The academy courtyard was always loud in the mornings — chatter, laughter, the shuffle of uniforms and books. But today, Sara felt the noise shift as soon as she stepped through the gates. Heads turned. Whispers followed her.
She kept her eyes on the path, but Lina quickly caught up, her braid bouncing behind her.
"Okay, don't panic," Lina whispered. "But apparently half the school saw you and Daniel leave together last night. Alone."
Sara froze mid-step. "What?"
Lina winced. "And the other half swears you were holding hands."
Sara's cheeks burned. Holding hands. She could still feel Daniel's grip in hers from the rooftop — steady, warm, grounding. But the idea of the entire school gossiping about it made her stomach churn.
By the time she entered class, the whispers had grown into a storm. Emily sat near the front, her smile too sweet, her eyes glinting with malice.
"Good morning, Sara," Emily sang, her voice carrying across the room. "Or should I say… Mrs. Li?"
Laughter rippled through the room. Hannah, usually quick to chime in, looked uncomfortable, her smile wavering.
Sara clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stay calm. She refused to give Emily the satisfaction of seeing her break.
Daniel entered moments later, his presence instantly commanding attention. The chatter dulled. He walked straight to his seat without so much as glancing at Emily's theatrics, but when he passed Sara's desk, he gave her the faintest nod. A small, steady reassurance.
It was enough.
By lunch, the rumors had evolved into wild tales. Some claimed Daniel had confessed under the stars, others swore Sara was already engaged to him. Sara sat with Lina, Adrian, Ryan, and Leo, trying to ignore the stares.
Adrian smirked, biting into his apple. "Honestly, let them talk. Better than last week when they called you desperate."
Ryan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "True. At least now you're the girl who snagged Daniel Li. That's basically legendary status."
Leo adjusted his glasses, his tone more serious. "But popularity is fickle. This kind of attention can be dangerous. Especially if Emily's fueling it."
Sara sighed, pushing her food around her tray. "I don't want to be 'legendary.' I just want to live quietly. But Emily…"
Her words trailed off. Across the cafeteria, Emily was laughing loudly with her friends, but her gaze kept flickering toward Sara, sharp and calculating.
Lina narrowed her eyes. "She's planning something. Again."
"Then we'll be ready," Adrian said firmly.
Later that afternoon, Sara went to the library to escape the noise. Rows of books and the quiet hush of pages calmed her. She trailed her fingers along the spines, pausing at an old volume of poetry her mother once loved.
She pulled it down and turned the pages slowly. A pressed rose petal slipped out, falling onto her palm.
Her chest tightened. She remembered her mother's garden, the way roses always bloomed brightest under her care. For a moment, the ache of loss was unbearable.
"Are you alright?"
Daniel's voice pulled her back. He stood near the shelves, watching her with that same quiet intensity.
Sara quickly wiped her eyes, embarrassed. "I'm fine. Just… a memory."
He glanced at the rose petal in her hand. "Your mother?"
She nodded, unable to speak.
Daniel stepped closer, his voice softer now. "Then keep it. Let it remind you that she's still with you. Not gone. Not really."
Sara swallowed hard, touched by the simplicity of his words. She slipped the petal back between the pages and closed the book gently.
When she finally looked up, Daniel was still watching her. Not with pity, but with something steadier. Something that gave her strength.
For the first time that day, the whispers and rumors felt far away.
That night, as Sara walked home, she clutched the book against her chest. The rumors might swirl, Emily might plot, Grace might tighten her grip — but for now, she carried two things with her: a pressed rose petal, and the memory of Daniel's words.
And for the first time in years, hope didn't feel so impossible.