By the time Nathan and Alex reached the usual meeting spot, the girls were already there.
Chloe sat on the bench, scrolling through her phone impatiently.
Ariel stood beside her, glancing around every few seconds.
Samantha leaned against the railing, calm as always—but her eyes immediately lifted the moment she saw them.
Alex raised a hand.
"Sorry we're late."
Chloe rolled her eyes.
"You're always late."
But Samantha wasn't looking at Alex.
She was looking at Nathan.
Carefully.
Studying him.
"…What happened?" she asked.
Nathan paused slightly.
"Nothing."
Chloe scoffed.
"Don't even try that. Your face is saying everything."
Nathan frowned.
"My face looks normal."
"It doesn't," Ariel said softly.
Nathan glanced at her.
For a moment, something in his expression softened.
Then he looked away.
"It's nothing important."
Samantha stepped forward.
"It didn't look like nothing."
Alex exhaled.
"Someone from his past showed up."
That got their attention instantly.
Chloe sat up straighter.
"What do you mean someone?"
Nathan shot Alex a look.
Alex raised his hands.
"What? They were going to find out anyway."
Samantha crossed her arms slightly.
"Who was she?"
Nathan hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then he said it.
"…My ex."
Silence.
Ariel's heart dropped.
Chloe's expression darkened immediately.
Samantha didn't react outwardly—but her eyes sharpened.
"Ex?" Chloe repeated. "As in ex-girlfriend?"
Nathan nodded once.
"Yeah."
Ariel looked down briefly, processing it.
"…You never told us."
Nathan shrugged.
"Didn't see the point."
Chloe stood up.
"Well, I do."
Her tone had changed.
Sharp.
Protective.
"What happened?"
Nathan didn't answer.
Samantha noticed.
"Chloe…" she said quietly.
But Chloe shook her head.
"No. I want to know."
She looked straight at Nathan.
"Why did you break up?"
Nathan's jaw tightened slightly.
"…We didn't break up."
That answer hit differently.
Samantha's eyes narrowed just a little.
Ariel looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
Nathan exhaled slowly.
Then said it as simply as possible.
"She cheated."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Ariel's eyes widened.
Chloe's fists clenched.
Samantha's expression changed—but only slightly.
"Who?" Chloe asked, her voice low.
Nathan's gaze dropped for a moment.
"…My best friend."
That was enough.
Chloe turned away sharply.
"Yeah, no. I already hate her."
Ariel looked hurt.
Not just for herself…
But for him.
"That's… that's terrible," she said softly.
Nathan shrugged again, but it felt forced this time.
"It's old news."
Samantha stepped closer.
"But it still affected you."
Nathan didn't respond.
Because that was the truth.
And they could all see it now.
Even if he tried to hide it.
Chloe folded her arms tightly.
"So she just shows up like nothing happened?"
"Pretty much," Nathan said.
"And you talked to her?" Chloe asked.
"For a bit."
Chloe scoffed.
"I wouldn't have."
Ariel glanced at her.
"That's not easy…"
Chloe looked at her.
"It's very easy. If someone hurts you like that, you cut them off."
Ariel hesitated.
"…Not everyone works like you."
That made Chloe pause.
The two girls looked at each other.
Tension.
Different perspectives.
Then Samantha stepped in.
"Enough."
They both went quiet.
Samantha turned to Nathan.
"What do you want to do?"
Nathan blinked slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"About her," Samantha said.
Nathan thought about it for a moment.
Then shook his head.
"Nothing."
Chloe frowned.
"Nothing?"
"It's in the past," Nathan said.
"I don't want to deal with it again."
Ariel looked at him carefully.
"…Are you sure?"
Nathan met her eyes.
For a brief moment…
The truth almost came out.
That he wasn't over it.
That it still hurt.
That seeing her again felt like reopening a wound he never fully healed.
But instead, he just nodded.
"Yeah."
A lie.
Again.
Samantha watched him closely.
She didn't believe him.
Not completely.
But she understood something important.
Nathan wasn't the type to open up easily.
So she didn't push.
Instead, she said quietly:
"If she tries to hurt you again…"
Her voice dropped slightly.
"She won't like the outcome."
Nathan looked at her.
A small, genuine smile appeared.
"…Thanks."
Chloe cracked her knuckles slightly.
"Yeah. She better not try anything."
Ariel didn't say anything.
But her gaze drifted slightly.
Thoughtful.
Worried.
Something about this situation didn't sit right with her.
She didn't know why.
But she felt it,
Suddenly the air felt different.
What started as a normal afternoon had quietly shifted into something heavier something tense.
They had barely started walking toward the dorms when a voice called out again.
"Nathan!"
All of them turned.
Esther was standing a few steps behind them.
Closer this time.
More certain.
Chloe's expression changed instantly.
"…Seriously?"
Ariel stiffened beside her.
Samantha didn't say anything but her eyes locked onto Esther, sharp and unreadable.
Nathan sighed under his breath.
"Just ignore it," he muttered.
But Esther was already walking toward them.
"Nathan, please," she said. "I need to talk to you."
Chloe stepped forward immediately.
"About what?"
Esther paused, clearly not expecting that.
"I was talking to him."
Chloe crossed her arms.
"And I'm asking you."
Nathan rubbed the back of his neck.
"Chloe, it's fine"
"No, it's not," Chloe cut in.
Her tone was firm.
Protective.
"You don't just show up out of nowhere after what you did and start making requests."
Esther's expression tightened.
"I'm not here to cause problems."
"That's funny," Chloe said. "Because you already did."
Ariel shifted uncomfortably.
"Chloe…"
But Chloe didn't back down.
"Say what you want to say," she continued, staring directly at Esther, "right here."
Samantha finally spoke.
Calm.
Controlled.
But carrying weight.
"She's right."
Everyone glanced at her.
"If it concerns Nathan," Samantha added, "then it concerns us."
Esther looked between them.
One by one.
Chloe hostile.
Samantha cold, unreadable.
Ariel quiet, but watching closely.
Then her eyes returned to Nathan.
"…I'd rather speak to you alone."
Nathan hesitated.
And that hesitation said everything.
Chloe noticed it.
Her voice dropped slightly.
"You don't owe her that."
Samantha didn't say anything this time.
But her gaze stayed on Nathan.
Waiting.
Not forcing.
Just… watching.
Nathan exhaled slowly.
"It's fine," he said.
"I'll talk to her."
Chloe turned to him sharply.
"Nathan"
"It's okay," he repeated.
His tone was calm.
But there was something else underneath it.
Something unresolved.
Ariel looked down briefly.
Samantha stepped aside.
"Five minutes," she said.
Nathan nodded.
Then he and Esther walked a short distance away.
Not far.
Still within sight.
The silence between them stretched.
Until Esther finally spoke.
"…You didn't have to do that."
Nathan shrugged.
"They weren't going to let it go."
Esther gave a small, sad smile.
"Seems like you have people looking out for you."
Nathan didn't respond.
Because that part was true.
"…I'm glad," she added quietly.
Nathan looked at her.
"Why are you here, Esther?"
Straight to the point.
No emotion.
Or at least… that's how it sounded.
Esther hesitated.
Then said softly,
"I wanted to apologize."
Nathan's expression didn't change.
"You already said that."
"I mean it this time."
He let out a quiet breath.
"You think I didn't believe you before?"
"I don't know what you felt," she admitted.
"But I know I hurt you."
Nathan looked away.
For a moment, the past flickered again.
Then he shut it down.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"It does to me."
That made him look back at her.
Her eyes were sincere.
At least… they looked that way.
"I was stupid," she continued.
"I thought I knew what I wanted. I thought… I was making the right choice."
Nathan's jaw tightened slightly.
"And now?"
Esther took a small step closer.
"Now I know I wasn't."
Silence.
Nathan shook his head.
"You don't just get to come back and fix things."
"I'm not trying to fix it," she said quickly.
"I just… I needed you to hear me."
Nathan studied her for a moment.
Searching.
For lies.
For truth.
For something.
But whatever he was looking for…
He couldn't find it.
"…Fine," he said quietly.
"I heard you."
Esther's lips parted slightly.
"Is that it?"
Nathan nodded.
"That's it."
Her expression faltered.
Pain flashed across her face.
Real or not
It looked real.
"I guess… I deserve that."
Nathan didn't respond.
Because part of him agreed.
And part of him…
Didn't know what to feel anymore.
From a distance, Chloe watched with narrowed eyes.
"I don't like this," she said.
Ariel hugged her arms slightly.
"They're just talking…"
Chloe shook her head.
"No. Something's off."
Samantha remained quiet.
Her gaze steady.
Focused.
Observing every movement.
Every expression.
"She's not here by accident," Samantha said softly.
Chloe glanced at her.
"You think so too?"
Samantha didn't answer immediately.
Then
"I don't believe in coincidences."
Ariel looked between them.
A small sense of unease settling in her chest.
Nathan finally turned away from Esther.
"I should go."
Esther nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
He started walking back toward the others.
But just before he reached them—
Esther's voice stopped him one last time.
"Nathan."
He paused.
But didn't turn.
"…I never stopped caring about you."
That line hit.
Hard.
Chloe saw Nathan freeze for just a second.
Just a second.
Then he kept walking.
Like it didn't matter.
But Samantha noticed.
And that was enough.
When Nathan rejoined them, Chloe immediately spoke.
"What did she say?"
Nathan shrugged.
"Nothing important."
Chloe frowned.
"Stop saying that."
Ariel looked at him carefully.
"…Are you okay?"
Nathan nodded.
"I'm good."
Samantha didn't ask anything.
She just looked at him.
Longer than the others.
Like she was trying to read what he wasn't saying.
Then she finally spoke.
"Let's go."
They started walking again.
Together.
But something had changed.
The balance.
The energy.
The unspoken feelings.
And none of them could ignore it anymore.