By the next morning—
Andrea felt different again.
Not soft.
Not warm.
Not the girl leaning against Samuel's shoulder on the rooftop.
That version of her disappeared overnight.
Now she felt sharp again.
Closed off.
Safer.
Because caring hurt too much.
Andrea walked through school with her headphones on and her expression unreadable.
People moved out of her way naturally now.
She noticed it.
The rumors.
The fights.
The attitude.
People expected her to explode.
And honestly?
Maybe she would.
Samuel tried to approach her before class.
Andrea walked right past him.
No eye contact.
Nothing.
His stare followed her anyway.
She could feel it burning into her back.
But she ignored it.
Lunch break.
The cafeteria buzzed loudly around her.
Andrea sat with Teresa and Diana silently scrolling on her phone.
Diana looked nervous.
"Are you okay?"
Andrea answered flatly.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
Teresa exchanged a glance with Diana.
"Because you look angry enough to kill someone."
Andrea laughed humorlessly.
"Maybe I am."
Right then—
Someone bumped into her shoulder while walking past.
Hard enough to spill her drink slightly.
The guy barely looked back.
"Sorry."
Andrea stood up instantly.
"Watch where you're going."
The guy blinked.
"I said sorry."
Andrea crossed her arms.
"And I said watch where you're going."
The tension shifted immediately.
Teresa grabbed Andrea's sleeve.
"Andy…"
Andrea pulled her arm away.
"No, because people think they can do whatever they want—"
"Relax," the guy muttered.
That word.
Relax.
Andrea snapped.
"Don't tell me to relax."
The cafeteria quieted slightly.
Again.
Always again.
The guy raised his hands.
"Jesus Christ."
Andrea stepped closer.
"What's your problem?"
"Okay, enough."
A calm voice interrupted.
Tom.
Andrea froze slightly.
Tom stepped between them casually, hands in his hoodie pockets.
The guy rolled his eyes.
"She's insane."
Tom looked at him blankly.
"And yet you're still talking."
The guy scoffed and walked away.
Andrea stood there breathing hard.
Tom turned toward her slowly.
"You good?"
Andrea looked away immediately.
"…Yeah."
Tom raised an eyebrow.
"You sure?"
Andrea shrugged.
"People annoy me."
Tom laughed quietly.
"Yeah. I noticed."
Andrea blinked slightly.
She forgot how calm Tom always sounded.
Like nothing really shook him.
And somehow—
That calmed her down too.
Later that day, Andrea spotted Tom alone near the windows upstairs.
Usually she would just keep walking.
But today—
Something stopped her.
Maybe because she needed something uncomplicated for once.
Maybe because Tom never looked at her with pity.
Or expectations.
Andrea walked over awkwardly.
Tom looked up from his phone.
"Oh. Hey."
Andrea leaned against the wall nearby.
"Hey."
A small silence.
Then Andrea cleared her throat slightly.
"I never thanked you."
Tom frowned.
"For what?"
"My birthday."
Tom's expression softened slightly.
"Oh."
Andrea looked down awkwardly.
"No one ever really celebrated my birthday before."
Tom looked surprised hearing that.
"Seriously?"
Andrea shrugged.
"Yeah."
Tom leaned against the window beside her.
"Well… your sister would've killed me if I didn't show up."
Andrea laughed softly.
The first real laugh all day.
Tom smiled faintly hearing it.
"There you are."
Andrea raised an eyebrow.
"What does that mean?"
Tom looked at her for a second.
"You smile less lately."
Andrea's chest tightened slightly.
Even he noticed.
Great.
Andrea looked away toward the window.
"Life."
Tom nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Not tense.
Not emotionally dangerous.
Just easy.
Andrea realized she liked that.
Tom suddenly looked at her again.
"For what it's worth…"
Andrea glanced over.
"You deserved that party."
Andrea blinked slightly.
Tom shrugged casually.
"You looked happy."
That hit harder than he probably intended.
Because Andrea remembered it.
For one night—
She really was happy.
Before everything complicated itself again.
Andrea smiled faintly.
"Thanks."
Tom nodded once.
Then smirked slightly.
"You're less scary when you're not yelling at people."
Andrea laughed unexpectedly.
"Oh my god."
Tom grinned.
"I'm serious."
Andrea shook her head.
"You're unbelievable."
Tom shrugged.
"And you need anger management."
Andrea gasped dramatically.
"Wow."
Tom laughed quietly.
And for the first time since the Samuel situation exploded—
Andrea felt like she could breathe again.
Even just for a few minutes.
Down the hallway—
Samuel watched the entire interaction.
Andrea laughing with Tom.
Relaxed.
Comfortable.
Samuel's jaw tightened slightly.
Not because he was angry at Tom.
But because Andrea looked lighter with him right now.
And Samuel knew exactly why.
Because he hurt her.
And now she was building walls again.
One brick at a time.