After the bell
1398 Words
The library was quieter than Emily expected.
It always was after school—soft footsteps, pages turning, the faint hum of the air conditioner. Sunlight filtered through tall windows, casting long shadows across the tables. Emily paused at the entrance, fingers tightening around her notebook as she scanned the room.
They were already there.
All four of them.
They sat around one table like they belonged to it, backpacks tossed carelessly to the side. Jace leaned back in his chair, scrolling on his phone. Rowan had a laptop open, already typing. Leo flipped through a book, his expression calm. And Kai—Kai stood near the window, arms crossed, watching the courtyard outside like he was thinking about something far away.
Emily hesitated.
Then she walked over.
“Hey,” Jace said first, flashing an easy smile. “You actually came. Points for bravery.”
She ignored the comment and sat down, setting her notebook in front of her. “You said five minutes after the bell.”
Kai turned at the sound of her voice. His gaze lingered for a second—too long to be accidental—before he nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for coming.”
Something about the way he said it felt genuine. Not polite. Not forced.
Rowan closed his laptop slightly. “So. The project.”
Emily exhaled, grateful for something familiar. “It’s a digital media piece. Documentary-style or creative. We need a concept first.”
“Look at her,” Jace said. “Already organized.”
Emily felt her cheeks warm but kept her eyes on her notes.
Leo smiled faintly. “I think it’s good. We should decide early.”
They talked—about ideas, themes, editing styles. Emily found herself speaking more than she expected to. They listened. Actually listened. No interruptions. No dismissive looks.
It felt strange. Almost unreal.
At one point, Kai leaned closer to look at her notes, his shoulder brushing hers lightly. Emily froze.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
“It’s—fine,” she said, though her heart disagreed.
As the meeting went on, Emily noticed things. How Rowan watched people more than he spoke. How Leo always made sure everyone was included. How Jace filled the quiet with jokes—but went silent when things got serious. And Kai… Kai watched her.
Not in a way that made her uncomfortable. In a way that made her curious.
When the library announcement came, reminding students it would close soon, Emily blinked in surprise.
Time had passed too quickly.
“We should meet somewhere else next time,” Jace said. “Library hours are annoying.”
“Our place,” Leo suggested casually.
Emily looked up. “Your… place?”
“All of us live together,” Jace added. “Big house. Plenty of space. Parents are never around.”
Kai’s jaw tightened slightly. “We’ll see.”
Emily caught that. The hesitation. The way his eyes flicked to her, then away.
“Well,” Rowan said, packing up his laptop, “we’ll need equipment. Editing software. Somewhere quiet.”
“Our house works,” Leo repeated, gentler this time.
Kai was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. “Yeah. It does.”
He turned to Emily. “If you’re okay with that.”
She swallowed. “I am.”
As they stood to leave, Emily felt it again—that strange pull. Like she was stepping closer to something she didn’t understand but somehow recognized.
Outside, the sky had turned soft shades of orange and blue. Students drifted past them, whispering openly now. Emily could feel the stares, the questions forming behind people’s eyes.
Jace noticed and leaned in. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Get used to what?”
“Being noticed.”
Emily wasn’t sure she wanted to.
As they walked away, Kai slowed The library was quieter than Emily expected.
It always was after school—soft footsteps, pages turning, the faint hum of the air conditioner. Sunlight filtered through tall windows, casting long shadows across the tables. Emily paused at the entrance, fingers tightening around her notebook as she scanned the room.
They were already there.
All four of them.
They sat around one table like they belonged to it, backpacks tossed carelessly to the side. Jace leaned back in his chair, scrolling on his phone. Rowan had a laptop open, already typing. Leo flipped through a book, his expression calm. And Kai—Kai stood near the window, arms crossed, watching the courtyard outside like he was thinking about something far away.
Emily hesitated.
Then she walked over.
“Hey,” Jace said first, flashing an easy smile. “You actually came. Points for bravery.”
She ignored the comment and sat down, setting her notebook in front of her. “You said five minutes after the bell.”
Kai turned at the sound of her voice. His gaze lingered for a second—too long to be accidental—before he nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for coming.”
Something about the way he said it felt genuine. Not polite. Not forced.
Rowan closed his laptop slightly. “So. The project.”
Emily exhaled, grateful for something familiar. “It’s a digital media piece. Documentary-style or creative. We need a concept first.”
“Look at her,” Jace said. “Already organized.”
Emily felt her cheeks warm but kept her eyes on her notes.
Leo smiled faintly. “I think it’s good. We should decide early.”
They talked—about ideas, themes, editing styles. Emily found herself speaking more than she expected to. They listened. Actually listened. No interruptions. No dismissive looks.
It felt strange. Almost unreal.
At one point, Kai leaned closer to look at her notes, his shoulder brushing hers lightly. Emily froze.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
“It’s—fine,” she said, though her heart disagreed.
As the meeting went on, Emily noticed things. How Rowan watched people more than he spoke. How Leo always made sure everyone was included. How Jace filled the quiet with jokes—but went silent when things got serious. And Kai… Kai watched her.
Not in a way that made her uncomfortable. In a way that made her curious.
When the library announcement came, reminding students it would close soon, Emily blinked in surprise.
Time had passed too quickly.
“We should meet somewhere else next time,” Jace said. “Library hours are annoying.”
“Our place,” Leo suggested casually.
Emily looked up. “Your… place?”
“All of us live together,” Jace added. “Big house. Plenty of space. Parents are never around.”
Kai’s jaw tightened slightly. “We’ll see.”
Emily caught that. The hesitation. The way his eyes flicked to her, then away.
“Well,” Rowan said, packing up his laptop, “we’ll need equipment. Editing software. Somewhere quiet.”
“Our house works,” Leo repeated, gentler this time.
Kai was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. “Yeah. It does.”
He turned to Emily. “If you’re okay with that.”
She swallowed. “I am.”
As they stood to leave, Emily felt it again—that strange pull. Like she was stepping closer to something she didn’t understand but somehow recognized.
Outside, the sky had turned soft shades of orange and blue. Students drifted past them, whispering openly now. Emily could feel the stares, the questions forming behind people’s eyes.
Jace noticed and leaned in. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Get used to what?”
“Being noticed.”
Emily wasn’t sure she wanted to.
As they walked away, Kai slowed slightly so they were side by side. “If anything feels uncomfortable,” he said quietly, “tell me.”
She looked at him. “Why?”
He didn’t answer right away.
“Because,” he said finally, “this project matters.”
She believed him.
But she had a feeling he wasn’t talking about the grade. they were side by side. “If anything feels uncomfortable,” he said quietly, “tell me.”
She looked at him. “Why?”
He didn’t answer right away.
“Because,” he said finally, “this project matters.”
She believed him.
But she had a feeling he wasn’t talking about the grade.
- Writer
