The late afternoon sun dipped low over the campus, painting the hallways in amber and rose. The Education building buzzed with the after-class shuffle—students spilling out of classrooms, voices overlapping in chatter, footsteps echoing on the tiled floors. Some hurried to catch rides, others lingered in corners, laughing in small groups.
Jade walked in the middle of his circle, flanked by Aizen, Nics, Skyler, and Blake. His notebook was tucked tightly against his chest, his grip almost too firm, as though it held more than paper like it held the secret weight of his life.
Blake’s voice cut through the crowded hallway. “Quiz tomorrow!” He groaned so loudly that students turned their heads. “Why do professors love watching us suffer? Do they wake up in the morning and think, ‘How can I ruin my students’ lives today?’”
“Maybe because you never study,” Aizen replied flatly without looking up from the book balanced in his hands. His tone was sharp, precise the way he always spoke, like his words were knives meant to cut down Blake’s whining.
Skyler adjusted his glasses and chuckled softly. “He’s right, Blake. You spend more time complaining than reviewing.”
“Excuse me for being passionate about my pain,” Blake said, clutching his chest as though wounded. His dramatics earned a few amused glances from passing classmates.
Jade didn’t join in. He never did. Instead, he let the sound of their banter wash over him like familiar background music. It was comfortable, predictable an anchor against the restlessness inside him. He smiled faintly, just enough that Skyler noticed, though Jade quickly looked away.
But that fragile calm shattered the moment he noticed the group at the far end of the hallway.
White uniforms—crisp, clean, distinct. MedTech students.
And among them, walking with easy grace, was Danielle.
His presence seemed to shift the air itself. The late sun caught on his uniform, making him glow against the muted colors of the hallway. He laughed at something a classmate said, the sound clear and unforced, a sound that made Jade’s chest tighten.
Jade’s gaze lingered, caught, and before he could school his expression, Blake’s sharp eyes caught it.
“Ohhh,” Blake drawled, a grin spreading across his face like wildfire. “Look who it is.”
Jade stiffened. “Don’t.” His voice was firm, but his ears burned.
Of course, Blake ignored him. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted far louder than necessary: “Hey! MedTech guy!”
The hallway seemed to hush. Danielle stopped mid-step, turning toward the sound. His eyes scanned the group—and then landed directly on Jade. Recognition flickered instantly. His face brightened, his smile widening like sunlight breaking through clouds.
“Jade, right?” Danielle called back, his voice warm and certain.
Jade froze. Heat climbed up his neck as Aizen’s sharp gaze darted to him, Skyler tilted his head in quiet curiosity, and Blake looked like he had just won the lottery.
“You two know each other?” Blake said, feigning innocence.
Danielle didn’t wait for an answer. He excused himself from his group with a casual wave and began walking toward them, his steps confident, unhurried. Every beat of his shoes against the floor echoed in Jade’s chest like a drum.
“Jade,” Danielle greeted once he reached them, his smile softer now, as if meant only for him. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
Jade swallowed hard. “I—I’m always here. Education building.”
Danielle laughed lightly, the sound disarming. “Right. That makes sense.” His eyes flicked briefly to Jade’s friends before returning to him. “Heading home?”
Blake jumped in immediately, draping an arm over Jade’s shoulder. “We were just about to grab snacks at the cafeteria. Jade was dying to come along.”
Jade shot him a glare sharp enough to cut, but Blake only smirked wider.
Danielle tilted his head, a playful spark in his gaze. “Is that so? Mind if I join?”
The words hit Jade like a storm he wasn’t ready for. He opened his mouth to protest, but Skyler beat him to it with his gentle smile. “Of course. More the merrier.”
Even Aizen, who rarely welcomed new people into their circle, didn’t object. He simply closed his book with a quiet snap, eyes flicking between Jade and Danielle like he was assessing a puzzle.
And so, before Jade could stop it, Danielle was walking beside him, their shoulders brushing faintly as the group made their way to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was its usual chaos—students crowding tables, trays clattering, the air thick with the scent of fried food and coffee. Blake immediately dashed to the food counter, dragging Skyler along to “help carry.” Aizen, ever independent, wandered toward the far side to claim a table.
That left Jade and Danielle, standing awkwardly in the middle of the bustling room.
“You eat here often?” Danielle asked, shifting his tray in his hands.
“Sometimes,” Jade answered softly. “Depends on the day.”
“Same,” Danielle said. “Though MedTech schedules are brutal. Sometimes I’m lucky if I get to eat at all.” He laughed, but there was a tired edge to it.
Jade found himself frowning. “That’s not good for you.”
Danielle looked at him with surprise then smiled, slower this time. “You sound like you care.”
Jade’s ears warmed. “I just mean… health is important.”
“Spoken like a true future teacher,” Danielle teased lightly. “But… thanks. It’s nice hearing that.”
The sincerity in his tone made Jade’s chest ache. He lowered his gaze, hiding in silence until Blake’s loud voice called them over.
The group settled around a long table. Blake immediately launched into a story about a failed basketball attempt, Skyler listening patiently, Aizen adding dry commentary that made Blake groan dramatically.
Danielle fit in surprisingly well. He laughed at Blake’s antics, nodded thoughtfully at Skyler’s explanations, and even managed to get a small smirk out of Aizen with a sharp observation of his own.
But every now and then, Jade caught Danielle glancing at him quick, subtle, like he was checking to see if Jade was still there. Each time, Jade’s heart skipped, and he quickly looked away.
By the end of the meal, Jade felt both exhausted and strangely light, like he’d been holding his breath all day and only now remembered how to exhale.
When the group finally parted ways outside the cafeteria, Danielle lingered.
“Hey,” he said quietly, stepping closer to Jade. His friends were already a few steps ahead, caught up in their usual banter.
Jade looked up, startled. “Yes?”
Danielle shifted his weight, his expression softer now, almost tentative. “Thanks for letting me tag along. It… was nice.”
Jade swallowed, his throat dry. “You don’t need to thank me.”
“But I want to,” Danielle insisted gently. His gaze held Jade’s, unwavering. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
The words weren’t a question, not really. They were a promise, spoken with a certainty Jade didn’t know how to handle.
Jade nodded, unable to speak.
Danielle’s smile widened just a little before he turned and walked away, his white uniform glowing faintly in the dimming light.
Jade stood frozen, his friends’ voices calling him distantly, the campus buzzing around him. For the first time in a long while, he felt something shift inside him—something dangerous, something he wasn’t sure he could stop.
And yet, even as fear whispered in his chest, another voice rose louder, steadier.
The voice of a heart beginning to beat for someone else.
ns216.73.216.168da2
and then Add to home screen.