The distance didn't feel like space.
It felt like effort.
Mayson noticed it in the way he timed things now—when he left the house, when he stepped into the hallway, even how long he stayed in one place before moving again.
Not avoiding.
Just… adjusting.
It should've made things easier.
Cleaner.
Less complicated.
But as he walked through the front gates of the school that morning, something about it felt off.
Not wrong.
Just—
Unfinished.
⸻
The hallway buzzed like it always did.
Lockers.
Voices.
Movement in every direction.
Normal.
Mayson moved through it without hesitation, slipping into the flow of students like he had every other day.
Only now—
He was paying attention to different things.
Not just who was watching.
But who wasn't.
Who moved too carefully.
Who stayed too still.
And who—
Wasn't here yesterday.
His gaze flicked briefly across the hallway, catching small details before moving on.
Then he reached his locker.
Opened it.
Grabbed what he needed.
Closed it.
Simple.
Routine.
He turned—
And paused.
Lily stood a few steps away.
Not blocking him.
Not waiting dramatically.
Just… there.
Like she had been for a minute already.
Watching.
"Hey," she said, adjusting the strap of her bag slightly.
Mayson nodded once.
"Hey."
She stepped closer, falling into place beside him as they started walking down the hallway together.
No rush.
No pressure.
Just walking.
"You left kinda quick yesterday," she said after a moment.
Mayson glanced at her briefly.
"I had something to think through."
"Yeah," she said lightly. "I figured."
A short pause passed between them.
Not awkward.
Just quiet.
Then—
"You've been doing that more lately," she added.
"Thinking?"
She gave him a look.
"You know what I mean."
Mayson let out a quiet breath through his nose.
"I do."
She didn't push it right away.
That was new.
Instead, she looked ahead, watching the flow of students moving past them.
Then—
"About the woods," she said.
Mayson didn't stop walking.
Didn't react outwardly.
But his attention sharpened slightly.
Lily continued, tone calm, not pressing—just thinking out loud.
"I know you said you didn't know that person we saw," she said. "But… I keep thinking about it."
Mayson glanced at her.
She wasn't looking at him.
Just ahead.
Focused.
"Why would someone just be standing out there like that?" she went on. "I mean… it's not exactly a place people just wander into by accident."
She shifted her bag slightly on her shoulder.
"Maybe they got lost," she added. "Or maybe they go out there for the same reason I do. Just… quiet."
Mayson looked forward again.
Considered that.
Then answered—
"It could be that," he said evenly. "Or it could be someone who pays attention to people more than they should."
Lily glanced at him.
"Like watching them?"
"Yeah."
She thought about that for a second.
"That's… a little weird."
"A little," he agreed.
Another pause.
Then she looked at him again, this time more directly.
"You didn't seem surprised though," she said. "When he showed up."
Mayson met her gaze.
"I noticed him before you did."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know."
They walked a few more steps before he continued.
"I didn't know who he was," he said. "But I knew he wasn't just… passing through."
That answer landed differently.
Not dismissive.
Not avoiding.
Just clear enough.
Lily nodded slightly.
"Okay," she said. "That makes more sense."
She didn't press further.
Didn't dig.
Just accepted it for what it was—for now.
And kept walking beside him.
⸻
They reached their classroom just before the bell.
Same seats.
Same routine.
Mayson sat beside her like always, pulling out his notebook as the room slowly filled.
Lily leaned back slightly in her chair, glancing over at him.
"You know," she said quietly, "most people would've just said 'I don't know' and left it at that."
Mayson glanced at her.
"I could've."
"But you didn't."
"No."
She smiled faintly.
"Good."
He didn't ask why.
Didn't need to.
⸻
Class moved at its usual pace.
Notes.
Lectures.
Small distractions that didn't really matter.
Mayson followed along just enough to stay ahead, his focus splitting between the board and everything else happening in the room.
Subtle movements.
Shifts in posture.
The rhythm of people who had no idea how predictable they were.
Beside him, Lily tapped her pen lightly against her notebook before leaning slightly toward him.
"Are you going to practice today?" she asked under her breath.
"Yeah."
"Good," she said. "You actually make it interesting to watch."
Mayson raised an eyebrow slightly.
"That your way of saying everyone else is boring?"
"I didn't say that," she replied, smiling. "But you can take it that way if you want."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
⸻
Lunch came faster than expected.
The cafeteria buzzed louder than the hallway, packed with overlapping voices and movement.
Mayson grabbed something simple—more out of habit now than necessity—and moved toward the usual table.
Lily joined a second later, setting her tray down across from him.
"You're actually eating again," she said, noticing.
Mayson glanced at his tray.
"Yeah."
"I thought you didn't like most of this stuff."
"It's not that bad."
She gave him a look.
"That didn't sound convincing."
He shrugged slightly.
"It's manageable."
"That sounds worse."
"It's honest."
She laughed quietly, shaking her head.
"You're weird."
"So I've heard."
They ate in a comfortable rhythm after that.
No pressure.
No heavy conversation.
Just normal.
And for a moment—
It almost felt easy.
⸻
But not completely.
Because even while sitting there, Mayson could feel it.
Not close.
Not immediate.
But present.
Somewhere beyond the edges of the space.
Watching.
Again.
His grip tightened slightly around the edge of his tray before he forced it to relax.
Not here.
Not now.
Lily noticed the shift—but didn't call it out right away.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly.
"You okay?" she asked.
Mayson glanced at her.
"Yeah."
"You just zoned out for a second."
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
He looked back down at his tray briefly, then up again.
"Just… everything going on around here."
She leaned back slightly in her seat.
"That sounds vague."
"It kind of is."
She studied him for a second.
Then nodded once.
"Alright," she said. "I'll let you have that one."
He gave a small nod in return.
Appreciative.
⸻
The rest of the day passed without anything obvious happening.
Classes.
Practice.
Routine.
Mayson kept everything controlled—his speed, his strength, his reactions.
Normal.
Always normal.
But the feeling didn't go away.
If anything—
It followed.
⸻
By the time the final bell rang, the air outside felt different.
Quieter.
More open.
Lily fell into step beside him as they walked out of the building.
"You heading straight home?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"Same."
They walked side by side down the street, the distance between them comfortable—not forced, not too close.
After a minute, she spoke again.
"You're not going back to the woods anytime soon, are you?"
Mayson glanced at her.
"Not right now."
She nodded.
"Yeah… me neither."
A small pause.
Then she added—
"Not until I know it's not weird out there again."
"That's fair."
She looked at him briefly.
"You'd tell me if something was off, right?"
Mayson held her gaze for a second.
Then answered—
"Yeah."
Simple.
Direct.
And this time—
True.
Lily seemed to accept that.
"Okay," she said.
They reached the point where their paths split.
She slowed slightly.
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
She gave a small smile.
"Try not to overthink everything until then."
Mayson almost smirked.
"No promises."
She laughed softly, then turned and headed down her street.
Mayson watched her go for a second.
Then turned the other way.
⸻
The moment he was alone—
The feeling sharpened.
Not distant anymore.
Closer.
Persistent.
His steps didn't change.
Didn't slow.
But his awareness shifted completely.
Focused.
Locked.
He turned down a quieter street, the noise of the town fading behind him.
And then—
He stopped.
Just slightly.
Enough.
"Still there?" he said under his breath.
The air didn't answer.
But something in it shifted.
Barely.
Mayson's expression didn't change.
But his eyes darkened just a fraction.
"Took you long enough," he added.
Silence.
Then—
A faint movement at the edge of the street.
Not stepping out.
Not revealing.
Just enough to confirm it.
Mayson exhaled slowly.
Not annoyed.
Not surprised.
Just—
Tired of it.
"You're starting to get predictable," he said quietly.
No response.
Of course not.
He tilted his head slightly, considering.
Then shook it once.
"Yeah… didn't think so."
He didn't move toward it.
Didn't chase.
Just turned—
And kept walking.
Because for now—
Watching went both ways.
And he was already paying attention.