The bell rang through Crestwood Elite Academy like a sudden shock, cutting through the lingering silence that had settled between Riley and Zayden. She startled, snapping her gaze away from his, feeling the heat in her cheeks. There was so much unspoken between them—too much—but for once, the air felt lighter. For once, she wasn't suffocating under the weight of her own fears.
As the students around them surged into the school, chatting and laughing, Riley felt oddly detached from the chaos. Zayden's words replayed in her mind. "When you're ready, I'll be here." She didn't know if she could be ready, but the way he had looked at her, as though he could see right through her, made her feel like maybe—just maybe—there was hope for something real between them.
"Riley," Zayden's voice broke through her thoughts again, drawing her back to the present. She turned toward him, her stomach fluttering. "I know you're not ready. But we need to stop pretending like we don't feel anything."
Riley swallowed hard. "I'm not pretending." Her voice was firm, but there was an edge of uncertainty in it, as if the words were meant to convince herself as much as him.
Zayden's eyes softened as they locked with hers. "I know. But you're scared. I see it every time you pull away. I just want to make sure you know I'm not going anywhere."
Riley's heart pounded in her chest. She hated the way her walls seemed to crumble every time he spoke to her like this. She hated how much it made her want to lean into him, to let herself fall into the certainty of his presence, despite all her fears.
"I don't know how to do this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've always been on my own. I've built these walls, and now… you're making them feel like they were never even there."
Zayden's expression softened further, and his hand gently brushed against hers once more. He didn't speak, but his eyes said everything—he understood. He wasn't here to force her into anything. He was simply here to stay.
The bell rang again, louder this time, signaling that class would start soon. Zayden seemed to hesitate for a moment before he spoke again. "We'll figure it out, Riley. One step at a time."
Riley nodded, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. The world hadn't stopped spinning. She hadn't suddenly found all the answers to her problems. But for the first time, she felt like maybe she didn't have to do it all on her own.