CHAPTER 7 — Felt the Shift
920 Words
The next few days unfolded at a rhythm. Lia was slowly learning to trust.
Not easy.
Not effortless.
But familiar enough that she no longer woke up with the same tightness in her chest.
She was still overwhelmed — the program was relentless — but she wasn’t drowning anymore. She was learning how to swim, even if her strokes were clumsy and slow.
And people were beginning to notice.
Not because she was loud.
Not because she was brilliant.
But because she kept showing up.
🌤️ A Morning That Felt Different
Lia arrived early to the research building, hoping to get a head start on their next task. The hallways were quiet, the air cool, the hum of fluorescent lights oddly comforting.
She settled into her usual spot, opened her laptop, and began reviewing the dataset they would be analyzing later. She was so focused she didn’t hear someone approach until a voice said:
“You’re early.”
She looked up.
Daniel stood there, holding two cups of coffee.
“For you,” he said, offering one.
Lia blinked. “Daniel… you didn’t have to.”
“I know,” he said with a small smile. “But you always look like you’re carrying the weight of the world at 8 a.m.”
She laughed softly. “It feels like it sometimes.”
He sat beside her, not too close, but close enough that she felt the warmth of his presence.
“You’re improving fast,” he said. “I can see it.”
Lia felt her cheeks warm. “I’m trying.”
“And it shows.”
There was something in his tone — gentle, sincere, unhurried — that made her chest tighten in a way she didn’t expect.
📘 A Group Meeting That Revealed Something New
When the rest of the group arrived, they dove into the task immediately. Aria explained the new model they needed to build, Mateo outlined the data cleaning process, and Daniel began sketching the framework on the whiteboard.
Lia listened, absorbing everything.
Then, when there was a pause, she stepped forward.
“I think we should test two models in parallel,” she said. “One recursive, one reactive. Then compare the error margins.”
Aria blinked. “That’s… actually smart.”
Mateo nodded. “It’ll give us a stronger justification.”
Daniel smiled at her. “Look at you, taking the lead.”
Lia felt her heart flutter — not from pride, but from the realization that she wasn’t invisible anymore.
She was part of the team.
Her voice mattered.
Her ideas mattered.
And that shift — that quiet, powerful shift — settled into her bones.
🌆 A Message That Made Her Pause
Later that afternoon, as she walked across campus, her phone buzzed.
Evan: How’s your day going?
Lia smiled.
Lia: Good. I contributed something important today.
Evan: I knew you would.
She hesitated, then typed:
Lia: Daniel brought me coffee this morning.
There was a pause.
Then:
Evan: Oh?
Just one word.
But it carried something she couldn’t quite name.
Not jealousy.
Not annoyance.
Just… awareness.
Lia: He was just being kind.
Evan: I’m sure he was.
Her heart skipped.
Why did that feel like a shift too?
🌫️ An Afternoon That Changed the Air Between Them
After her last class, Lia headed to the library to study. She found a quiet corner, opened her laptop, and began refining her notes.
She didn’t expect Evan to show up.
But he did.
He approached quietly, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.
“Busy?” he asked softly.
“A little,” she said. “But you can sit.”
He sat across from her, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment longer than usual.
“You look tired,” he said.
“I’m okay,” she replied. “Just… adjusting.”
He nodded slowly. “I heard your group made progress today.”
Lia blinked. “How did you—?”
“Aria mentioned it,” he said. “She said you suggested the dual-model approach.”
Lia felt her cheeks warm. “It was just an idea.”
“It was a good one,” he said. “An excellent one.”
There was something in his voice — something warm, something proud — that made her chest tighten.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He leaned back, studying her quietly.
“You’re changing,” he said softly.
Lia froze. “Changing?”
“In a good way,” he added quickly. “You’re more confident. More sure of yourself. It suits you.”
Her breath caught.
No one had ever said that to her before.
🌌 A Moment That Stayed with Her
They studied together for an hour — not talking much, just sharing the same space. It felt comfortable. Familiar. Safe.
But there was something else too.
A quiet tension.
A shift in the air.
A feeling she couldn’t name yet.
When they finally packed up, Evan walked her to her dorm. They stood outside the entrance, the evening breeze cool against their skin.
“Lia,” he said softly, “I’m glad you’re finding your place here.”
She looked up at him, her voice barely a whisper. “I’m glad you’re here.”
His breath hitched — just slightly.
“Goodnight,” he said, stepping back.
“Goodnight,” she replied.
But as she walked inside, she felt it —
The shift,
the warmth,
The beginning of something she wasn’t ready to name.
- Writer
