting to her. Simple. Familiar. Henry, of course, broke the peaceful moment within seconds. “So,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “big basketball practice today.” “You say that every day,” Davi replied. “That’s because every day is important.” “You say that too.” Henry pointed at her with his toast. “Supportive twin. I appreciate that.” Davi shook her head, smiling slightly. Later that morning, the twins walked toward school together. Their neighborhood was lively as usual. Kids rode bikes along the sidewalk while neighbors watered their lawns and waved as people passed by. Henry greeted almost everyone. “Morning!” “Hey!” “What’s up!” Davi walked beside him quietly, occasionally smiling when someone greeted her. “You know,” Henry said suddenly, “people would talk to you more if you actually started conversations.” “I talk when I need to.” “You’re mysterious,” he said. “I’m not mysterious. I’m just quiet.” Henry grinned. “Same thing.” By the time they reached the school gates, the usual buzz of students filled the air. Lockers slammed. Friends laughed. Someone was loudly arguing about homework. Henry immediately spotted his friends near the basketball court. “I’ll see you later,” he said before jogging off. Davi watched him go for a moment before heading toward her locker. She liked observing people. The way groups formed. The way some students tried too hard to fit in. The way others looked like they carried invisible worries. As she opened her locker, she noticed someone standing a few lockers away. Ethan. He leaned casually against the wall, scrolling through his phone. Ethan had been Henry’s best friend for years. Calm, quiet, and thoughtful in a way that made him stand out without trying. Davi didn’t know him well. Not really. But she had noticed something about him over the years. He was the kind of person who paid attention. The kind who listened more than he spoke. And sometimes, when she looked up unexpectedly… She would find him already looking her way. Today was one of those moments. For a brief second, their eyes met. Ethan looked away first. Davi closed her locker slowly. She didn’t think much about it. At least… Not yet.