I hadn't slept well after that night.
It wasn't just because Rose's warmth was still lingering in my bones, or because the moment we shared felt too real for either of us to handle.
It was because I felt something shifting inside her. Something she wasn't saying.
And that terrified me.
The next day at school, everything felt too bright. Too loud. Too normal.
Hana was waiting for Rose by the gates again, chatting like they'd been friends for years. Rose looked happy. She looked easy. Like she hadn't spent half the night with her head on my shoulder, like we hadn't shared something that felt like a secret between just the two of us.
I stood there at a distance, watching them.
Hana laughed at something Rose said, then reached out to push a lock of hair behind Rose's ear, just like I had done that morning.
It felt like someone was twisting a knife in my chest.
I turned and walked away before either of them saw me.
Later that afternoon, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
Rose had been distant all day. She hadn't texted me, hadn't called me after school. I knew she was busy with homework, but the silence felt wrong. I wasn't used to it.
I stared at the messages she had sent me last night sweet things, small moments we'd shared. It felt like a lifetime ago.
I sighed, laying back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Did I mess everything up?
The knock on my door made me jump. I didn't have to ask who it was.
"Come in."
Rose opened the door slowly, her eyes not quite meeting mine. "Hey."
"Hey." My voice was tight. I pushed myself up, forcing a casual smile. "What's up?"
"Uh…" She hesitated. "Can we talk?"
I nodded, heart pounding in my chest. Is this it?
She stepped in and closed the door behind her, sitting on the edge of my bed. I didn't move.
"I know things have been weird between us lately," she started, her voice soft. "I've been thinking about it a lot."
I felt a chill run through me. "Thinking about what?"
"About us," she said, her eyes meeting mine for the first time. "About everything that happened the other night."
My heart skipped. She remembers. She's thinking about it too.
"I… I don't know what I'm supposed to feel," she continued, running her hands through her hair. "I don't know if it's just me being scared of what it means, or if it's something real."
I couldn't breathe. "What do you mean?"
She bit her lip. "I've been thinking about you a lot lately. More than I should. More than… maybe I've ever thought about anyone."
My pulse was racing now, my hands trembling. "Rose…"
"I don't want to hurt you," she said quickly. "But I've been confused."
"About what?"
"About Hana," she admitted. "I've been spending so much time with her lately, and she's nice, but…"
I held my breath. But?
"But I don't think I'm feeling what I thought I was. I think… I think I've been using her to avoid something."
My heart slammed in my chest. "What?"
She looked at me, her face soft, her eyes vulnerable. "I think I've been avoiding the fact that maybe… maybe I feel something for you."
Everything in me froze.
I wanted to say something, to grab her, to tell her it was okay, but I couldn't speak. My words were stuck in my throat, like they had been for years.
Rose took a deep breath. "I don't know what this means, Kellie. But I don't want to pretend anymore. I just… I need to figure this out."
I nodded slowly, the weight of her words sinking in.
"I don't know if I can handle this," I whispered, barely audible. "But I want to try."
Rose smiled, that same soft, genuine smile she gave when she was truly happy.
"Then let's try," she said. "Together."
That night, I didn't feel so alone.
But I knew this was only the beginning.
The storm had passed, but there was still more to come.