CHAPTER 15 — HEAVY HEARTS MAKE LOUD THOUGHTS
534 Words
Keon doesn’t go to his next class.
He can’t.
He stands frozen at the edge of the courtyard, watching Malisa wipe her cheeks, watching Rico sit beside her like he belongs there, watching Priya whisper something that makes Malisa nod with her eyes closed like she’s finally letting someone hold the weight she’s been carrying.
Something sharp twists deep inside Keon’s chest.
Guilt.
Fear.
Regret.
All of it.
He leans against the wall, dragging a hand down his face.
He knew she wasn’t okay.
But he didn’t know it was this bad.
He thought she just needed space. He thought he was protecting her from the mess in his head. He thought holding everything in was better than letting her see him falling apart.
He thought he was shielding her.
Turns out he was drowning her instead.
He watches Rico brush Malisa’s hair away from her face in a gentle, cautious way. Not flirting. Not pushing. Just… being there.
Exactly the way Keon hasn’t been.
Keon’s chest burns.
He finally pushes off the wall and walks away before his emotions choke him right there in front of everybody.
Malisa sits between Rico and Priya, breathing slowly, grounding herself.
Her pulse has calmed, but her mind still feels fragile — like one wrong moment could send everything crashing down again.
Rico: “You sure you’re alright now?”
She nods.
Not convincingly, but enough.
Priya: “We’re making an appointment with student support after last period. No arguing.”
Malisa groans. “Priya—”
Priya: “Nope. We’re done pretending everything is fine. I’m confiscating your ‘I’m okay’ card.”
Rico smiles softly at that.
And Malisa feels… held.
For the first time in a long time.
Later, in Music class, Rico stays beside her.
Not hovering.
Not smothering.
Just steady.
Every time her hands shake while tuning her guitar, he quietly steadies the instrument without making a big deal out of it.
Every time the teacher calls on someone and she tenses, he nudges her foot lightly under the table — a silent Are you alright?
It helps.
More than she wants to admit.
When class ends, Rico packs up her guitar for her and hands it over.
Rico: “You don’t have to do everything alone.”
His voice is soft. Too soft.
Her heart stutters.
She whispers, “Thank you.”
Their eyes meet.
For a dangerous second, something electric hangs between them — not romantic, not intense, but… warm.
Real.
Rico looks away first, clearing his throat with a small smile.
Across the room, Keon watches.
He stands stiffly by the doorframe, bag on one shoulder, hood up again — his armour.
His jaw tightens when he sees Rico carrying her guitar.
He doesn’t move when Rico jokes and gets Malisa to smile.
He doesn’t blink when she laughs — softly, tiredly — but still laughs.
It hits him like a bruise.
Because he hasn’t been the reason she smiled in days.
Because he was supposed to be there for her.
Because she’s slipping through his fingers and he’s finally noticing too late.
His chest feels tight, but he forces himself to walk out before she sees him looking.
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