The corridors felt colder than usual as Eliana made her way to class. Each step echoed with the memory of Vanessa's sharp words, and the awkward glances from students didn't help. Word seemed to travel faster than she could think, and she couldn't tell if the whispers were real or her own spiraling anxiety. The sense of isolation weighed heavily on her, but she couldn't quite pinpoint why. Was it Vanessa's recent outburst? Or the growing distance between her and Zayne? She shook her head, attempting to clear her thoughts, but it seemed as though the universe had conspired to keep her off balance.
Clara, her ever-stable classmate, greeted her with a warm smile when they crossed paths. "You good?" she asked gently, studying Eliana's face with concern. Clara was always there when things got difficult, even though they hadn't been the closest of friends until recently. Her kindness had become a rare comfort.
Eliana nodded, though the words stuck in her throat. "Just tired," she muttered, forcing a smile. The weight of her emotions was getting harder to mask, but Clara didn't press further. Instead, she simply gave Eliana a reassuring look before they both entered the lecture hall.
However, Eliana's mind was elsewhere. As the professor droned on, her gaze kept drifting to Zayne. He was sitting two rows ahead of her, as usual, but today something felt different. He wasn't the carefree guy she'd known. His shoulders were stiff, his eyes darting toward the door every few seconds as if he couldn't wait to leave. Was he avoiding her? Her stomach tightened at the thought.
She forced herself to pay attention to the lecture, but it felt like the minutes dragged on. Every time her eyes shifted to Zayne, his face was distant, unreadable. After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Eliana quickly packed up her things, determined to have a word with Zayne, to clear the air. She couldn't stand the awkward tension any longer.
As she made her way toward him, her heart pounded in her chest. The closer she got, the more she felt the weight of uncertainty pressing against her. When she finally stood before him, Zayne glanced up. His face was neutral, his usual easy smile absent.
"Zayne… can we talk?" Eliana's voice trembled slightly, betraying the calm front she was trying to maintain.
He looked at her for a long moment, his gaze distant. There was no warmth, no spark of the connection they'd once shared. "Now's not a good time," he replied, his voice colder than she had expected. Without waiting for her to say anything, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the hallway, her heart sinking.
The world seemed to slow as Eliana stood frozen, the rush of students flowing around her like a current she couldn't escape. Her mind raced with confusion, hurt, and betrayal. What had just happened? Was this her fault? Did she do something to push him away? Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag, but there was no comfort in the motion.
She had to shake herself from the daze. Eliana glanced around, hoping to find something that would ground her. And that's when she saw her Vanessa. Standing a few feet away, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on Eliana with a smug, knowing expression. The look in Vanessa's eyes was too much to ignore. She was watching Eliana, studying her with a strange sort of satisfaction.
Eliana didn't know what to think. The last time they'd spoken, Vanessa had practically snapped at her. And yet now, here she was, looking like she'd just won some kind of victory. Was this all some game to her? The thought gnawed at Eliana. Was Vanessa orchestrating things between her and Zayne, manipulating them without either of them knowing?
As if sensing Eliana's gaze, Vanessa tilted her head slightly, the corners of her mouth twitching into an almost imperceptible smirk. Then, without a word, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd of students.
Eliana stood still for a moment, trying to piece together the fragments of what had just happened. The sudden burst of clarity hit her like a thunderbolt. Vanessa had been the one to push her toward Zayne, but had she done so with good intentions? Or was she setting her up for failure? The more Eliana thought about it, the more it felt like Vanessa was playing some kind of twisted game. She had a part to play, and Eliana was merely a pawn in it.
Her heart was racing, her thoughts tangled in a web of confusion and doubt. She needed answers. And the only way to get them was to confront Zayne, but she wasn't sure if he would even want to talk. His reaction earlier had been so cold, so dismissive.
A buzz from her phone broke her from her spiraling thoughts. Eliana pulled it from her pocket, hoping for a message that would make everything clearer. But when she saw the name on the screen, her stomach twisted even further.
It was a message from Vanessa.
"Hey, how's it going? I saw you with Zayne earlier. You two looked like you were having a conversation. Is everything good between you guys? Just wanted to check in."
The message felt oddly intrusive, considering how things had ended between them. It was almost like she knew what had happened like she was watching from the shadows and waiting for her next move. Eliana stared at the text for a few seconds, the words sinking in.
Why was Vanessa so invested in her relationship with Zayne? Was she trying to help, or was she setting her up for something much darker?
Eliana bit her lip, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She didn't want to give Vanessa any satisfaction, but she also didn't want to be rude. Instead, she typed a short response: "We'll see. Thanks for asking."
She set her phone down, feeling more conflicted than ever. She couldn't ignore the sense of unease gnawing at her, the suspicion that Vanessa's role in her life had become more than just a friend she was an obstacle, and Eliana couldn't afford to let her manipulate her.
Taking a deep breath, Eliana walked away, her resolve hardening. She couldn't let Vanessa control her. And she certainly couldn't let Zayne slip away, not without understanding what had changed.