When the tulips Bloomed 🌷

Chapter 4: Whispers and Wounds

By Monday, the whispers had started.

They moved through the hallways like perfume — soft at first, but impossible to ignore.

“Did you hear about Taylor and Selly?”

“I saw them after art club…”

“She’s been sitting with him a lot lately.”

Maya tried to brush it off. “People just love drama,” she told Aria at lunch, but even her voice had that cautious tone — the one people use when they’re not sure what to believe.

Aria stirred her juice with her straw, eyes fixed on the table.

“It’s not true,” she said quietly. “They’re just friends.”

But the truth was — she didn’t know anymore.

---

That afternoon, Aria found Selly at her locker, surrounded by a few girls from the dance club. They were laughing about something — until Aria walked up.

The laughter stopped.

Selly turned, her smile flickering just a second too late. “Oh, hey, Aria! We were just talking about the art show. Taylor’s going to submit something, right?”

“I guess,” Aria said. “He hasn’t told me.”

“Oh.” Selly’s voice was light, but her eyes sparkled. “He’s been working on a portrait. I helped him pick the colors.”

The words hit harder than they should have.

A portrait.

Colors.

That was their thing — hers and Taylor’s.

“Cool,” Aria managed, forcing a smile. “I’m sure it’ll be great.”

Selly leaned closer. “You should come see it when he’s done. Maybe you’ll recognize the face.”

The girls around her giggled. Aria felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

---

That night, Maya called her.

“Aria… people are saying Selly and Taylor kissed.”

Aria sat on the edge of her bed, the phone pressed to her ear.

The sound of the rain outside filled the silence between them.

“Maya,” she whispered, “please don’t tell me that.”

“I don’t believe it,” Maya said quickly. “You know how rumors are.”

But Aria could hear something trembling behind her friend’s voice — uncertainty, pity, maybe both.

After they hung up, Aria turned off the light and lay staring at the ceiling.

She could still picture Taylor’s eyes the last time he looked at her — full of things unsaid.

> “If something breaks quietly,” she thought,

“does anyone else hear it but you?”