The next morning felt slow, like the air itself was pulling me down.
I checked my phone the moment I opened my eyes.
Nothing from Kade.
Not even a "good morning."
I swallowed the heaviness and sat up, trying to convince myself it didn't matter.
We're cool, right?
He said that.
He meant it.
Didn't he?
---
Campus felt different today
People were moving with energy I couldn't match—laughing in groups, complaining loudly about assignments, rushing to classes they were almost late for. The campus always had a pulse, but today, I felt out of sync with it.
As I walked, I passed Sarah and Denzel under the big tree near the science building. She was showing him something on her phone, talking fast while he listened calmly, hands in his pockets like always.
Denzel glanced up briefly, just for a second, and our eyes met.
It wasn't long.
Not even enough to call a moment.
But it was there.
I looked away quickly before my thoughts wandered somewhere they shouldn't.
---
Trying to reach Kade… again
On the way to my first class, I finally typed something.
Maya: Good morning.
Are you better today?
Do you want us to talk later?
I hesitated before hitting send, but I sent it anyway.
I needed something… anything.
I slipped into the hall and tried to focus. The tutor's voice felt distant, like someone talking through water. People around me flipped through notebooks, whispered small jokes, tapped their pens.
But I kept drifting in and out of my thoughts.
My phone vibrated halfway through class.
My heart jumped so fast I forgot how to breathe.
Kade: Busy. We'll see later.
That was it.
No "how are you."
No "I miss you."
No softness.
Just distance pretending to be neutral.
I let out a slow breath and stared at the screen until the words blurred.
---
After class, I stepped outside and sat on the low wall near the path, trying to gather myself before heading to my next building.
Headphones dangled from my hand.
Someone stopped beside me.
I looked up.
Denzel.
He didn't smile—he never really did—but his expression held something quiet.
"You look tired," he said simply.
I let out a soft laugh. "I feel tired."
He nodded slightly, then pointed to my headphones. "You listen to music between classes?"
"Sometimes."
"You should," he said. "It helps."
It was nothing deep.
Just small, simple, calm.
But it made me feel seen in a way I wasn't expecting.
Before I could respond, Sarah called his name from a distance. He gave me a small nod and walked away.
I watched him go, then shook my head sharply.
No.
I wasn't letting my brain start anything.
I had enough chaos already.
---
On the walkway toward the dorms, I spotted Rav. He noticed me and waved me over.
"You look like someone who needs sugar," he said, handing me a second bottle.
I actually smiled this time. "Thanks."
"What's wrong?"
I sighed. "Kade."
Rav leaned back against the wall, sipping his drink. "He's acting weird again?"
"Distant," I corrected quietly. "I'm trying to talk to him, but… I don't know. It's like he doesn't want to meet me halfway."
Rav didn't say anything for a moment. Then, gently:
"Don't lose yourself trying to chase someone who doesn't stop to look back."
The words hit harder than I expected.
I stared at the ground. "I just want him to still want me."
Rav's voice softened. "That's the bare minimum, Maya."
I didn't trust myself to answer.
---
Back in the dorm
When I walked into my room to meet Lily, Ivy, and Zoey, I could immediately tell they'd been waiting for me.
Lily sat up straight. "Okay, talk. What happened today?"
I dropped onto Zoey's bed. "Nothing. That's the problem."
I told them about the texts. About the way he responded. About how each reply felt like it was pushing me further away instead of closer.
Zoey frowned. "He's not even trying."
Ivy shook her head. "That's not how someone treats the girl they want."
I rubbed my forehead. "But he said we're cool. And he said maybe later. That's something, right?"
They looked at me with the kind of silence that said they didn't want to hurt me with the truth.
And somehow, that silence was louder than anything else.
---
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, scrolling through messages that felt too short and too cold.
I typed:
Maya: Just let me know when you're free later, okay? I miss you.
I hovered over the send button.
Then pressed it.
Almost immediately, regret washed over me. I hated how desperate the message sounded. I hated how I kept reaching for him while he kept drifting further away.
But deep down, I knew the truth:
I was holding onto something that felt like it was slipping through my fingers.
And I didn't know how to make it stop.