Rafa's POV:
Free period was anything but quiet now.
Word spread fast.
Too fast.
"They're talking about it," Sam said, glancing at his phone. "Like—everyone."
"Of course they are," Keagan muttered.
CJ looked way too excited. "This is the most interesting thing that's happened all year."
"This is not entertainment," Calix said.
"It kind of is."
I leaned back in my chair, already annoyed.
Great.
Just great.
Felix sat next to me again, quieter than usual this time.
"You good?" he asked.
"Define 'good,'" I said.
"…fair."
Before anything else could be said—
the door slammed open.
Again.
Freya.
And this time—
she didn't look calm.
She looked mad.
"Oh," CJ whispered. "Round two."
"Not now," I muttered.
Freya walked straight toward me.
No hesitation.
No smile.
Just anger.
"You think that was funny?" she said.
I didn't stand up this time.
"Did I laugh?" I replied.
Her jaw tightened. "You embarrassed me."
"You embarrassed yourself."
Gasps.
Actual gasps.
"Rafa—" Sam whispered.
Too late.
Way too late.
Freya stepped closer. "Say that again."
I stood up slowly.
"You heard me."
The room felt like it was closing in.
No one was talking now.
Even CJ was quiet.
For once.
"You really think you're better than me?" Freya said.
"I think you talk too much," I shot back.
Felix stood up beside me again.
Not saying anything.
Just there.
That was enough.
Freya noticed.
"Oh, I get it now," she said, glancing between us. "This is about him?"
"It's not about him," I said sharply.
"Really?" she said. "Because it looks like you need someone to stand behind you."
Felix stepped forward slightly.
"I'm not behind her," he said. "I'm next to her."
Silence.
Freya laughed.
Cold.
"Oh wow," she said. "That's actually kind of pathetic."
That did it.
I stepped forward again.
"Say one more thing," I said.
"Or what?" she challenged.
I didn't answer.
Didn't need to.
She smiled.
Then leaned closer.
"You're not scary," she whispered. "You're just loud."
That was it.
I shoved her.
Harder this time.
She stumbled back—
and hit a desk.
Loud.
The room erupted.
"HEY—"
"Rafa!"
"STOP—"
Freya pushed herself back up instantly and lunged forward.
Grabbing my arm.
"Don't touch me," she snapped.
"Then don't start," I snapped back.
She shoved me.
I shoved her back.
It was chaos.
Actual chaos.
People yelling.
Chairs moving.
CJ shouting something completely useless.
"THIS IS INSANE—"
"STOP!" a voice yelled from the doorway.
A teacher.
Of course.
Perfect timing.
We both froze.
Breathing hard.
Still glaring at each other.
"Both of you," the teacher said sharply. "Now."
Great.
Just great.
Later.
Outside the office.
"This is your fault," Freya snapped.
I laughed slightly. "You wish."
She crossed her arms. "You think this is over?"
"It is for me," I said.
"It's not for me."
"Good for you."
She stared at me for a second longer.
Then walked off.
But not before saying—
"This isn't done."
Yeah.
I figured.
Felix stepped up next to me again once she was gone.
"…you okay?" he asked.
I exhaled. "I might've made that worse."
"Yeah," he said. "You did."
"…thanks."
"But," he added, "I'd still do the same."
I glanced at him.
"…really?"
"Yeah," he said. "No one talks to you like that."
Something in my chest tightened again.
That same feeling.
"You're gonna get in trouble too," I said.
"Worth it."
I shook my head slightly.
"…you're actually insane."
"And you like it."
I didn't answer.
But—
I didn't walk away either.
And honestly?
That said enough.
"And honestly?" Felix added quietly, still looking at me. "I'd do it again."
I shook my head, but I couldn't stop the small smile.
"…you're actually a problem."
"And you're still here," he said.
Before I could respond—
The office door opened.
"Both of you. Inside."
Of course.
We stepped in.
Freya was already there, arms crossed, looking way too satisfied.
Great.
Just great.
The teacher sat behind the desk, clearly not impressed. "Do you both understand why you're here?"
"Yes," Freya said immediately.
"No," I said at the same time.
Felix snorted quietly.
The teacher sighed. "Fighting in class. Shoving. Disrupting everyone. Does that sound familiar?"
I didn't answer.
Freya did. "She started it."
I let out a short laugh. "Oh, that's funny."
"You put your hands on me first," Freya snapped.
"After you kept talking," I shot back.
"Enough," the teacher said sharply.
Silence.
Tense.
Annoying.
The teacher looked between us. "You both will be staying after school."
"What?" CJ's voice echoed faintly from outside. "NO WAY—"
"Not you," the teacher called.
"…okay good," he muttered.
I covered my face slightly.
This is my life now.
"Detention," the teacher continued. "And if this happens again, it will be escalated. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Freya said.
"Yeah," I muttered.
Felix shifted beside me. "Do I get detention too?"
The teacher looked at him. "Were you involved?"
"…emotionally?" he said.
I elbowed him slightly.
"…yes," he corrected.
The teacher sighed again. "Fine. You too."
"Worth it," he said under his breath.
I looked at him. "…you're not serious."
"I am."
"Unbelievable."
Freya rolled her eyes. "This is ridiculous."
"You're still talking," I said.
"Rafa," Felix warned quietly.
"Both of you out," the teacher said, pointing to the door.
We didn't argue this time.
Just walked out.
The hallway felt… lighter.
Less tense.
But not by much.
CJ immediately ran up to us. "DETENTION?? WAS IT WORTH IT??"
"Yes," Felix said.
"No," I said at the same time.
CJ blinked. "…mixed signals."
Sam shook his head. "You guys are actually insane."
Keagan crossed his arms. "This isn't over."
"Obviously not," Calix added.
I leaned against the wall, exhaling.
"Freya's not done," Sam said.
"I know," I replied.
"And neither are you," Keagan added.
"…also true."
A small silence.
Then—
"You really went for it, though," CJ said. "Like—no hesitation."
"I was annoyed," I said.
"You were more than annoyed," Felix said.
I glanced at him. "…don't start."
"I'm not," he said. "I'm just saying."
Sam smirked. "He's impressed."
"I am not—"
"You are," CJ said.
"I'm leaving," I muttered.
I pushed off the wall and started walking down the hallway.
Felix followed immediately.
Of course he did.
"…you don't have to follow me everywhere," I said.
"I know."
He didn't stop.
I slowed down.
He matched my pace.
"…you're doing it again."
"Yeah."
I looked at him.
"…why?"
He didn't answer right away.
Then—
"Because you don't walk away when you're actually fine," he said.
I paused slightly.
"…you're very observant."
"I try."
We kept walking.
Slower now.
Quieter.
"You scared me earlier," he added.
"…again?" I said.
"Yeah. Again."
I sighed. "I'm fine."
"You're not."
"I am."
"You're not," he repeated.
I stopped walking.
He stopped too.
We stood there.
In the middle of the hallway.
"Why do you care so much?" I asked.
The question came out before I could stop it.
He looked at me.
Really looked.
"Because it's you," he said.
Simple.
Again.
But it hit.
Hard.
"…that's not a real answer," I said quietly.
"It is to me."
My chest tightened.
That same feeling again.
Stronger this time.
He stepped closer.
Not hesitating now.
"…Rafa."
I didn't move.
Didn't look away.
"…what?"
"You don't have to do everything alone," he said softly.
"I know."
"But you still try to."
"…yeah."
A small pause.
Then—
his hand brushed mine again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like he was giving me time to pull away.
I didn't.
This time—
I didn't pull away.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
"…good," he said quietly.
I looked at him.
"…don't get used to it."
"Too late."
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Then—
a loud voice echoed from down the hall.
"DETENTION AFTER SCHOOL, LOVE BIRDS!"
CJ.
Of course.
I immediately pulled my hand away.
"CJ I SWEAR—"
He ran.
Fast.
Felix laughed under his breath.
"…worth it," he said again.
I shook my head.
"…you're actually impossible."
"Yeah," he said. "But you're still here."
I didn't answer.
But I didn't leave either.
And honestly?
That said everything.
"Come on," Felix said, nudging my shoulder lightly. "We're gonna be late for detention."
"Wow," I said. "Can't wait."
"Same. Dream come true."
I rolled my eyes, but followed him anyway.
Of course I did.
Detention was… quiet.
Too quiet.
A few other students sat scattered around the room, barely looking up.
Freya was there.
Of course she was.
She didn't look at me.
I didn't look at her.
That was probably for the best.
Felix dropped into the seat next to mine again.
"Assigned seats don't exist to you, huh?" I muttered.
"Nope."
The teacher at the front barely glanced up. "No talking."
"Didn't say anything," Felix said.
"You just did."
"…okay, fair."
I tried to focus on literally anything else.
The clock.
The desk.
The wall.
Anything.
But my mind kept going back to earlier.
The fight.
The tension.
Him.
"You're thinking too loud," Felix whispered.
"I'm not thinking out loud."
"You don't have to."
I sighed slightly. "…just stop."
"Make me."
I glanced at him.
"…you really wanna do this right now?"
"Maybe."
"You're unbelievable."
"And you're still talking to me."
Before I could respond—
"Silence," the teacher said again.
We both leaned back slightly.
Fine.
No talking.
For now.
A few minutes passed.
Then more.
The room got quieter.
More still.
Most people stopped paying attention.
Even the teacher looked distracted.
Felix shifted slightly beside me.
Then—
his hand brushed mine again.
Slow.
On purpose.
I froze.
"…Felix," I whispered.
He didn't answer.
Just looked at me.
Closer than before.
"You're gonna get us in trouble," I muttered.
"We're already in trouble."
"…fair."
A small pause.
Then—
"Stop looking at me like that," I said.
"Like what?"
"Like that."
"I don't know what you mean."
"You do."
He leaned closer.
Just slightly.
"Then show me," he whispered.
My heart was racing again.
Too fast.
Too loud.
"We're in detention," I said quietly.
"And?"
"And people are here."
"Not looking."
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"…this is your fault."
"Yeah," he said softly. "I know."
He leaned in.
Closer.
No jokes this time.
No teasing.
Just—
him.
I didn't move.
Didn't pull away.
Didn't stop him.
And then—
he kissed me.
Soft.
Quick.
But real.
Very real.
My brain stopped working for a second.
Completely.
When he pulled back—
I just stared at him.
"…you did not just do that," I whispered.
"I did," he said.
I blinked.
"…in detention?"
"Best place, honestly."
I tried not to smile.
Failed.
"…you're insane."
"And you didn't stop me."
"…shut up."
He smirked slightly.
Then leaned back like nothing happened.
Like he didn't just completely mess with my head.
I stared at the desk again.
Trying to act normal.
Not working.
At all.
From across the room—
CJ, who had somehow ended up in detention too—
was staring at us.
Wide-eyed.
I pointed at him slowly.
"If you say anything—"
He zipped his mouth dramatically.
Then gave a thumbs up.
I covered my face slightly.
This is my life now.
Felix leaned closer one last time.
"…worth it," he whispered.
I didn't answer.
But my face was still warm.
And honestly?
Yeah.
It kind of was.