πΏβ¨ πππππππ 12 β ππππ ππππ πππππ β¨πΏ
961 Words
π It was lunch time.
The classroom buzzed with chatter and laughter.
Lunch boxes opened.
Voices overlapped.
πΏ Everything felt normalβ¦ for everyone else. πΏ
π Skye sat at her desk.
Lunch box in her handsβ
But untouched.
π Her mind wasnβt here.
It was somewhere else.
πΏ On him. πΏ
π His silence.
His distance.
His cold eyes.
π It didnβt make sense.
π She stood up slowly, barely aware of her surroundings.
Walking forwardβ
Lost in thought.
π And thenβ
π₯ Thud.
π She collided into someone.
The lunch box slipped from her handsβ
Falling.
Opening.
πΏ Food scattering across the floor. πΏ
π A soft gasp escaped her lips as she lost her balanceβ
About to fallβ
π Butβ
πΏ An arm wrapped around her waist. πΏ
π Firm. Quick. Steady.
π Stopping her.
π Skyeβs eyes widened slightly.
π Adrian.
π He held her close enough to keep her from fallingβ
His grip secure.
π βCareful,β he said softly.
π For a secondβ
Everything stilled.
πΏ Too close. Too sudden. πΏ
π Skyeβs hand instinctively rested against his shoulder for balance.
Their eyes met.
π Calm. Concerned.
So different fromβ
π₯ Him.
π Around themβ
The noise had faded.
π Students were watching.
Whispers rising slowly.
πΏ Attention shifting. πΏ
π But not just them.
π At the back of the classroomβ
Axel Knight looked up.
π₯
π His eyes landed on them.
On Adrianβs hand around her waist.
On the distance that didnβt exist between them.
πΏ And something dark flickered. πΏ
π His expression didnβt change muchβ
Still cold. Still distant.
π But his jaw tightened slightly.
Just enough to notice.
π Skye stepped back quickly.
Breaking the contact.
π βIβm fine,β she said softly.
π Adrian nodded.
But his eyes didnβt leave her immediately.
π βYou should watch where youβre going,β he added gently.
π Skye gave a small nod.
π Then looked down at the mess on the floor.
πΏ Reality returning. πΏ
π She bent down to pick it upβ
But Adrian stopped her.
βIβll help.β
π He crouched down, gathering the scattered food.
π Skye hesitated for a secondβ
Then joined him.
π Their hands brushed once.
Accidentally.
πΏ But noticeable. πΏ
π More whispers.
More looks.
π And across the roomβ
Axel watched.
Silent.
Still.
π₯ But not unaffected.
π His fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
Once.
Twice.
Controlled.
π Then suddenlyβ
He stood up.
π₯ The chair scraped loudly against the floor.
π Everyone flinched slightly.
π Axel didnβt look at anyone.
Didnβt say anything.
πΏ But his eyesβ
Locked on Skye for a second. πΏ
π Cold.
Unreadable.
π₯ But burning underneath.
π Thenβ
He walked out of the classroom.
Without a word.
π₯
π The door slammed shut behind him.
πΏ Leaving silence behind. πΏ
π Skye froze slightly.
Her hand still holding the edge of her lunch box.
π Her eyes moved toward the door.
π Something twisted inside her chest.
πΏ Because that reactionβ¦
Meant something. πΏ
π And for the first time todayβ
π₯ his silence didnβt feel empty anymore.
π It felt likeβ¦
πΏ a storm waiting to break. πΏ
π Skye forced herself to look away.
π Back to the mess on the floor.
Back to reality.
π Adrian finished picking up the last of it.
He stood up slowlyβ
Holding the half-closed lunch box.
π He glanced at it, then at her.
π βWhat do you have?β he asked softly.
π Skye blinked.
βNothing now,β she replied quietly.
π A small pause.
π Adrian watched her for a secondβ
Not pushing. Not questioning.
πΏ Just understanding. πΏ
π Thenβ
Without another wordβ
He opened his own lunch box.
π The aroma spread lightly in the air.
Simple. Homemade.
π He held it out toward her.
πΏ βHave mine.β πΏ
π Skye looked at him.
Surprised.
π βNo, itβs okayββ
π βItβs not,β he interrupted gently.
π A small, calm smile appeared on his face.
π βYou havenβt eaten.β
π Skye hesitated.
Her eyes flickered briefly toward the door again.
πΏ As if expecting someone to walk back in. πΏ
π But no one came.
π She looked back at Adrian.
π His hand was still extended.
Steady. Patient.
π No pressure.
Just⦠there.
π Slowlyβ
She took the lunch box.
π βThank you,β she said softly.
π Adrian nodded once.
π βSit,β he said.
π Skye sat down quietly.
Opening the box carefully.
π Adrian took the seat beside her.
Not too close.
Not too far.
πΏ Just enough. πΏ
π The classroom noise slowly returned.
But something had shifted.
π Skye took a small bite.
π And for the first time that dayβ
πΏ she actually tasted something. πΏ
π Adrian glanced at her briefly.
βBetter?β
π Skye nodded slightly.
βYes.β
π A small silence followed.
Comfortable.
π But somewhereβ
πΏ not entirely unnoticed. πΏ
π Because outside the classroomβ
Down the corridorβ
π₯ Axel hadnβt gone far.
π He stood near the window.
Hands clenched slightly.
Jaw tight.
π His mind replaying that sceneβ
Over and over.
π Herβ¦ with him.
π His expression darkened slightly.
πΏ Something unfamiliar rising inside him. πΏ
π Not anger.
Not exactly.
π₯ Something sharper.
π He exhaled slowly.
Looking away.
π βDoesnβt matter,β he muttered under his breath.
πΏ But it did. πΏ
π And that was the problem. π
- Writer
