After school, Eli couldn't shake the memory of lunch. His friends' teasing still rang in his ears, their laughter echoing louder than it should have. It wasn't like it was the first time they had poked fun at him, but today felt different. Maybe it was the way Kai hadn't denied anything—hadn't even looked flustered. That faint smile had been worse than any words.
As they walked down the steps outside the school building, Eli finally blurted out, "They're just teasing, you know." His voice came out sharper than he meant, so he quickly added, "Don't… don't take it seriously."
Kai's footsteps didn't slow. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable as always. For a moment, Eli thought he wasn't going to reply at all. Then Kai glanced sideways at him, his gaze calm and direct.
"I didn't say it was a joke," Kai said quietly.
Eli froze mid-step, his bag slipping against his shoulder. His heart jumped so hard it almost hurt. "Y-You—what do you mean?" he stammered, his voice cracking halfway through.
But Kai didn't stop walking. He just turned forward again, his pace steady, leaving Eli scrambling to catch up. The silence stretched between them, heavier than usual, filled with words Eli didn't know how to ask and answers Kai didn't seem ready to give.
It wasn't a confession. It wasn't even clear. But the weight of Kai's words stayed with Eli, replaying in his head over and over.
By the time he made it home, his nerves were tangled in knots. He tossed his bag on the floor, collapsed onto his bed, and stared up at the ceiling. The quiet of his room, usually a comfort, now felt suffocating.
"We're just friends,"he told himself, pressing a pillow over his face as if it would block the thought. *That's all we are. That's all this is.*
But the memory of Kai's steady gaze lingered stubbornly in his mind, burning brighter with every replay. The simple curve of his lips, the way his voice had sounded—calm, sure, like he hadn't spoken by accident.
Eli turned onto his side, hugging the pillow against his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, but instead of fading, his friends' voices came rushing back.
"You two are always together."
"Your shadow's here again."
"Even Kai's not denying it."
He groaned, burying his face in the pillow until his cheeks grew hot. None of it should have mattered. They were just teasing. But if that was true, why did it feel like every word had cracked something open inside him?
The more he tried not to think about it, the more restless he became. The ceiling felt too close, the night too long. He tossed, turned, and pressed his hand over his racing chest, trying to will himself to sleep.
But the image of Kai's calm face wouldn't leave him.
And Eli couldn't stop asking himself the question he wasn't ready to answer.
We're just friends… right?