Between the Lights

Chapter 4

The week passed without much incident, but the unease between Seola and Vony lingered. Seola couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed in their relationship.

Vony’s bright energy had dulled, her usual effervescence replaced by a quiet, almost invisible presence. The girl who used to crack jokes, throw playful remarks,

and tease Seola relentlessly now avoided eye contact and kept to herself.

It wasn’t that Seola was oblivious to Vony’s personality. She had seen the quieter side of Vony before, especially when she was tired or stressed, but this was different.

It was more profound, more like a wall had been built between them. And no matter how much Seola watched, no matter how many times she tried to catch Vony’s eye,

the wall didn’t crumble. If anything, it grew taller.

On the fourth day, Seola couldn’t take it anymore. She had been patient, waiting for Vony to come to her, to open up when she was ready. But this silence… this absence of

connection was slowly suffocating her. The practice session had just ended, and the girls were gathering their things. Vony was lingering at the back of the room,

staring out the window, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her face unreadable.

Seola found herself walking toward her without even thinking about it. It was as if her body knew before her mind did what needed to happen.

“Vony,” Seola called, her voice quiet, but it cut through the air like a gentle tug. Vony’s head turned slowly, her eyes flicking over Seola before she lowered her gaze to the floor.

She didn’t speak, just waited, her silence growing heavier by the second.

Seola stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. The words felt too heavy, too foreign. But she had to try.

“You’ve been quiet lately,” Seola said, her tone soft but direct. “Is everything alright?”

Vony didn’t respond immediately. She shifted slightly, her body tense. Seola waited, watching her closely. The silence stretched, and for a moment,

Seola thought Vony might walk away, but instead, Vony spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Everything’s fine.”

Seola wasn’t fooled. She could see it in Vony’s eyes—something wasn’t right. But Vony wasn’t ready to talk about it. And Seola, though she hated the distance between them,

knew she couldn’t force the words out of Vony’s mouth. Not like this.

“You know,” Seola began, stepping a little closer, her voice gentle, “you don’t have to tell me anything if you’re not ready. But you don’t have to hide, either. You’re not alone in this.”

Vony’s gaze flickered up, meeting Seola’s for the briefest moment before she quickly looked away. “I’m fine, really.”

Seola exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the conversation. She wanted to press, to demand that Vony talk to her, but she knew that wasn’t the right approach.

She had seen enough to know that pushing wouldn’t help.

Instead, Seola reached out, placing a hand gently on Vony’s shoulder, a small gesture of comfort. “Just remember, if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. Always.”

For a moment, Seola felt the tension in Vony’s body ease, just slightly, but it was enough. She turned and walked away, giving Vony the space she needed.

But as Seola left the room, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Vony wasn’t fine. Seola knew that much. But she couldn’t force her to open up.

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Later that night, Seola found herself alone in the dorm room, the lights dimmed, the hum of the city outside the window the only sound. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Vony.

She had tried, and maybe that was all she could do for now, but it didn’t feel like enough. There had to be something more. But what?

Her phone buzzed on the table beside her, and she reached for it, hoping for a distraction from her own restless mind. The message was from Natty.

Natty: “How did it go with Vony?”

Seola stared at the message for a long moment, unsure of how to respond. She could tell Natty the truth—that Vony hadn’t opened up, that the wall was still there—but

part of her didn’t want to admit it. It felt like failure, like she wasn’t doing enough. But maybe, just maybe, Natty would understand.

Seola typed a reply, her fingers hovering over the keys for a moment before she hit send.

Seola: “She’s not ready to talk. I don’t know what’s going on with her, but I can’t force it. I just want to be there for her, you know?”

Almost immediately, Natty replied.

Natty: “You’re doing more than you realize. Sometimes just being there is enough. She’ll come around when she’s ready.”

Seola exhaled, leaning back in her chair, feeling a small sense of relief. It wasn’t a solution, but Natty’s words brought a sense of calm to the storm in her mind.

She wasn’t alone in this, and that made all the difference.

The next day, Seola arrived at practice early, as usual. The studio was quiet, the early morning light streaming through the windows, casting long shadows across the floor.

She was tying her shoes when she heard the door creak open. She looked up to see Vony step into the room, her eyes immediately searching for Seola.

“Hey,” Vony said, her voice quieter than usual.

“Hey,” Seola replied with a smile, hoping her calm demeanor would be enough to ease the tension between them. “You’re early today.”

Vony gave a half-hearted smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah, I couldn’t sleep.”

Seola nodded, understanding. It was clear that Vony was still struggling, but something about her presence in the room felt different this time—like there was a sliver of

something she was ready to share.

Without thinking, Seola stood and walked over to Vony, placing a hand gently on her arm. “Vony, you don’t have to carry this on your own. If you ever want to talk, I’m here. I mean it.”

Vony’s eyes softened for a moment, her guard dropping just slightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she gave a small, reluctant nod.

“Thanks, Seola.”

The exchange was brief, but it was enough. For the first time in what felt like ages, Seola felt a flicker of hope. Vony wasn’t ready to speak just yet, but she wasn’t shutting

Seola out either. And that, Seola realized, was progress.

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The days passed slowly, and while Vony still didn’t open up fully, the small gestures of understanding between her and Seola were enough to keep the connection alive.

Sometimes, just knowing someone was there was all it took to make the difference. And as Seola continued to be there for Vony, she found herself thinking more and more

about the wall that had gone up between them. What was it made of? And how could she help Vony break it down?

But for now, all she could do was wait and watch, just as Natty had suggested.

And when Vony was ready, Seola would be there.