Chapter 5
1236 Words
The lecture hall was already half-filled when Kathy walked in, adjusting the strap of her bag slightly on her shoulder.
“Look who decided to grace us with her presence,” Ryan’s voice came from behind.
Kathy turned, already smiling. “Good morning to you too.”
Ryan leaned forward, resting his chin on the back of her chair. “You’re smiling this early? Suspicious. Who texted you?”
“Must everything be about a man with you?” Kathy shot back.
Jordan glanced up from his notes. “With Ryan? Yes. Always.”
Elena laughed softly beside Kathy. “He’s not wrong though. You do look… happy.”
Kathy tried to keep a straight face. “I just had a good morning.”
Ryan smirked. “Translation: boyfriend did something cute.”
Kathy didn’t deny it this time. She simply opened her notebook, but the small smile on her lips gave her away.
Jordan shook his head. “You’re gone.”
“Not gone,” Kathy corrected quietly. “Just… happy.”
Elena nudged her lightly. “As you should be.”
Ryan sighed dramatically. “Must be nice. Meanwhile, Elena here is breaking hearts in the math department.”
Elena rolled her eyes. “Please. That boy is just… persistent.”
“Persistent?” Ryan laughed. “You mean he’s suffering.”
Kathy chuckled, relaxing into the conversation. This — this normalcy — grounded her.
As they walked out of the lecture hall after the class ended, Elena leaned closer to Kathy.
“He waited for me again today,” she said.
“The math guy?” Kathy asked.
Elena nodded. “He tried to explain a question I already knew how to solve.”
Ryan cut in immediately, “Ah yes, the classic ‘let me teach you what you already know’ move. Man is down bad.”
Jordan smirked. “Are you even giving him a chance?”
Elena shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I like the attention… but I don’t want anything serious.”
Kathy nodded slowly. “That’s fair.”
Ryan looked at her. “See? Everyone is taking things easy except you. You’re already in deep.”
Kathy didn’t respond immediately.
She was in deep.
And she knew it.
Later that evening, the room was unusually lively.
Zoe sat cross-legged on Kathy’s bed, eating from a takeaway pack, while Vanessa lay on her stomach scrolling through her phone. Priya sat at the table reading, and Melissa was pacing, clearly excited.
“You guys don’t understand,” Melissa said dramatically. “My friend is coming around later this week. He’s actually so fun to be with.”
Vanessa looked up immediately. “Is he handsome?”
“Very,” Melissa grinned.
Zoe clapped. “We love a fine man.”
Kathy laughed, shaking her head. “You guys are unserious.”
Melissa turned to her. “Relax, I’m not setting you up. I know you have a whole boyfriend already.”
Priya added calmly, “Yes, and she’s very committed.”
Zoe smirked. “Very, very committed.”
Kathy rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Zoe.”
“But,” Vanessa added, sitting up, “we can still look. Looking is free.”
The room burst into laughter.
Kathy smiled, but her mind briefly drifted.
A tiny thought.
A quiet one.
What if distance changes things?
She pushed it away immediately.
Later that night, Kathy sat on her bed, phone pressed to her ear.
“Hey,” Nelson’s voice came through, slightly tired.
“Hi… you sound exhausted,” she said softly.
“I am,” he admitted. “Work has been crazy today.”
Kathy adjusted her pillow, lying back. “You’ve been saying that a lot lately.”
There was a brief pause.
“I know,” he said. “I’m trying to balance everything.”
Kathy hesitated. “I sent you something earlier… did you see it?”
“Yeah… I saw it late. I was in meetings most of the day.”
His tone was normal.
But something about it… felt distant.
“Oh,” she said quietly.
“I wanted to reply earlier,” he continued, “but I couldn’t pick up my phone.”
Kathy sat up slightly. “Not even once?”
“Kathy, it wasn’t like that—”
“It just feels like…” she paused, choosing her words carefully, “like I’m the only one adjusting.”
That made him pause.
“That’s not fair,” Nelson said, his voice firmer now.
“I’m not saying you don’t care,” she said quickly. “I just… miss how things used to be.”
“I’m still the same person,” he replied.
“But things aren’t the same,” she said, her voice soft but breaking slightly. “You’re always busy. I have to wait hours just to talk to you.”
“Kathy, I’m working,” he said, frustration creeping in. “This isn’t school anymore.”
“I know!” she snapped slightly, then immediately softened. “I know… I just… I miss you.”
Silence.
That kind of silence that feels heavy.
“I’m doing this for us,” Nelson said quietly.
“And I appreciate it,” she whispered. “But sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’m part of your life anymore… just someone you check in on.”
That hit.
Hard.
“Kathy…” his voice dropped. “That’s not true.”
“But that’s how it feels,” she said, tears forming now. “I don’t want to feel like I’m begging for your time.”
“I’m trying!” he said, frustration breaking through.
“And I’m trying too!” she replied, her voice shaking.
Another silence.
Then—
“Maybe we should talk later,” Nelson said, calmer but distant.
That was worse.
Kathy swallowed. “Yeah… maybe.”
The call ended.
The moment the call dropped, Kathy’s chest tightened.
Zoe looked up immediately. “What happened?”
Kathy shook her head, but the tears came anyway.
“I don’t even know,” she whispered. “It just… felt off.”
Zoe moved closer, wrapping her arms around her. “Come here.”
Kathy leaned into her, crying softly. “I don’t want to lose him…”
“You won’t,” Zoe said gently. “This is just distance talking.”
Across the state, Nelson stared at his phone.
Call ended.
He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
“I messed up,” he muttered.
He called again.
No answer.
Again.
Still nothing.
Then he tried Zoe.
“Zoe… please,” he said the moment she picked. “Can I talk to her?”
“She’s asleep,” Zoe said gently. “She cried herself to sleep.”
That hit him like a punch.
“She cried?” his voice dropped.
“Yes,” Zoe said. “Nelson… she misses you. That’s all this is.”
He exhaled shakily. “I didn’t mean to make her feel like that.”
“I know,” Zoe replied. “Just fix it before it gets worse.”
“I will,” he said immediately. “Please… tell her I’m sorry. I’ll call her first thing tomorrow.”
That night, Kathy slept with tear-stained cheeks.
Miles away, Nelson stayed awake… staring at his phone.
Both holding on.
Both hurting.
Both still in love.
- Writer
