IT WAS STILL HER
Adrian's POV
I reached home, threw my bag on the couch, and headed straight for the shower.
The warm water barely washed off the exhaustion — or that stupid, lingering thought in my head.
That night, I fell asleep faster than I expected.
And then… I saw her.
The freak.
She was standing there — smiling, laughing, looking way too peaceful for someone who drove me insane every single day.
For a second, I forgot to breathe.
I wanted to wake up, to snap out of it — but I couldn't.
I just stood there, watching her.
What the hell was that?
---
Morning sunlight hit my face like punishment.
I rubbed my eyes and groaned, "Ahhh, what's happening to me? I'm losing it."
Then I glanced at the clock.
Late. Again.
Thanks to that weird dream.
I rushed to freshen up, grabbed my shirt, and ran downstairs.
Mom looked up from her newspaper.
"Where are you off to so early?"
"School, obviously," I replied, half-asleep.
She raised an eyebrow. "But it's Saturday, Adrian. You don't have school today."
I froze mid-step.
Rowan burst out laughing from the dining table.
"Looks like someone's lost in someone's thoughts. Forgot it's the weekend, huh?"
I shot him a glare sharp enough to slice his grin in half.
Mom gave me that suspicious mom look.
"What's going on, Adrian? Something happen?"
Rowan grinned wider. "Oh, a lot happened."
He started laughing again.
I almost threw a plate at him. Almost.
Instead, I sighed. "Nothing, Mom. Just tired."
She nodded. "Alright. By the way, your dad's coming back tonight. Stay home — we'll have dinner together."
"Yeah, okay," I muttered, heading upstairs.
I tossed my bag on the chair and dropped onto the bed.
Didn't even realize when I fell asleep again.
---
When I woke up, it was already 1 p.m.
The house was empty — probably Mom and Rowan went to the market.
I grabbed a glass of water and was about to head back upstairs when the doorbell rang.
I opened the door — Tyler stood there, practically glowing.
"Yo, bro!" he grinned, eyes sparkling like he'd just won the lottery.
I squinted. "You look way too happy. What happened?"
He scratched the back of his head and suddenly yelled,
"Bro, I'm not single anymore!"
I blinked. "...Wow. So yesterday's date went well, huh?"
He dropped onto the couch and started narrating every detail — how she approached him first, how she nervously asked him out, how they talked for hours, and finally, how she asked him to be her boyfriend.
I didn't know whether to laugh or hit him.
We talked for quite a while — random things, college gossip, his "perfect date," all of it.
And somehow, I ended up telling him about yesterday.
About the gaming zone.
About the claw machine.
About her.
Tyler teased me as usual but I ignored
By the time evening rolled in , the house finally stopped feeling so empty as Tyler went to his home after sometime.
Mom was busy setting the dining table, and Rowan was—well—being his usual annoying self, blasting songs in the living room like we were hosting a concert.
The doorbell rang, and there he was — Dad.
Back from his business trip, still in his formal coat, still holding his phone like it was an extra limb.
"Adrian!" he said with that half-smile of his as soon as he saw me.
I stood up, managing a small smile. "Hey, Dad. Long flight?"
"Exhausting," he replied, dropping his bag on the couch. "But good to be home."
Mom came in, gave him a quick hug, and instantly started talking about dinner.
I swear, that woman doesn't rest until everyone's fed.
---
Dinner was… normal.
The kind of normal that feels almost staged — smiles, stories, polite questions about grades and school, the usual.
Rowan was being his dramatic self again, telling Dad about how he "aced" his test (even though I'm pretty sure he barely passed).
Mom was laughing.
Dad was nodding.
And I was… quiet.
Half of my brain was still replaying that dream from last night.
Her laugh.
That ridiculous plush toy.
And that look on her face when she finally smiled — like she'd actually won something.
I forced myself to focus back on the table.
"So, Adrian," Dad said suddenly, looking at me. "Anything new going on?"
I paused.
"Not really," I said quickly, stabbing a piece of broccoli like it had personally offended me.
Rowan grinned. "You sure, bro? No new friends or anything?"
I kicked him under the table. Hard.
He yelped.
Mom frowned.
Dad chuckled. "Still fighting like when you were kids."
"Some things never change," I muttered.
Dinner dragged on a bit longer.
When it finally ended, I helped Mom clear the plates, said goodnight and went upstairs and collapsed on my bed.
The house was quiet again — just the faint hum of the AC and the city noise outside the window.
I closed my eyes, trying to sleep.
But the moment I did… that same face flashed in my mind.
Her laugh.
The way she pouted when she couldn't get that stupid plush toy.
The way her eyes lit up when she finally held it.
I groaned and turned to the other side.
"Great. Now I'm dreaming with my eyes open," I muttered.
It's ridiculous.
Why is she even in my head?
We barely talk.
Half the time, she looks like she wants to throw something at me.
I tried to distract myself — grabbed my phone, scrolled through random stuff, even opened a few game apps — but it didn't help.
That image of her, smiling with that plush in her arms, kept coming back like a song stuck on repeat.
After a while, I gave up.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"Get a grip, Adrian," I told myself softly. "She's just… Elena. Freaky, annoying, weird Elena."
But even saying that didn't help.
Because somewhere deep down, I knew I didn't mean it.
I shut my eyes, hoping sleep would finally take over —
and right before I drifted off, the last thing that crossed my mind wasn't school, or Dad, or anything else.
But....
It was still her thoughts...