Almost, Always, You

And Then She Walked In

“Eva, wait for me!” a girl shouted as she ran toward her.

“Lia, slow down!” Eva called out.

Lia rushed forward and hugged Eva with all the strength she had.

“Lia, I’m gonna die!” Eva exclaimed, struggling to catch her breath.

“Come on! I’m seeing you after so long!” Lia protested.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But do you really have to kill me just because we’re meeting after so long?”

Lia released her and burst out laughing.

Lia was Eva's only friend, both at school and outside it. They had met in junior high, when Lia was the new student in their class.

Lia had always been a little different from the other girls. While everyone else seemed obsessed with looking pretty and following the latest fashion trends, Lia had a style of her own. Or, at least, that's what she liked to believe.

Her wardrobe was a strange collection of oversized shirts, baggy trousers, mismatched socks, and accessories that seemed to have no business being worn together. She could pair a bright orange jacket with neon-green sneakers and somehow convince herself that she looked like a fashion icon. On some days, she'd show up wearing a backward cap, chunky bracelets on both wrists, and sunglasses that were far too big for her face.

And she was proud of every bit of it.

"Look at her shoes!" someone would whisper whenever she walked past.

"Does she get dressed in the dark?"

"Maybe she's trying to start a new fashion trend. Someone should stop her before it gets worse."

Their laughter followed her through the hallways. Sometimes, they mocked her behind her back. Other times, they made sure she heard every word.

Lia usually brushed them off with a dramatic eye roll or a sarcastic comeback. She would tell herself that they were simply jealous because they didn't have the courage to stand out.

But even the most confident person could only pretend not to care for so long.

One afternoon, Eva found Lia crying behind the school.

It was the same quiet corner where Eva often went whenever the noise of the world became too much for her. She hadn't expected to find anyone there, let alone the loud, unapologetically strange girl who seemed determined to make the entire school notice her.

Lia was sitting with her knees drawn to her chest, her oversized sleeves pulled over her hands. Her colorful bracelets had slipped down her wrists, and for once, she wasn't trying to make anyone laugh.

Eva didn't ask what had happened. She didn't tell Lia to stop crying or offer some meaningless reassurance.

She simply took a handkerchief from her bag, held it out to her, and sat down beside her.

For a long time, neither of them spoke.

And somehow, that silence said more than words ever could.

After that day, Lia began spending more time with Eva. She would drag her into ridiculous conversations, show off her latest questionable fashion choices, and insist that Eva give an honest rating of every new outfit.

Eva rarely understood Lia's sense of style, but she never made her feel ashamed of it.

Little by little, the two grew closer. What began with a shared silence turned into laughter, countless conversations, and a bond that felt more like sisterhood than friendship.

“Let’s hurry! We’re going to be late!” Lia exclaimed, grabbing Eva’s hand and pulling her toward their classroom.

As Eva entered the classroom, her eyes instinctively searched for one person.

There he was.

Darius sat in his usual spot beside the window, chatting with his friends. Sunlight streamed through the glass, falling across his face as the breeze gently stirred the curtains. He looked like a character straight out of a romance movie—the kind of boy who didn't even have to try to look charming.

Eva took her usual seat two desks behind him, in the middle row.

From there, she could see him without making it too obvious.

At least, that was what she liked to believe.

Darius had no idea how often she looked at him. How many times she'd caught herself staring at the back of his head, only to quickly look away whenever he turned around. Or how something as ordinary as hearing his laughter could make an otherwise boring school day feel a little less ordinary.