Chapter 5
After school, the hallway felt emptier than usual, though students still trickled past on their way out. Liana clutched her bag tightly, trying to slow her racing heartbeat. The thought of running into Aiden again made her hands tremble slightly, even though she tried to tell herself she was being ridiculous.
She wasn't exactly sure why it mattered so much. It wasn't like anyone had ever stopped for her before. But Aiden… he had. And somehow, just that simple act had shifted something inside her.
As she rounded the corner near the courtyard, she froze.
Aiden was leaning against the wall near the exit, hands in his pockets, looking perfectly casual. But she could feel the deliberate weight of his presence before she even saw him clearly.
Her stomach flipped.
"Hey," he said softly as she approached. His smile wasn't wide and showy like it was in front of everyone else. It was smaller, quieter, meant just for her.
"Hi," Liana whispered, suddenly aware of how loud her own heartbeat sounded in her ears.
He pushed off the wall and took a step closer. "Wait up. I… wanted to talk to you before you left."
Liana blinked, unsure what to say. Her mind was spinning too fast for words. She nodded.
They walked together down the quiet pathway that led out of the school grounds. Not fast, not slow — just the right pace where neither of them had to speak immediately. The silence was easy, not awkward, as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.
Finally, Aiden broke it. "I know yesterday was… sudden." His hands fiddled with the strap of his backpack. "I didn't mean to startle you. I just… I noticed you. And I thought you should know that."
Liana's chest tightened. The words were simple, yet heavy with meaning. She had spent years blending into the background, hoping no one would see her. And now… he had.
"I…" she started, then stopped. She wasn't sure what she was trying to say. "Thank you. That… it means a lot."
Aiden smiled gently. "I didn't want to just let you fade back into the crowd."
Her stomach fluttered. Every word felt like it was meant for her, and only her. She had never experienced attention like this—not genuine attention, anyway. Brianna's stares and whispers had only reminded her how small she felt. But Aiden's words… they made her feel seen. Real.
They stopped near the school gates. The sunlight glinted off the pavement, warming her face. Aiden looked at her, as if trying to figure out how much he could say, how much she could hear without being overwhelmed.
"I know it's strange," he continued carefully, "but I wanted to ask… do you want to hang out sometime? Maybe outside of school?"
Liana's eyes widened. Her heart nearly stopped. She had imagined moments like this in passing thoughts, but never dared to believe they could actually happen.
"I… yes," she whispered, almost afraid to say it aloud.
Aiden's smile widened just a little. Not the dazzling kind that made everyone stare, but the quiet, real kind that made her want to memorize every curve of it.
"Great," he said softly. "Then… we'll figure something out. No rush. Just… sometime soon."
For a moment, they just stood there, words lingering in the air, heavy with unspoken possibilities.
Then Brianna's voice called sharply from across the courtyard. "Aiden! Are you coming or what?"
His shoulders stiffened slightly, a reminder of the world they couldn't yet escape. He glanced at Liana once more, eyes soft, promising, before walking toward Brianna.
Liana watched him go, a mix of warmth and uncertainty settling in her chest.
For the first time in years, she realized something crucial: she wasn't invisible anymore. Not to him. Not when it mattered.
And suddenly, the thought of the coming days didn't feel scary at all.
Because maybe, just maybe, everything was finally beginning to change.
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