WHISPERS AT MIDNIGHT

Ella Every night, I sat by my window. It was the only place that felt quiet, the only place where I could breathe. Across the street, Sam’s light was always on. We’d been classmates for years, yet we never spoke. To him, I was invisible. And maybe I liked it that way. He was the one of the most handsome boys in the school. Every girl wanted to be his girlfriend. Sam I never paid much attention to the girl across the street. Ella. She was in my class, sure, but she always looked serious, distant. Not my type of crowd. But that summer break changed something. Maybe it was me, maybe it was her—but I started noticing. Ella That night, I looked up, and his eyes met mine. Before I could stop myself, I said it. “Hi.” Sam For a second, I froze. She had never spoken to me before. “Hi,” I answered back, clumsy, but smiling. It was nothing. Just a word. Actually ella was the most beautiful and introverted girl in the school. (After summer break) Sam School felt the same as always—boring teachers, noisy classmates, and me half-asleep at my desk. But something was different now. My eyes kept wandering to Ella. She sat near the window, like always. Quiet, focused, almost like the chaos around her didn’t exist. I never noticed before, but she had this way of tucking her hair behind her ear when she was thinking. I told myself not to stare. But the more I tried not to, the more I caught myself looking. Ella I could feel it—his eyes. Sam. He had never paid attention to me before, so why now? Did I have something on my face? At first, I ignored it. People stared sometimes. They judged, they gossiped. I was used to it. But Sam’s gaze wasn’t sharp or mocking. It was… curious. Almost gentle. Still, curiosity can be dangerous. If people started talking, I’d be right back where I was before—whispers behind my back, laughter when I walked away. So, when the bell rang, I left quickly, avoiding his eyes. Sam That night, I leaned out of my window again. I wasn’t sure if she’d show up. Part of me thought she might not. But then, there she was. Sitting at her window, looking like she was waiting for the stars to come out. I cleared my throat. “Hey.” “…Hey,” she replied, softly. It was barely a conversation, just one word each. But it felt like progress. And for the first time, I realized—I wanted to hear more. Ella Next day, the classroom was the same as always—chalk dust on the board, the low hum of voices—but it felt different. Or maybe I did. Because now, whenever I looked up, I caught him watching me. Sam. He didn’t try to hide it. That was the strange part. Everyone else always looked and looked away. He just… looked. Like he was trying to figure me out. It made my heart beat faster. Not in a good way. Not yet. I left school quickly, as I always did. But that night, when I opened my window, I wasn’t surprised to see him already there. Sam She came. She always came. I tried to look casual, leaning against the window frame. But inside, my thoughts were a mess. What was I even supposed to say? “Long day?” I asked. Smooth. Not. She tilted her head a little. “Aren’t all days long?” I laughed, and the corner of her mouth lifted too. It wasn’t a real smile, not yet, but it was something. Ella His laugh was lighter than I expected. Not mocking. Not cruel. Just… easy. For a moment, I forgot about the people at school, the whispers I imagined were still behind my back. “Do you always sit here at night?” he asked. I hesitated, then nodded. “It’s… quiet here.” He didn’t ask more. And I was grateful for that. Sam We didn’t talk for long. A few words, nothing deep. But when she leaned her arms on the window sill, resting her chin there, I felt like she was letting me see a part of her no one else did. It wasn’t much. Just small steps. But for some reason, it felt important.