The camp had gone quiet.
The bonfire was long out, the laughter faded into distant echoes, and the cabins were dim under the soft glow of scattered lanterns.
Most students were asleep.
Naya wasn't.
She sat by the small window in her cabin, knees pulled to her chest, staring out at the dark trees. The night felt too still… like it was holding its breath.
Her mind replayed everything.
The beach.
The water.
Jessica.
Lucien.
Kelvin.
"I don't want to lose you."
She squeezed her eyes shut.
A soft knock broke the silence.
Naya froze.
Another knock—gentler this time.
She already knew who it was.
She didn't move.
For a moment, she considered pretending to be asleep.
But her voice betrayed her.
Naya (quietly): "…Come in."
The door creaked open.
Lucien stepped inside.
He closed the door behind him carefully, like even the smallest sound might shatter something fragile between them.
For a few seconds… neither of them spoke.
Naya didn't look at him.
Lucien didn't know where to start.
Finally—
Lucien: "You're limping."
Her fingers tightened slightly around her legs.
Naya: "I'm fine."
Lucien exhaled slowly.
Lucien: "You're not."
Silence.
The tension was heavy—thick enough to choke on.
Lucien took a step closer.
Then another.
Until he was standing a few feet away from her.
Close… but not too close.
Like he wasn't sure he was allowed.
Lucien: "About earlier…"
Naya's shoulders stiffened immediately.
Naya: "You mean the part where you embarrassed me in front of everyone? Or the part where you almost started a fight?"
Lucien winced slightly.
Lucien: "…Both."
Naya let out a small, bitter laugh.
Naya: "Great."
Lucien ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear.
Lucien: "I wasn't trying to make things worse."
Naya finally looked at him.
Her eyes were tired.
Naya: "Then what were you trying to do, Lucien?"
That question hit harder than anything.
Because for once—
He didn't have an easy answer.
Lucien: "…I don't know."
Naya's gaze dropped again.
Naya: "Exactly."
The room fell quiet again.
Lucien clenched his jaw.
He hated this—
The distance.
The way she looked at him like he was a problem she didn't want to solve anymore.
Lucien: "I didn't like the way he was talking to you."
Naya frowned slightly.
Naya: "Kelvin?"
Lucien nodded.
Lucien: "Like he knew what you needed. Like he—"
He stopped himself, jaw tightening.
Naya tilted her head.
Naya: "Like he cares?"
Lucien's eyes snapped to hers.
Lucien: "That's not what I meant."
Naya: "Then what did you mean?"
He stepped closer without realizing.
Lucien: "I meant… he doesn't get to act like he understands you when he doesn't."
Naya's voice softened—but it cut deeper.
Naya: "And you do?"
Lucien froze.
That question again.
He looked at her like he wanted to say yes.
Like he felt yes.
But the truth stuck in his throat.
Because if he did—
Then why had she been hurting this much?
Naya looked away first.
Naya: "You don't get to act like you care one minute… and then confuse me the next."
Lucien's chest tightened.
Lucien: "I'm not trying to confuse you."
Naya let out a shaky breath.
Naya: "Then what about Jessica?"
The name dropped like a stone.
Lucien's expression darkened instantly.
Lucien: "What about her?"
Naya swallowed.
Her voice came out quieter now… more fragile.
Naya: "I saw you."
Lucien stilled.
Naya: "In the forest."
His heart dropped.
Naya: "…She kissed you."
The words hung in the air.
Heavy. Painful. Real.
Lucien's eyes widened slightly.
Lucien: "Naya—"
Naya shook her head quickly.
Naya: "You didn't push her away."
Lucien stepped closer immediately.
Lucien: "That's not true."
Naya laughed weakly, tears already forming.
Naya: "I saw it."
Lucien: "You saw part of it."
Her eyes flickered.
Lucien's voice dropped, firm but urgent.
Lucien: "I pushed her away. Right after. You were already gone."
Naya's breath hitched.
She hadn't seen that.
She only saw—
The kiss.
The moment that broke her.
Lucien took another step closer, slower this time.
Lucien: "I didn't want her. I never did."
Naya looked at him again.
Searching his face.
Trying to find a lie.
But there wasn't one.
Lucien's voice softened.
Lucien: "The only reason I was even there… was because I was trying to find you."
That made her chest ache.
Naya: "…Why?"
He froze.
Because this was it.
The truth.
The thing he'd been avoiding.
The thing that could change everything.
Lucien opened his mouth—
Then stopped.
Fear flickered across his face.
And just like that—
He stepped back.
Lucien: "…You were lost."
The words sounded empty.
Even he knew it.
Naya's expression fell.
Of course.
Of course it wasn't more than that.
She laughed quietly, shaking her head.
Naya: "Right."
Lucien saw it—
The way she pulled back.
The wall going up again.
And this time… it was his fault.
Lucien: "Naya, I—"
Naya stood up suddenly.
The movement was sharp, defensive.
Naya: "You don't have to explain everything, okay?"
Her voice wasn't angry.
That made it worse.
Naya: "Just… stop acting like you care more than you actually do."
Lucien felt that.
Hard.
Because the truth was—
He cared more than he could handle.
More than he was ready to admit.
But he couldn't say it.
Not yet.
So instead—
He nodded once.
Slow.
Lucien: "…Okay."
And just like that—
He turned and walked to the door.
He paused for a second.
Like he wanted to say something else.
Something real.
But he didn't.
The door opened.
Then closed.
And Naya was alone again.
She stood there for a long time.
Then slowly… she sank back down onto the bed.
Her chest felt tight.
Her eyes burned.
Naya (whispering): "Why does it still hurt…"
Because even after everything—
She still wanted him to stay.