---
Rav invited me out.
He didn't call it a date — not exactly — but the way he asked, quietly and with that soft hesitation he always carried, made it feel like something small but intentional.
I wasn't in love with Rav.
I knew that, and he probably did too.
But I was comfortable with him… comfortable in a way that didn't require explanations or emotional heaviness.
So I said yes.
---
We met at a small café near the library. The kind with warm lights and a menu that wasn't too complicated. Rav looked almost shy when I walked in, but he relaxed once we sat.
We didn't talk much — and that was the beauty of it.
It wasn't forced.
It wasn't awkward.
He told me a little about football practice, about how exhausting the last training session was, and a joke about one of his teammates slipping on the field. His voice had a warmth to it, like he was sharing pieces of his day without trying to impress me.
I talked a bit too, but not deeply. Just small things about class, about Lily's recent chaos, about how the semester felt.
It was nice.
Simple.
Soft.
Rav made me feel… special in a quiet way. Not as someone he wanted to claim, but someone he genuinely liked being around. Still, I could sense he had his own chaos — things he wasn't ready to say, things I wasn't ready to get tangled in.
So we kept it simple.
When he walked me back to the dorm, we said goodnight without anything extra.
No pressure.
No promises.
Just two people figuring out life separately, but close enough to share a moment.
---
A few days later, I realized I hadn't seen Denzel around.
Not in class.
Not near the study areas.
Not even with Sarah.
I texted him.
Me: Haven't seen you around. Everything okay?
Denzel: Yeah, just busy. Had some things to handle.
Me: Hope it's nothing stressful.
Denzel: I'm fine. I'll see you soon.
I tried not to overthink it. People had their lives, and I didn't want to read too much into anything.
Still, I noticed the silence.
---
Around the same time, Ivy casually mentioned her new boyfriend while we were getting ready one evening. She said it softly, almost embarrassed, but her cheeks were glowing.
I hugged her, teasing her a little, and she giggled like a child.
It was sweet seeing her happy.
---
School always had its shadows.
One afternoon, while walking across campus, I saw Kade.
For a moment, my heart did that small painful twist I was trying so hard to forget.
He wasn't alone.
His new girlfriend walked beside him — the one he'd been posting, the one I'd already seen enough of online. Up close, she didn't look perfect the way social media made her seem. She looked… normal. Maybe even tired.
Their vibe wasn't magical.
Not glowing.
Not soft.
Just two people walking.
But the sight still hit me, sharp and silent.
Not because I wanted him back — I didn't.
But because it reminded me of everything that ended without answers.
I took a breath and kept walking, pretending my chest didn't sting.
---
Life kept moving — Rav's quiet affection, Ivy's happiness, Kade's new reality.
Everything around me was changing.
And somehow… I was changing too.
Slowly.
Quietly.
But definitely.
---