The things we almost were

school l

ing Kaelin for at least

itioning for a shampoo commercial and then we wasted an

y dresses like he's attending a funeral every day of his life, and while

told him as he stood there, towel wrapped ar

d stare, the one that says

y thing, Elian,

be your aesthetic forever," I mutt

wore his black jeans, of course-baby steps-but se

me in a while, he didn't look like he was

k human,"

orner of his mouth twitched li

oodie from last night. It smelled faintly of smoke

thudding, people shouting, teachers trying (and failing) to re

ightly. "Hey, h

rows furrowing

re having in the shower. Yo

en he burst out laughing. Like, real laughter. L

seen a wild animal smile. It was so rare that even I froze for

The laughter faded. His shoulders straightened,

uttered under my breath,

I recognized from class. She was laughing too, that easy kind of l

-she looked... warm. And witho

split second before I quickly looked away, pretending

low but teasing. "You got

casual. "She's pretty, that

ut hesitation. "I honest

hould've known better than to

ike he was enjoying

ce we both had a free period. He suggested we hang out

smelled faintly of d

ut like he owned the place. I leaned back, scrolling through

" I warned, catching sight of t

back into his pocket with an exaggerate

elcome," I

e hem of my hoodie instead, tugging at th

threw me off-he could go from smu

uietly, breaking the silence. "You still p

his eye. Didn't say a word. Just that sil

ed away, trying to

tensed immediately. "Kae," I said cautiously

a bit of dust out of my hair with his fingertip

it to. "Thanks... but you didn't have to make

sible to tell if he was joking or testing me. "M

**

ia's

m Olivia's point of view, but s

to school. For a second, I thought maybe he was just standing t

t to sound too surprised.

makes you forget how early it is. He smelled like that clean, fresh

t happened yesterday. Then, right in the middle of our chatter,

could stop myself. "Kael

. "You mean because he's not wearing

avy pants that made him look... lighter. Softer, almost. I'd

ng light hit him d

n, who was walking beside him in something simi

, but I caught that flash of someth

. looking

n a way - me watching Kaelin, him watching Ronald. Like

ged Ronald. "Do they always we

"Now that you mention it... yeah

e got something going on, I'm telling you.

are, even though my brain was already

act casual. "Yeah, sure. See you later," I said, even though I alread

and that's when I saw Kaelin again. He had Elian by

aught something small falling fr

he floor before rolli

sleek, polished, with a faint engraving on the side. I almost cal

d it to him real quick. But when I reached the d

softly. N

hen I heard a familiar voic

out," he said, his tone h

ter of me. I peeked throu

in looked relaxed, like all his usual walls had slipped away. Elian was smiling

leaning over

I...

r between them didn't f

clutching the lighter in my hand. My chest felt wei

turn the lighter later. No way wa

onald coming out of his class, looking

me. "Weren't you suppose

it explained everything. "Fo

. "So, you're running

e who wear blue hoodies for

is head. "Let's just give

ly. "Uh, maybe not rig

ing smirk out of

tantly regretted sounding defensive.

y amused. "Fine, fin

rms brushing every now and then. People looked, of c

ike I was exactly w

ring what was really going on