The afternoon sun filtered through the classroom windows, casting golden light across the desks. Most students had already started chatting after the teacher dismissed them, the room filling with laughter and voices bouncing off the walls.
Rhaine, however, barely noticed. She sat at her desk with her chin propped up on one hand, her pen loosely gripped in the other. Her notebook lay open, blank. She hadn't written a single word.
All she could see, every time she blinked, was Sam's face. The way she had looked in that dream confident, gentle, impossibly close. The warmth of her hand against Rhaine's cheek, the ghost of her lips brushing hers.
Her stomach twisted. Stop it. It was just a dream. Just a stupid, meaningless dream.
"Earth to Rhaine."
A finger poked her forehead, and she flinched back to reality. Maya was leaning over her desk, grinning mischievously. Eli sat across the aisle, smirking knowingly as he stuffed his books into his bag.
"You've been staring into space for, like, forever," Maya said, narrowing her eyes playfully. "What's going on in that head of yours? You looked like you were solving the mysteries of the universe."
Rhaine quickly snapped her notebook shut. "N-Nothing! Just… tired, that's all."
Eli raised an eyebrow. "Tired? You look more like you saw a ghost."
"I didn't!" Rhaine said too quickly. Her voice cracked, and she felt her cheeks heating up. She grabbed her bag and stood, hoping movement would hide her flustered state. "Let's just go, okay?"
But Maya wasn't convinced. She slipped her arm around Rhaine's shoulders as they walked toward the door. "Hmm… you've been acting weird since this morning. Distracted. Smiling to yourself one second, then frowning the next. Tell me, did something happen?"
Rhaine stiffened under her touch. If only you knew…
"N-Nothing happened," she insisted. "Seriously. You're overthinking it."
Eli joined them, his hands in his pockets. "So you're saying Maya's wrong? Because I agree with her—you're acting off. I've known you long enough to know when something's eating at you, Rhaine."
Her throat tightened. "It's just… school stuff. You know, stress. Assignments. Group work. Always pairing, always grouping. It's annoying, honestly."
She forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to her own ears.
Maya tilted her head. "Oh, so it's group work that's bothering you?"
"Yes!" Rhaine said, almost too eagerly. "Exactly. Why is it always groups? Can't we just do something individually for once? I'm sick of being shoved into pairs like it's some kind of… matchmaking exercise or something."
Her voice rose louder than intended, and a few students passing by glanced at her curiously. Rhaine quickly lowered her head, embarrassed.
Maya and Eli exchanged a look.
"…Okay," Eli said slowly, his tone skeptical. "So group work makes you this jumpy now? Interesting."
Rhaine groaned and quickened her pace, hoping to put an end to the interrogation. But Maya only tightened her hold on her arm, grinning like a cat who had caught the scent of something juicy.
"You're hiding something," Maya sing-songed. "I can feel it. My best friend radar never lies."
Rhaine's pulse raced. "I'm not! I told you—it's just stress!"
"Sure," Maya said, clearly unconvinced. She leaned in closer, her whisper teasing. "Unless… it's about someone."
Rhaine nearly tripped. "W-What?! No! It's not about anyone!"
Eli chuckled. "Wow, that reaction was fast. You definitely gave yourself away there."
Rhaine's face flamed. "I didn't! There's nothing to give away because there's nothing there!"
Her words tumbled out too defensively, too desperately. She wanted to bite them back, but it was too late.
Maya smirked. "Uh-huh. Keep saying that, and maybe someday you'll convince us. Until then…" She nudged Rhaine playfully. "We'll just keep guessing."
Rhaine buried her face in her hands. "You two are impossible."
---
They walked out of the school together, the afternoon heat pressing down on them. Eli stretched, yawning. "Man, I'm starving. Want to grab something to eat before heading home?"
"Great idea!" Maya said instantly, turning to Rhaine with expectant eyes. "Come on, you need food. Maybe it'll cheer you up."
"I-I'm fine," Rhaine muttered. The thought of sitting through a meal with them pressing her with more questions made her want to crawl into a hole.
But Maya wouldn't take no for an answer. "Nope. You're coming. I won't let my best friend starve, especially when she looks like she's carrying a whole soap opera inside her head."
Rhaine groaned. "You're being dramatic."
"Me? Dramatic? Never," Maya said, feigning innocence.
Eli laughed. "Better give in, Rhaine. You know she's not going to drop it."
And just like that, Rhaine found herself sitting in a small diner near campus, the three of them crammed into a booth by the window. The smell of fried food and coffee lingered in the air, and the chatter of other students filled the space.
Maya immediately ordered fries for the table, while Eli got a burger. Rhaine just asked for iced tea, hoping to get through the meal unnoticed.
Of course, that didn't happen.
"So," Maya began once the food arrived, leaning her chin on her hand and fixing Rhaine with a sly look. "Who is it?"
Rhaine almost choked on her drink. "What do you mean, who is it?!"
"You know…" Maya wiggled her eyebrows. "The reason you've been dazed all day. Don't even try to deny it anymore."
Rhaine set down her glass with a sharp clink. "Maya. There. Is. No. One."
Eli popped a fry into his mouth. "You're not exactly convincing when you say it like that."
Rhaine glared at him. "Whose side are you on?"
"The side of the truth," Eli said smoothly. "And the truth is, something—or should I say, someone—is making you act weird."
Rhaine buried her face in her hands again. "You guys are unbelievable. Can't a person just be tired without it turning into an interrogation?"
"Not when that person's name is Rhaine." Maya grinned. "Come on, bestie. Tell us. I promise I won't tell anyone."
Rhaine peeked at her through her fingers. "Even if there was someone… which there isn't! …why would I tell you?"
"Because I'm your best friend!" Maya said, clutching her chest in mock offense. "You're supposed to share your deepest, darkest secrets with me!"
"Exactly why I don't," Rhaine muttered.
Eli snorted, nearly spitting out his drink.
Maya narrowed her eyes. "Fine. Don't tell us. But I'll figure it out eventually. I'm very observant, you know."
Rhaine groaned, leaning back in her seat. Her iced tea suddenly looked very interesting. She swirled the straw aimlessly, trying to tune out Maya's relentless gaze.
But her mind betrayed her again. The image of Sam's smile flashed behind her eyes, clear and vivid. The way her voice had sounded, low and tender in that dream. Rhaine's chest tightened, and her fingers trembled against the glass.
She pressed her lips together. No. Stop thinking about her. It doesn't mean anything. It can't mean anything.
"See?" Maya said suddenly, pointing at her. "That look right there! You're totally thinking about someone!"
Rhaine snapped her head up. "I am not!"
Eli smirked. "If you keep denying it this hard, we'll just assume it's true."
"Ugh, I hate both of you," Rhaine muttered, cheeks burning as she shoved a fry into her mouth to shut herself up.
But deep down, she knew they were right. And that terrified her more than anything.