Chapter Twenty Four: What It Looks Like
Eli doesn’t expect it to feel official. There was no conversation. No label. No clear line crossed that made it real. And yet — it does. Not because of anything he said. But because of the way people look at him now. Different. Like something has been decided. Dinah meets him at his locker before first period. She doesn’t hesitate. She kisses his cheek. Public. Quick. Certain. He freezes for half a second — not long enough for anyone else to notice. But long enough for him to. “Morning,” she says brightly. “Morning.” She slides into place beside him like she’s always belonged there. And just like that, it feels established. The hallway buzzes louder than usual. He can feel the shift. Eyes lingering. Whispers softening when he walks past. He tells himself it doesn’t m
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