Chapter 4
I spent the rest of the morning replaying the words on that little folded note.
Don't fade. I see you.
It didn't feel real. Notes like that belonged in stories, in movies, in someone else's life — not mine. I kept the slip tucked safely inside my notebook, checking it every few minutes just to confirm it wasn't something I imagined.
But each time, the handwriting stared back at me.
Aiden's handwriting.
The more I thought about it, the more my heart beat in uneven rhythms. I knew I shouldn't read too deeply into a message that simple. Aiden was nice to everyone. People like him didn't suddenly wake up and decide to notice someone who blended into the wallpaper.
And yet… he did.
As I headed to lunch, students rushed past me, filling the hallway with their usual noise — teasing, laughter, sneakers squeaking against the floor. Same world, same routine. But something inside me had shifted.
I wasn't walking through the day invisible anymore. Instead, it felt like someone had quietly switched on a light that had been dim my whole life.
When I stepped into the cafeteria, the familiar wave of chatter washed over me. I found my usual table in the corner — the one no one bothered claiming — and sat with my tray. It was peaceful, like always.
Until it wasn't.
A sudden hush spread across the room, soft at first, then stronger. People stopped mid-sentence. Forks hovered in the air.
I didn't need to look to know the reason.
Aiden had walked in.
He passed through the cafeteria with the same careless confidence everyone adored. But then — and this had never happened before — his eyes searched. Not the crowd, not his teammates, not Brianna's perfectly styled hair.
They searched for something… else.
For me.
My breath caught as his gaze finally landed on mine across the room.
He smiled.
Small but real.
The kind of smile that felt like warmth on a cold day.
My stomach flipped so hard I almost dropped my fork.
But just as I was about to look away, Brianna slid up beside him, looping her arm through his in one smooth, practiced motion. Her expression was calm, controlled — but her eyes were sharp and locked on me.
A silent message:
Stay in your place.
Aiden looked surprised for half a second, glancing at her arm. He didn't push her away, but he didn't lean into her either. His posture stiffened a little, something subtle but noticeable.
He hesitated, still staring my way.
I quickly dropped my gaze, pretending to study the food on my tray. My heart thudded painfully, confused between fear and something dangerously close to hope.
Did I imagine that look?
Was he really searching for me?
Or was I just letting one moment get too big in my mind?
I forced myself to breathe evenly, reminding myself that Aiden's life belonged to a world filled with confidence, attention, and people who looked like they belonged beside him… people like Brianna, not girls who hid in corners.
But even as I tried to convince myself, I felt a presence near my table.
I looked up — startled — and saw Aiden standing right there.
Brianna wasn't with him.
He held a bottle of juice and an apple, but his eyes were focused only on me.
"Hey," he said, voice calm but warm. "Can I sit?"
My entire brain went quiet.
"Here?" I whispered.
"Yes." His smile softened. "Unless you don't want me to."
"I—no, I mean—yes. You can."
He sat across from me like it was the most normal thing in the world, like people didn't stare from every direction with shock obvious on their faces.
I tried not to shrink into myself. I tried not to panic.
He took a bite of his apple, leaned forward a little, and lowered his voice.
"You looked like you needed company."
I swallowed hard. "You… left your table."
"I did."
"Why?"
He held my gaze for a long, quiet moment.
Then he said something that made my entire world shift again.
"Because I meant what I wrote, Liana. I see you."
My heart stuttered so hard I almost forgot how to breathe.
And in that noisy cafeteria, surrounded by whispers and stares, something new and terrifying and beautiful began.
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