Rex stood still after the call ended.
His phone slowly lowered from his ear.
For a moment, he didn't move.
He thought about calling Evica.
He tried—
but she didn't pick up.
His grip on the phone tightened slightly.
So… they're going without me.
The thought sat heavily in his chest.
After a few seconds, he exhaled quietly.
Maybe it was better to just stay home.
Just as he turned—
Mother: "Rex, come downstairs! Someone's here to meet you."
He paused.
Someone?
With a faint frown, he walked down.
His steps slowed the moment he saw her.
Evica.
He froze.
For a second, it didn't feel real.
Evica (smiling): "Hi. Why didn't you come? We decided to meet before the movie."
Rex blinked, still processing.
Rex: "Herry told me not to come… and you weren't picking your calls… so I thought…"
His voice trailed off.
Evica stared at him—then lightly hit his arm.
Evica: "Dummy. If I asked you to come, why would I leave you behind?"
She crossed her arms.
Evica: "And Herry—I'll deal with him later."
Then she sighed slightly.
Evica: "Sorry for not answering. My little brother took my phone and was playing games."
Rex nodded slowly.
Rex: "Oh…"
A small pause.
Rex: "So… you came here to pick me up?"
Evica (casual): "Yeah. We're a team now. Why wouldn't I?"
Rex frowned slightly.
Rex: "Team…?"
Evica: "I gave your, mine, and Herry's names for the group assignment."
Rex: "Oh."
He hesitated.
Rex: "You didn't ask me before giving my name."
Evica tilted her head.
Evica: "So? Don't you want to join us?"
Rex: "I do, but—"
Evica: "But what?"
Before he could answer—
His mother walked in with snacks and cold drinks.
Evica: "Thank you, aunty."
Rex's mother smiled warmly, then looked between them.
Mother: "You never told me you had a girlfriend."
Both of them froze.
Rex immediately looked away, trying to hide his face.
Rex (quickly): "She's not my girlfriend, Mom. She's just a classmate."
His mother raised a brow slightly.
Mother: "Just a classmate? Then why is she here?"
Rex: "We're going to watch a movie."
Mother: "You never told me that."
Rex: "I forgot."
She crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced.
Mother: "Interesting. Going to a movie with 'just a classmate.'"
Rex turned to Evica quickly.
Rex: "Let's go. We'll miss it."
Evica: "Yeah."
They stepped out.
As they walked toward the bus stand, Evica glanced at him.
Evica: "So… I'm just a classmate to you?"
Rex went quiet.
For a few seconds, only their footsteps filled the silence.
Rex: "We just started talking a few days ago… we don't really know each other."
He kept his eyes forward.
Rex: "So… yeah. Just classmates."
No.
You're not.
You're everything to me.
But he didn't say that out loud.
They reached the bus stand.
Herry was already there.
The moment Evica saw him, she ran straight to him—
Like Rex wasn't even there.
Something tightened inside his chest again.
They sat down, waiting for the bus.
Evica: "Why did you tell Rex not to come?"
Herry stayed silent.
Evica: "Oh, now you don't want to talk?"
Herry (low): "Yeah."
She sighed, assuming he was just annoyed.
She didn't push further.
The bus arrived.
They got in—but there were no empty seats.
So they stood.
Rex: "How did you find my house?"
Evica (laughing): "I asked the teacher."
She grinned slightly.
Evica: "Don't think of me as a stalker, okay?"
Rex didn't reply.
After a few stops, some people got off.
Rex looked ahead.
Rex: "Evica, come here. A seat's empty."
But before she could move—
Herry pulled her toward him.
She lost balance slightly—
and fell onto his lap.
For a second—
they just stared at each other.
Rex watched.
His expression darkened.
Herry (calm): "You like window seats. Take it."
Evica: "Yeah… thanks."
She sat down.
Rex's eyes shifted toward Herry.
Herry smirked slightly.
That look didn't go unnoticed.
After some time, their stop came.
They got off the bus and walked toward the movie hall.
Evica went ahead to buy tickets.
Behind her—
Rex and Herry stood facing each other.
Neither of them spoke.
But their eyes did.
A silent, sharp stare—
like neither was willing to back down.