The morning felt strange.
For once, Velithra didn't wake up to the sound of her alarm or the dread of trudging through the school gates. The calendar was merciful—a holiday. No classes, no crowded hallways, no fake smiles. Just silence.
She sat at the edge of her bed, staring out the window. The world outside was alive in ways she couldn't feel—children running past in bursts of laughter, neighbors carrying grocery bags, sunlight spilling golden across rooftops.
Her phone buzzed.
Velithra flinched. Almost nobody texted her. Almost nobody needed to.
When she picked it up, her chest tightened at the name lighting up the screen.
Kai.
Her thumb hovered before opening the message.
You busy today?
Her pulse quickened. She typed, erased, typed again. Finally, she settled on:
No. Why?
The reply came instantly, as if he'd been waiting.
Hang out with me.
Velithra blinked at the screen. Simple words, but they sent a ripple of confusion through her. Why would he—the boy every girl wanted, the boy who carried an aura of secrets and shadows—want to spend his holiday with her?
Her first instinct was to refuse. To find an excuse, to shield herself from the unknown. But before she could type anything, another message appeared.
Please.
That one word rooted her in place. She had never imagined someone like him would ask—much less plead.
Velithra exhaled shakily, staring at the glowing letters.
Finally, with hands trembling, she typed back.
Where?
His reply was just as fast.
I'll come get you.
Velithra sat there, phone clutched to her chest, heart pounding in a way she didn't understand.
For the first time in a long time, she wondered if maybe—just maybe—the day ahead wouldn't be as empty as she thought.