I didn't answer her.
I couldn't.
My heart was beating too fast, and my mind felt empty at the same time.
She was still looking at me.
Waiting.
"Did he text you?" she repeated softly.
I forced a small laugh. "Why would he text me?"
It sounded wrong.
Even to me.
Her eyes didn't move from my face.
"I don't know," she said. "That's why I'm asking."
I looked down at my desk.
Anywhere but at her.
"No," I said quietly.
A lie.
It felt heavier this time.
The silence that followed was worse than anything.
"Okay," she finally said.
But she didn't sound convinced.
The rest of the class felt longer than usual.
I could feel it.
Something had changed.
She still sat beside me.
Still wrote her notes.
Still stayed close.
But it wasn't the same.
She wasn't relaxed anymore.
And neither was I.
After school, I packed my bag slowly.
I didn't want to move too fast.
Didn't want to be alone.
Didn't want to face anything.
"Mina."
I looked up.
It was her.
"Let's go," she said.
I nodded.
We walked out together again.
Side by side.
But this time—
It felt like we were both pretending.
Halfway to the gate, she suddenly stopped.
"I need to ask you something," she said.
My chest tightened.
"Okay…"
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"Do you like him?"
Everything inside me froze.
The world didn't stop.
But it felt like it did.
"What?" I said quickly.
Too quickly.
She didn't look away.
"Just answer me."
My throat felt dry.
"No," I said.
Another lie.
This one hurt more.
She watched me for a few seconds.
Long enough to make me uncomfortable.
Then she nodded slowly.
"Okay."
But this time—
I knew she didn't believe me.
That evening, I tried to stay busy.
Tried not to think.
Tried not to feel.
But it didn't work.
Nothing worked anymore.
My phone buzzed again.
I didn't even need to check.
I already knew.
I stared at the screen for a long time.
Then finally picked it up.
"We need to talk."
My heart dropped.
This time—
It didn't feel optional.