Aarvin walked slowly down the empty hallway, the echoes of yesterday still bouncing in his mind. Every laugh, every glance, every whisper… it felt heavier today.
He hadn't expected anyone to appear. Not now. Not here.
But then…
A shadow stepped out from the staircase landing. Adrien. Calm. Silent. Dangerous, but not in the usual Oakridge way. There was something different in his eyes today—something that made Aarvin's chest tighten.
"Aarvin." Adrien's voice was soft, almost gentle, but carried a weight that made Aarvin stop in his tracks.
"Adrien… you—" Aarvin began, but words failed him.
Adrien shook his head slightly. "No. Let me talk first."
They walked together in silence for a few steps, the empty hallway stretching around them. Then Adrien stopped, turning to look at him properly.
"You're letting this… this girl… Nairi… take over too much of who you are." His tone wasn't harsh. It was honest. Sharp. Necessary.
Aarvin's heartbeat sped up. "I… I'm not—"
Adrien held up a hand. "Don't. Listen."
He leaned a little closer, his voice dropping to a quiet but firm whisper:
"Don't love someone so much that their absence becomes your identity. You give your life for one glance, yet look away when they stand before you. No one else finds a place in your heart… and you spend your days fading away in their wait."
The words hit Aarvin like ice and fire at once. He swallowed hard, his throat tight.
Adrien continued, softer now, almost like a brother speaking:
"I'm not saying don't care. I'm saying… don't lose yourself. You are more than anyone's smile. More than anyone's attention. And Oakridge… this place… it will chew you up if you let it."
Aarvin's hands clenched in his pockets. He looked down. "I… I didn't realize…"
Adrien's gaze softened slightly, but his expression stayed serious. "Exactly. And that's why I'm telling you now. Before you let it happen. Before you give everything for someone else's shadow."
They walked a few more steps in silence. The weight of Adrien's words pressed on Aarvin, but it wasn't suffocating—it was grounding.
Finally, Adrien spoke again: "Feel. Care. But never forget… you are your own storm. Your own name. Your own fire. And if you lose that… nothing else will matter. Not her, not Riyan, not even me."
Aarvin nodded slowly, his chest tight, mind spinning, heart aching, but… somehow lighter.
Adrien stepped back, his presence fading like the shadow he always seemed to be.
"Remember this," he said, voice barely above a whisper, "before you give any part of yourself away. Don't fade. Don't lose yourself, Aarvin."
And with that… he was gone.
Aarvin stood in the middle of the hallway, alone. The echoes of Adrien's words still lingered, carving their place into his mind.
He realized then… he had a choice.
He could let Oakridge, the Wolves, Nairi, the rumors, and even his own fears define him…
Or he could stand.
Be himself.
And maybe… just maybe… survive without losing his heart—or his identity.
He exhaled slowly, feeling the weight lift just a little. For the first time in weeks… he felt like he could breathe.