Morning arrived too soon.
Dalian stirred awake, the soft light filtering through her window. For a moment, she lay still, listening to the distant sounds of Aunt Beatrice moving around the house.
Then, the memories of last night rushed back.
Jack's voice. His expression. The weight of his confession.
She exhaled sharply, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling.
What am I going to say?
Her stomach twisted as she pushed herself up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. No more avoiding it. Today, she had to face him.
Dragging herself out of bed, she got ready in a daze. Even as she went through the motions—washing up, getting dressed, brushing her hair—her mind kept circling back to Jack.
Would he act normal? Would he wait for her answer the moment he saw her?
She wasn't sure which option made her more nervous.
Jack, on the other hand, was already awake.
He had been up before his alarm, restless and wired. Now, standing in front of the mirror, he ran a hand through his hair, exhaling.
Today.
He had made up his mind. No backing out, no overthinking. He needed to hear Dalian's answer in person.
Pulling on his jacket, he grabbed his bag and left his room, heading downstairs. His heartbeat was steady, but underneath, tension coiled in his chest.
Would she avoid him? Would she pretend like last night never happened?
He hoped not.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the house.
Whatever happens, I'll face it.
Dalian moved through the morning routine on autopilot, her mind elsewhere as she dressed and gathered her books. Diane, already dressed, glanced at her as she tied her shoelaces.
"You good?" Diane asked, noticing her sister's unusual silence.
"Yeah," Dalian answered quickly, too quickly.
Diane narrowed her eyes. "You're looking like you barely slept or fought off a ghost. Spill."
Dalian forced a small smile, brushing past her to grab her bag. "Just tired. Didn't sleep well."
That wasn't a lie.
Diane studied her for a second longer, then shrugged. "Alright, if you say so."
As they made their way out, Aunt Beatrice called from the kitchen, "Dalian, don't forget your lunch!"
"Got it!" she called back, grabbing the small paper bag from the table before stepping outside with Diane.
The morning air was crisp, but instead of waking her up, it only made her stomach twist harder.
Jack would be at school.
And she still didn't know what to say.
Dalian and Diane walked side by side toward the bus stop, their footsteps light against the pavement. The early morning air carried a slight chill, but it did little to clear the lingering restlessness from Dalian's mind.
Diane walked a step ahead, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Lydia's probably already on the bus," she muttered, half to herself.
Dalian hummed in response, barely registering the words. Her fingers clutched the strap of her own bag tighter as they neared the stop. "Was he waiting at the stop? The thought alone made her stomach twist harder."
Her heart thudded unsteadily at the thought.
A few students were already gathered, chatting and yawning through their morning fatigue. Lydia wasn't there yet, but Dalian's eyes flickered instinctively toward the road, scanning for a familiar figure.
Diane gave her a side glance. "You're looking around a lot."
Dalian tensed. "No, I'm not."
Diane let out a quiet, knowing laugh but didn't push. Instead, she shifted her focus to the road as the distant hum of the approaching bus filled the air.
Dalian exhaled slowly. Whether she was ready or not, today was here.
As the bus rumbled forward, students chatted around them, filling the air with casual morning conversations.
Dalian took a seat beside Lydia, while Diane sat across from them, already flipping through her book.
Lydia yawned, stretching her arms. "Ugh, I swear, mornings should be illegal." She reached into her bag, pulling out a pack of gum. "Want one?"
Dalian shook her head, distracted. Her fingers idly traced the fabric of her skirt as her mind drifted back to last night.
Jack's voice still echoed in her ears. I've been wanting to tell you this for a while now…
Her heart did an uneasy flip. He was waiting for her answer.
She swallowed, staring out the window. The morning sun bathed the streets in soft gold, but all she could think about was how restless she had been the night before, tossing and turning, replaying his words.
Should she have messaged him? Even just a simple reply?
Would he be expecting one?
Would he be upset that she hadn't?
Lydia nudged her. "You good?"
Dalian blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
"You seem weirdly quiet." Lydia tilted her head, studying her. "Did you pull an all-nighter or something?"
Dalian forced a small smile. "Something like that."
Lydia shrugged, popping a piece of gum into her mouth. "Well, don't fall asleep on me. We've got a long day ahead."
Dalian nodded, but her mind was far from the day ahead.
It was stuck on the moment she'd have to face Jack.
The bus pulled into the school parking lot, coming to a slow stop as students gathered their bags and shuffled toward the doors.
Dalian stepped off with Lydia and Diane, adjusting the strap of her bag as they joined the flow of students heading inside. The crisp morning air carried the usual hum of chatter and laughter, but her mind was elsewhere.
Her eyes instinctively scanned the crowd.
Jack wasn't there.
Her grip on her bag tightened slightly. Did he come early? Or is he running late?
She wasn't sure if she felt relief or disappointment.
Lydia stretched beside her. "Alright, time to survive another school day." She glanced at Dalian. "You sure you're good? You've been kinda spacey."
Dalian forced a small nod. "I'm fine."
Lydia narrowed her eyes for a second but let it go. "Alright, let's go."
Diane, who had been quiet as usual, finally spoke, adjusting her book in her arms. "We should hurry before the hallways get too crowded."
Dalian followed them inside, but her thoughts were already spiraling.
"Would Jack be waiting somewhere? Would he bring it up right away?
Or was she overthinking everything?"
The anticipation settled in her chest like a weight, but there was no turning back now.
As they settled into their seats, the lecture began, but Dalian's focus wavered. Her eyes flickered to the empty seat where Jack usually sat.
He's still not here?
"Her fingers drummed the notebook's edge—soft, anxious beats that mirrored the tight rhythm in her chest."
Lydia, ever perceptive, leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "Looking for someone?"
Dalian didn't bother denying it. She exhaled, shaking her head. "That's unlike him. He didn't come to school today or what?"
Lydia smirked. "Worried, huh?"
Before Dalian could respond, the classroom door swung open, drawing everyone's attention.
Jack stepped in, slightly out of breath, his bag slung over his shoulder in a hurry. His hair was slightly tousled, as if he'd rushed straight from home.
Mr. Collins, the lecturer, adjusted his glasses and crossed his arms. "Jack, late today? That's rare."
Jack straightened, still catching his breath. "Sorry, sir. Had something to take care of."
Mr. Collins gave him a long look before nodding toward his seat. "Take your place. Don't let it happen again."
Jack nodded quickly and moved toward his seat, passing by Dalian. His gaze flickered toward her—brief but charged.
Dalian looked away just as fast, her heart giving a quiet, traitorous skip.
Jack slipped into his seat, pulling out his notebook as Mr. Collins continued the lecture. The air settled, but for Dalian, there was an unspoken tension lingering beneath the quiet scribbling of pens and the occasional turn of a page.
She kept her eyes on her notes, but her mind was elsewhere—Was he late because of last night? Was he thinking about it as much as I was?
Jack, sitting just a few seats away, exhaled subtly, his fingers tightening around his pen. The moment he'd walked in and seen her, the nervous anticipation from the night before came rushing back. He wanted to ask her—wanted to know what she was thinking. But now wasn't the time.
The lecture droned on, formulas and explanations filling the space between them. Dalian tried to focus, jotting down notes, but she could feel Lydia's occasional glances.
Lydia nudged her foot under the desk, leaning in just enough to whisper, "You're zoning out. What's up?"
Dalian snapped out of it, shaking her head quickly. "Nothing," she muttered, turning a page.
Lydia gave her a knowing look but let it go.
Jack, on the other hand, remained unusually quiet. Normally, he'd participate, answer questions, or at least seem engaged. Today, he was only half-present, his knee bouncing slightly under the desk as he rested his chin on his palm.
Her eyes flicked toward him—and collided with his. One heartbeat, maybe two. Then she looked away, heat crawling up her neck.
She quickly looked away.
He smirked slightly.
The class continued, but the words between them were already spoken—without a single sound.
As soon as Mr. Collins wrapped up his lecture and left the room, the usual hum of conversation filled the class. Chairs scraped against the floor, students stretched their arms, and quiet chatter picked up before the next teacher arrived.
Jack hesitated for a moment before turning to Dalian. "Hey."
Dalian, who had been pretending to organize her notes, looked up. "Morning." Her voice was steady, but her fingers gripped the edge of her notebook just a little too tightly.
Jack rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a small chuckle. "You noticed I was late, huh?"
Dalian nodded, her gaze flickering toward him before quickly darting away. "Yeah… That's not like you."
Jack shifted in his seat, debating how much to say. "Had a late night," he admitted, though they both knew why.
Dalian pressed her lips together, tapping her pen lightly against her book. "I see."
A silence settled between them, not exactly awkward, but charged with something neither of them wanted to address just yet.
Lydia, who had been chatting with another classmate, suddenly turned toward them, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "What are you two whispering about?" she teased.
Dalian shot her a look. "Nothing."
Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, just talking."
Before Lydia could dig further, the next lecturer walked in, signaling the start of another class.
Jack leaned back in his seat, exhaling quietly. He wasn't going to ask for an answer—not now.
He could wait.
Lydia wasn't satisfied with that vague response. As soon as the lecturer turned to write on the board, she leaned in, her voice a sharp whisper. "Nothing, my foot. Spill it. What were you two talking about?"
But Dalian barely heard her. Her thoughts were already spiraling again—caught in the gravity of a question that still had no answer.
Dalian exhaled quietly, her fingers gripping her pen. She knew Lydia wouldn't let it go, and honestly, she wasn't planning to keep it from her forever. Lydia would find out one way or another.
She tilted her head slightly and murmured, "Fine. I'll tell you."
Lydia's eyes gleamed with excitement as she shuffled closer, eager to hear.
Keeping her voice low, Dalian began recounting what had happened the night before—how Jack had come to her house, how he had confessed his feelings, and how she hadn't even gotten the chance to respond before Aunt Beatrice had called her inside.
The moment the words left her mouth, Lydia nearly gasped out loud. Her hand flew to cover her mouth just in time, muffling what would have been an embarrassing outburst in the middle of class.
But the small noise was enough.
Diane, who had been focused on the lecture, suddenly turned in her seat, eyebrows furrowing as she stared at Dalian.
Dalian stiffened. She hadn't told her sister yet.
Diane's expression was unreadable, but the weight of her gaze was heavy.
Lydia, still holding back a squeal, whispered, "Oh. My. God. And you didn't tell me sooner? What did you say? Wait, did you even answer him yet?"
Dalian sighed, rubbing her temple. "I didn't. I didn't get the chance."
Lydia's eyes widened even more. "You mean—"
The lecturer turned, glancing toward their row. Lydia immediately straightened up, feigning innocence, while Dalian kept her eyes on her notebook, pretending to be deep in thought.
Diane, however, was still watching her.
And Dalian knew she'd have to explain later.
The class dragged on, but Dalian barely absorbed anything. She could still feel Diane's gaze lingering, even as her sister pretended to be focused on the lesson. Lydia, on the other hand, kept fidgeting in her seat, clearly struggling to contain her excitement.
Dalian sighed inwardly. She knew Lydia wouldn't let her go without squeezing every last detail from her. And Diane… well, she wasn't sure how Diane felt about it yet.
The moment the lecturer turned toward the board again, Lydia wasted no time and leaned in, whispering, "So, what now? What are you gonna do? Are you gonna say yes?"
Dalian didn't answer right away. Instead, she tapped her pen lightly against her notebook, staring at the half-written notes in front of her. What was she going to do?
Lydia nudged her impatiently. "Come on, don't just leave me hanging!"
Dalian exhaled softly. "I don't know yet," she admitted, keeping her voice low.
Lydia frowned. "What do you mean you don't know? You like him, don't you?"
Dalian's grip on her pen tightened slightly. It wasn't that simple.
Before she could respond, a light thud landed on her desk.
Dalian looked up, startled, only to see Diane pulling her notebook back after tapping it against Dalian's table.
Diane's expression was calm, but her sharp eyes held something else—expectation, maybe even quiet curiosity.
Dalian swallowed.
Diane didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Her gaze alone asked the question: Why didn't you tell me?
Dalian opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, the lecturer clapped his hands.
"Alright, let's move on."
The conversation was cut short, but the tension still hung in the air.
Dalian tried to focus on the lesson, but her mind was elsewhere.
Jack was waiting for an answer. Lydia was waiting for her decision. And Diane…
Dalian stole a glance at her sister, who had turned back to her work but hadn't flipped the page once since.
Diane was waiting, too.