The Distance Between Us

THE STRANGE FEELING

CHAPTER FOUR

A Strange Feeling

Amara spent most of Friday trying to convince herself that nothing had changed.

She sat beside Daniel during mathematics, copied notes during biology, and joined him and Samuel during break as usual.

Everything looked normal.

But inside her mind, it wasn't.

Every time Daniel laughed with someone else, she noticed.

Every time he spoke to Victoria, she noticed.

And whenever Daniel looked her way, she suddenly became conscious of herself.

It was confusing.

Amara had never thought of herself as someone who worried about such things.

She had always been focused on school.

Her goal was medicine.

Her mother constantly reminded her that she had worked hard to get where she was, and Amara didn't want to waste the opportunity she had been given.

Yet somehow, Daniel had become part of her thoughts.

She didn't understand how.

During break, she sat beneath the usual tree with Daniel and Samuel.

Samuel was eating as usual.

"Why are you so quiet today?" he asked Amara.

"I'm not."

"You are."

Daniel looked at her.

"You've barely said anything."

Amara shrugged.

"I'm just tired."

Samuel nodded.

"School is tiring."

Daniel smiled.

"Especially when you don't sleep early."

Amara looked at him.

"How do you know I don't sleep early?"

"You said it yesterday."

"Oh."

Samuel looked between them.

"You two talk a lot."

Daniel ignored him.

Amara tried not to smile.

After break, they returned to class.

Their teacher gave them a mathematics assignment.

Daniel finished his quickly.

Amara was still working on hers.

She stared at one question for several minutes.

Daniel noticed.

"Need help?"

She hesitated.

"Maybe."

He moved his notebook closer.

"Look at the first step."

He explained the problem carefully.

Amara followed along.

"Oh, I understand now."

"Good."

She smiled.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Their hands almost touched when she reached for her pen.

Both of them paused for a moment.

Then Amara quickly picked it up.

Neither said anything.

The teacher continued speaking at the front.

Daniel returned to his work.

Amara tried to do the same.

But her heart was beating faster than usual.

She didn't know why.

After school, Amara decided to walk to the gate alone.

She needed time to think.

Daniel caught up with her.

"You're leaving already?"

"Yes."

"Wait."

She stopped.

He walked beside her.

"You've been quiet all day."

"I told you I'm tired."

"I know."

He paused.

"But if something is wrong, you can tell me."

Amara looked at him.

There was something sincere about his expression.

He wasn't trying to force her to talk.

He simply wanted to know if she was okay.

"I'm fine," she said softly.

Daniel nodded.

"Okay."

They continued walking.

After a few seconds, Amara spoke.

"Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Do you ever get confused about your feelings?"

He thought about the question.

"Sometimes."

"What do you do?"

"I usually give myself time."

"That's all?"

"Yeah."

"What if you don't understand them?"

"Then I wait until I do."

Amara nodded.

That answer made sense.

They reached the gate.

Her mother's car was waiting.

"See you Monday," Daniel said.

"See you."

Amara got into the car.

As the vehicle drove away, she looked back through the window.

Daniel was still standing near the gate.

She smiled.

Then she turned forward.

At home, Amara went straight to her room.

She opened her books but couldn't concentrate.

She picked up her phone.

There was a message from Daniel.

Daniel: Did you get home safely?

She smiled.

Amara: Yes. Thanks.

A few seconds later:

Daniel: Good.

That was all.

Yet Amara stared at the conversation for several seconds.

She placed her phone down.

Then picked it up again.

She didn't understand herself.

Why did such a simple message make her happy?

She finally decided to call her best friend from her old school, Ifeoma.

"Hello?"

"Amara!"

"Ifeoma!"

They both laughed.

"How is your new school?"

"It's okay."

"Only okay?"

Amara smiled.

"It's actually good."

"Have you made friends?"

"Yes."

"Any interesting ones?"

Amara paused.

"Maybe."

Ifeoma immediately became curious.

"Maybe?"

"There's a boy."

There was silence.

Then Ifeoma shouted.

"A boy?"

Amara laughed.

"Calm down."

"Tell me everything."

"There's nothing to tell."

"You mentioned a boy!"

"He's just my friend."

"What's his name?"

"Daniel."

"Do you like him?"

Amara became quiet.

"I don't know."

Ifeoma laughed.

"That means yes."

"No!"

"You don't have to decide now."

Amara sighed.

"I have exams."

"I know."

"And medicine."

"I know."

"I don't want distractions."

"I understand."

Amara looked down.

"But he's a good person."

"Then being friends isn't a bad thing."

Amara smiled.

"Maybe."

They continued talking for a while before ending the call.

Amara felt better.

She didn't need to decide anything.

She didn't need to give her feelings a name.

She could simply enjoy the friendship.

At the same time, Daniel was at home helping his father in the workshop.

His father noticed that he seemed distracted.

"You've been quiet."

"I'm always quiet."

"Not like this."

Daniel smiled.

"Nothing is wrong."

His father returned to his work.

"Good."

Daniel handed him a tool.

His mind returned to school.

To the debate.

To the library.

To Amara.

He wondered why he had started looking forward to seeing her every morning.

He had plenty of friends before.

But this felt different.

He wasn't sure what different meant.

He decided not to think about it.

There was plenty of time.

Monday morning arrived.

Daniel entered the classroom and found Amara already sitting at her desk.

"Good morning."

She smiled.

"Good morning."

"You came early."

"So did you."

Daniel laughed.

"Fair point."

Samuel walked in moments later.

"Why are you two smiling?"

"We're not," Daniel said.

"You are."

Amara laughed.

Samuel pointed at them.

"Something is happening."

"Nothing is happening," Amara replied.

"That's what people say when something is happening."

Daniel shook his head.

"Ignore him."

The bell rang.

Their first lesson began.

Everything seemed normal.

Until lunchtime.

Daniel was walking toward the canteen when Victoria approached him.

"Daniel."

He stopped.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

"Would you help me with mathematics?"

Daniel thought for a moment.

"Sure."

"After school?"

"I have the group project."

"You can help me before that."

Daniel nodded.

"Okay."

Amara happened to see them from a distance.

She didn't know what they were discussing.

She only saw Victoria smiling at Daniel.

That strange feeling returned.

She looked away.

Samuel noticed.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Samuel followed her gaze.

He understood immediately.

But he didn't say anything.

After lunch, Amara became quieter again.

Daniel noticed.

During the next lesson, he leaned toward her.

"Are you upset with me?"

She looked surprised.

"No."

"Then why are you quiet?"

"I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing."

Daniel nodded.

He wanted to ask more, but the teacher called his name.

He turned toward the board.

Amara looked down at her notebook.

She felt guilty.

Daniel hadn't done anything wrong.

She knew that.

Victoria had every right to talk to him.

Daniel had every right to help her.

Amara had no reason to feel jealous.

But knowing that didn't make the feeling disappear.

After school, Daniel helped Victoria with mathematics for about twenty minutes.

Then he went to meet Amara and Samuel for their project.

Amara was already there.

"Sorry I'm late," Daniel said.

"It's okay."

They began working.

But something felt different.

Daniel noticed.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes."

He looked at her.

She avoided his eyes.

Samuel watched them silently.

Finally, Daniel asked:

"Did I do something?"

Amara shook her head.

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

She didn't answer immediately.

"I just..."

She stopped.

Daniel waited.

Amara took a breath.

"I think I need some space today."

Daniel looked surprised.

"Okay."

He didn't argue.

He simply nodded.

Amara packed her books.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

She walked away.

Daniel watched her leave.

Samuel sat beside him.

"Don't worry."

Daniel looked at him.

"About what?"

"Whatever that was."

Daniel sighed.

"I don't understand."

Samuel shrugged.

"Maybe she needs time."

Daniel nodded.

He didn't know what had happened.

Neither did Amara.

But something had changed between them.

And this time, neither of them could pretend they hadn't noticed.

That evening, Amara sat beside her bedroom window.

She thought about Daniel.

She thought about Victoria.

She thought about how easily one small feeling had made her entire day different.

She finally admitted the truth to herself.

She cared about Daniel.

Maybe more than she should.

Maybe more than she had planned.

And that frightened her.

Because once feelings became real, they were no longer as easy to ignore.

Across town, Daniel sat at his desk staring at the same mathematics question for nearly ten minutes.

He hadn't solved it.

He wasn't thinking about mathematics.

He was thinking about Amara.

He wanted to understand what had happened.

He wanted to fix whatever was wrong.

But he also knew that sometimes people needed time.

So he decided to wait.

Tomorrow, he would ask again.

Maybe she would tell him.

Maybe she wouldn't.

Either way, Daniel knew one thing:

Whatever was happening between them was becoming impossible to ignore.