HEART STRINGS

Too Close 2

Kelvin instinctively wrapped one arm around her waist to stop her from falling.

"You okay?"

His voice was low.

Gentle.

Rose's cheeks burned.

"I..."

She looked up.

Big mistake.

He was closer than she'd realized.

Close enough for her to notice the tiny droplets of rain clinging to his dark hair.

Close enough that her heart suddenly forgot how to beat normally.

"I-I'm okay," she whispered.

Neither of them moved.

Neither realized they were still standing far too close.

The driver politely looked away.

"I suddenly find the weather very interesting."

Kelvin blinked.

As if waking from a trance, he immediately stepped back.Silence.

An awkward...

Painfully awkward silence.

Rose stared at the ground.

Kelvin rubbed the back of his neck.

The driver smiled innocently.

"I merely wished to remind you that it's raining."

Kelvin sighed."I know it's raining....Thank you."

Rose couldn't hold it anymore.

A soft laugh escaped her.

The sound was warm enough to make the gloomy afternoon feel brighter.

Kelvin smiled before he could stop himself.

Rose pointed at him immediately.

"There!"

"What?"

"You smiled."

"I did not."

"You did."

"It doesn't count."

"Who made that rule?"

"I just did."

She folded her arms.

"Convenient."

"It is."

The driver quietly nodded.

"I agree with Miss Rose."

Kelvin looked horrified."I didn't ask for a vote."

"I'm simply supporting justice."

Rose laughed even harder.

"You two really do argue like family."

The driver smiled proudly.

"I've watched Master Kelvin grow up."

Rose looked at Kelvin.

"Were you always this serious?"

Before Kelvin could answer, the driver did.

"No."

Kelvin turned slowly.

"...Don't."

"When he was little, he once refused to speak to anyone for an entire day because his sister ate the last chocolate cookie."

Rose covered her mouth.

"No..."

"Oh yes."

"It was the principle."

"The principle?" Rose repeated, laughing.

Kelvin nodded with complete seriousness.

"She knew it was my favorite."

Rose shook her head.

"So the mysterious Kelvin Reid once started a silent protest over a cookie."

"It was an important cookie."

She burst into laughter again.

Even the driver laughed this time.

Kelvin groaned.

"I'm never telling either of you anything again."

Rose wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"I don't think I've laughed this much in years."

Her smile slowly softened.

"...Thank you."

Kelvin looked at her.

"For what?"

"For making today... lighter."

The smile disappeared from Rose's face as quickly as it had come.

For just a second...

A shadow crossed her eyes.

As though she remembered something she'd rather forget.Kelvin noticed.

He always noticed.

Before he could ask what was wrong, another clap of thunder echoed through the sky.

The driver opened the umbrella.

"We really should get going before the weather gets worse."

Kelvin nodded.

He turned to Rose and quietly held out his hand.

"This time..."

"I promise I won't let you slip."

Rose looked at his hand.

Then into his eyes.

A shy smile spread across her face.

"...Okay."

Slowly...

She placed her hand in his.

Neither of them noticed the black luxury car parked across the street.

Inside, Maltilda stared through the rain-covered window.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched Kelvin gently lead Rose toward the SUV. Her fingers tightened around her phone until her knuckles turned white.

"So..."

she whispered bitterly.

"You really are smiling because of her."

A cold smile slowly spread across her face.

"Enjoy it while you can, Rose."

"Because tomorrow..."

"I'm going to remind you exactly where you belong."

Morning sunlight spilled across the entrance of Golden High School as students streamed through the gates, laughing and chatting about homework, weekend plans, and the unexpected rain from yesterday.

Rose adjusted the strap of her bag and stepped through the gate.

She had barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes...

She remembered the rain.

Kelvin's hand.

The warmth of his jacket.

The way he'd looked at her when he said, "I promise I won't let you slip."

Her cheeks warmed.

"Stop thinking about it," she muttered to herself.

"You talking to yourself now?"

Rose nearly jumped.

She turned to find Jasmine walking beside her with a grin that could only mean trouble.

"Good morning."

"It would be," Jasmine said dramatically, "if someone had answered my seventeen messages."

Rose blinked.

"You sent seventeen?"

"Eighteen."

Rose sighed.

"I was tired."

"Oh, I know."

Jasmine leaned closer, lowering her voice."So..."

Rose immediately shook her head."No."

"I haven't even asked anything yet."

"I know exactly what you're going to ask."

Jasmine gasped."You underestimate my creativity."

"You were going to ask about Kelvin."

"...I hate that you're right."

Rose laughed.

Before Jasmine could continue, a sleek black car stopped at the school entrance.Kelvin stepped out, carrying his bag over one shoulder.

Students instinctively turned.

"Kelvin's here."

"He looks good even on a Monday."

"I swear that's unfair.

He looked as calm as always.

But the moment he looked toward the school entrance...

His eyes found Rose.

Just for a second.

She looked up at the exact same moment.

Their eyes met.

Neither smiled.

Neither waved.

Yet neither looked away immediately.

Jasmine slowly looked from Rose...

To Kelvin...

Then back to Rose.

"...Interesting."

Rose quickly looked away.

"It wasn't anything."

"Mmm."

"It wasn't."

"Mmm-hmm."

"It really wasn't."

Jasmine folded her arms.

"You know, denial is a fascinating thing."

Rose groaned.

"You are impossible."

"So I've been told."

Across the courtyard, Kelvin closed the car door.

His driver gave him a respectful nod before driving away.

Kelvin started walking toward the building.

Halfway there...

Rose accidentally dropped her notebook.

Several loose sheets scattered across the walkway.

"Oh no..."

Students walked around them without stopping.

Rose hurried to gather the papers before the wind carried them away.

Just as she reached for the last page...

Another hand picked it up first.

She looked up.

Kelvin.

He held out the paper.

"You dropped this."

"...Thanks."

Their fingers brushed as she took it.

Just for an instant.

Neither spoke.

"Morning," Kelvin said quietly.

"...Morning."

Another awkward silence.

Jasmine stood three steps away, internally screaming.

Somebody help me.

Kelvin glanced at the notebook in Rose's arms.

"Did you finish your research?"

Rose nodded.

"I finished my half."

"I did too."

"Good."

"...Good."

Another silence.

Jasmine couldn't take it anymore.

"You two are unbelievable."

Rose blinked.

"What?"

"You've had two conversations this morning."

"Yes."

"They lasted approximately eight words combined."

Kelvin looked genuinely confused.

"Is that bad?"

Jasmine threw her hands into the air.

"I give up!"

Rose laughed.

Kelvin couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on his face.

He looked away almost immediately.

Too late.

Rose had already seen it.

"You smiled again."

Kelvin sighed.

"I need to stop doing that."

"No," Rose said before thinking.

He looked back at her.

She froze.

"I mean..."

Her cheeks turned pink.

"It... suits you."

For a moment...

The noisy courtyard seemed to disappear.

Kelvin simply looked at her.

Then, almost shyly...

"Thanks."

Neither of them noticed the figure watching from the second-floor balcony.

Maltilda.

Her nails dug into the railing.

The smile she'd forced onto her face vanished completely.

"So that's how it is..."

she whispered.

Behind her, Brielle frowned.

"Maltilda..."

But Maltilda was no longer listening.

A plan had already begun to form in her mind.

And this time...

She wasn't planning to lose.