Iris's POV
I didn't sleep properly last night.
No matter how many times I closed my eyes… that moment kept replaying.
The way he looked at me.
I sighed and stared at my reflection.
Dark circles.
Great.
"Perfect," I muttered. "Just what I needed."
I splashed some water on my face, but it didn't help much. My thoughts were still stuck… on him.
Him.
I don't even say his name out loud.
But I've known him for two years.
He joined high school when I was in second year. Back then, everyone talked about how good-looking he was.
But that wasn't what caught my attention.
It was how… calm he was.
No overthinking. No unnecessary reactions.
Even when things went wrong, he looked like he didn't let them stay in his head for long.
I liked that.
Maybe a little too much.
Later, I found out he lived right next to my house.
My grandmother knew them.
And his mother… she used to visit often.
Until the accident.
After that… everything changed.
Grandma stopped smiling as much.
And he…
I don't want to think about that day.
Even before that, we weren't strangers.
We knew each other.
We knew that we knew.
But we never talked.
Just small glances.
Quiet acknowledgments.
Once… he said something.
"Do you still remember—"
I wasn't sure if he was talking to me… or someone on the phone.
So I didn't reply.
And after that,
he stopped looking at me.
Until last night.
I quickly shook my head.
Why am I even thinking so much?
I grabbed my bag and left for school.
---
"Good morning," Anya said as soon as I reached.
"Morning."
She looked at me for a second… then leaned closer.
"Why do you look like you fought with sleep and lost?"
I froze for a moment.
"I didn't sleep well, that's all."
"Hmmm," she narrowed her eyes. "Or… something else?"
I turned away.
Bad move.
She gasped.
"Wait!! don't tell me… something happened!"
"Nothing happened," I said quickly.
She grabbed my arm.
"Tell me."
"No."
"Iris."
"Anya."
She stared at me.
I sighed.
"Fine. It's just… I saw him yesterday."
Her expression changed instantly.
"Ohhh."
"And?"
"And nothing," I said, trying to sound normal.
"We just… looked at each other."
"That's it?"
"Yes."
She went silent for a second.
Then,
"YOU couldn't sleep because of an eye contact?"
"Anya!" I whispered harshly.
She started laughing.
"You're unbelievable."
I opened my notebook immediately.
"Don't distract me. I need to study."
"Oh wow," she smirked. "Serious mode activated. Must be love."
"It's not love."
"Sure."
I ignored her and started writing.
When things got messy in my head…
studying helped.
It always did.
But of course,
Anya wasn't done.
"By the way," she said casually, "I saw something interesting on the school portal."
I didn't respond.
"About the voting."
Still nothing.
Then she leaned closer and whispered,
"He only voted for you."
My pen stopped.
"What?"
"Kaizer," she said slowly. "He didn't vote for anyone else. Just you."
My face went hot instantly.
"That's not...maybe he just...."
"Hubby supports only his wifey."
"ANYA!"
She laughed again while I buried my face in my notebook.
This is so embarrassing.
Why would he do that?
And why does it matter so much?
I tightened my grip on the pen.
Focus.
Study.
Ignore everything.
But no matter how hard I tried…
my mind kept going back to him.
---
Kaizer's POV
I saw her again today.
From a distance.
She looked tired.
But still…
the moment I tried to focus...
nothing.
No thoughts.
Just silence.
Why is it always her?