[ARIOS' FIRST POV]
It's strange how silence changes after trust begins to form.
Before, silence used to mean tension — the kind that sat heavy in the air, like a question waiting for someone to answer it. Now it feels… lighter. Still, but not empty.
I noticed it first after the karaoke night.
Amelia hadn't said much after her song. She smiled, thanked Lucy, and avoided looking at me too long, as if holding my gaze would make her flustered again. It wasn't the same kind of guarded silence she used to keep when she first came back to classes. Back then, her silence was defensive, like armor. Now, it felt more like thought — like she was processing something, not hiding from it.
I didn't say much either. I didn't need to.
Sometimes, words only get in the way when people start to heal.
