CHAPTER EIGHT25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06xgUoPRoU
The event was in full swing. The students were scattered across the field, participating in different games, cheering, laughing, competing.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbh46yFusQ
But as Musa scanned the crowd, his eyes were drawn to one spot. She was there again.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBKnCvSDIL
This time, there was no ribbon. But Musa remembered the yellow ribbon the way someone remembers an old song—not just the melody, but the feeling that came with it. The feeling of being a little out of place, of being in the middle of something but still searching for something deeper. That’s how he remembered her from last year, and he saw it now in the way she moved—hesitant, yet curious.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKrcdYA2jK
Musa watched her from a distance, feeling that familiar flutter in his chest. Her hair was loose, not tied back with a ribbon like before, but there was still something about her, something that made him feel like he knew her, even though they had never really spoken.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqN3lMvp0JM
The yellow ribbon had become more than just a symbol of her uniqueness. It was a marker of a moment in his mind, one that lingered in his thoughts for a year. He couldn’t help but watch her, his gaze following her across the field, even though he didn’t approach. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmjMhcBa1t
He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t yet. Maybe he didn’t know how.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin33uMynQN
But he knew one thing for certain: he couldn’t let the chance pass him by again. She was here now—right in front of him. And he was going to find a way to make that connection. To finally talk to her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8ggpVcwXX
But just as quickly as his heart raced, she disappeared into the crowd.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oVu4nqOEX
Kim25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrCCO5lNhs
The sun is blazing overhead, casting shadows on the grass beneath my feet. My heart’s still pounding from the last race, and I’m trying to catch my breath, but I can’t ignore the feeling that something’s... off. I look around, hoping for a quiet corner to breathe, but of course, there's no escaping the noise. Everyone's cheering, laughing, running around. The annual sports day has this buzz to it, the whole school in motion, and I’m just... here. Trying not to stand out, trying to blend in like the others.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfJ1PWDfa9
But then I feel it. The eyes. On me.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmC7aFTXeJ5
At first, I think it’s nothing. I’ve gotten used to them. It's not like I'm new to school anymore—I'm not a mono. But today, there's something different about the way they’re looking at me. It’s like the air between us thickens every time I walk by, their gazes following my every step.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAS25w18xF
Then Seline appears out of nowhere, blocking my path with a too-sweet smile on her face. “Hey, Kim,” she says, casually like we’ve been talking for ages. “You going for the long race?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuzSj9beGM
I’m not sure what to say. Her breath smells like the soda I know she has just had, sweet and too strong. “Maybe... if I can get the nerve,” I reply, trying to smile but feeling like it’s forced.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuQlA0mF6p
“You’ll do great,” she says, and then her eyes flicker to my back. She leans in a little too close for comfort, like as if we're old friends and I really wouldn’t mind.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5XilUZTVo
“You have company. He’s really cute” she says and adds as she walks away from me as if not fast enough for her laughing. “Try not to lose him like the race.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKSLE7jUJg
I’m confused, not sure how to respond. But before I can back away, another voice cuts through the tension. I didn’t even see him approach, but now he’s standing right there, a little too close to me too. He’s got that look, the one that makes me feel like he’s studying me, picking me apart. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWggsBUDNJ
His voice is low and casual, like he’s just making conversation, but there’s something behind it. “Don’t listen to her,” he says, tilting his head toward Seline now completely lost in the crowd. “I think you’ll blow them all away. You look like a natural athlete.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUm7hn3iiyq
Natural? Athlete? I don’t even know how to respond. Why is he saying that? It doesn’t make sense. I’m not an athlete. I don’t even want to race. But there’s that weird flutter in my chest again—the one that makes my stomach twist, even though I know it’s all just small talk.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDyUIrZHBn
“Thanks...” I manage to mumble, but my words feel hollow, like they don’t mean anything.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeXAGgsTqz
And then, as if on cue, another boy pops up from behind him. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHNR7LXF78
“Hey, Kim, don’t you think it’s time someone taught you how to win? You should join me for the relay race. I’ll be your partner,” he calls out in a voice that’s loud enough for everyone to hear.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxD3hPJkva
I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. My stomach twists. I want to say something. I want to shut them down, but the words don’t come. Instead, I stand there, frozen, not knowing how to escape this conversation that feels like it’s not really a conversation at all.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxDnp3mPGd
“Come on, Kim, what’s the matter?” the first boy prods, stepping closer. “You scared to race in front of everyone? You’re going to embarrass yourself?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8uBWgw6CH
The laughter from his friend is like a dull echo in my ears. It’s not funny. Not to me. It’s like they’ve turned it into a joke, and I’m the punchline. The more they tease me, the more it feels like I’m sinking, like I’m not even me anymore. I’m just this thing for them to joke about.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAbFMfZS0F
Musa25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j4TWdrtIQ
Musa stood on the edge of the field; his arms crossed tightly across his chest as his eyes followed Kim from a distance. A relay race was happening nearby, but it barely registered in his mind. His focus was on her—and the way she seemed to fit so effortlessly into the scene.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aHz1ezcKx
She was talking to some older Form Four seniors, her laughter ringing out across the field, and Musa felt his stomach tighten. One was leaning in too close, his hand brushing against her arm in a way that felt too familiar, too comfortable. Musa tried to ignore it, tried to look at something else, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Every time she smiled, every time she laughed, it felt like the boys were stealing something from him. Something he couldn’t even name.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkOriSmSKv
He tried to tell himself it didn’t matter. She was just talking to them. It wasn’t anything. It shouldn’t bother him. But it did.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zRxo9rWDR
Musa had watched Kim for a longtime now—he’d been aware of her, from a distance. She was always there, part of the event, but never in the spotlight. Last year, she’d barely caught his attention. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOsTzWCaTa
She was just another face, one of the many in the sea of girls. But this year—this year, everything had changed. She wasn’t just another girl. She was the one. And the way she’d blossomed into someone everyone seemed to flock to—it bothered him more than he wanted to admit.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKGHLbVk4q
She was now with a group of girls from her school. One of the girls said something to her that made her laugh again. It was a soft, easy laugh, one that made it clear they shared something—something he didn’t have access to. It was the way she leaned in, the way her eyes sparkled. Everything about her in this moment was open and alive, and Musa hated that he couldn’t be the one to make her laugh like that.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot8uM0qpWm
The frustration simmered in his chest, tightening around his ribcage. He was used to control, used to being the one people noticed, the one who commanded attention. But with her, it was different. She had the power. It was always her choice, always her moment to share with whoever she pleased. And right now, she was sharing it with someone else.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxupUHuU0KL
He could feel the jealousy rising inside him like a slow burn. It was irrational, but he couldn’t stop it. Every time a boy leaned in a little too close, or another interrupted with some joke, Musa felt a deeper frustration. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYICWP71o7
She wasn’t just talking to them—she was one of them. She belonged there, in that circle. And Musa wasn’t sure where he fit anymore.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLBnabHWrM
He shifted uneasily, trying to force himself to focus on the race, to pretend like he didn’t care, but the scene on the field kept pulling him back. Kim was laughing again, her head tilted back, her eyes alight with something he couldn’t touch. The boys were all around her now—and even a few others from his class. The group seemed to close in on her, and Musa’s sense of helplessness grew. She was never alone.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgWZBVFyTA
A voice snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDjJQ6yLBk
“Musa, you coming to the after-party?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhhlr50H28
It was Martin, one of his classmates, tapping him on the shoulder. Musa turned, his mind still half on Kim, but his attention pulled toward his classmate.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WoQOYH4GR
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he muttered, barely processing the question. His eyes darted back to Kim, who was now talking animatedly with another boy, once again leaning toward her. It never stopped.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlTQicOPwc
“She’s always with them, huh?” Musa said before he could stop himself, his voice a little sharper than he intended.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUmpuyjPVi
Martin gave him a puzzled look. “Who?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQ5GhlbAuk
“Her,” Musa said, pointing towards Kim, his jaw tightening. “She’s always with them.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdfZHVkQoQ
Martin shrugged, seemingly unaware of the weight in Musa’s voice. “So? She’s cool, bro. She talks to everyone.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aJ7RJfvUo
Musa felt the frustration surge again, but he bit back his words. “She’s never alone,” he said quietly, more to himself than to Martin.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIhT4u4Dpd
There was a long silence as Martin processed the words, his expression unreadable. “Well, what do you expect, man? She’s popular. You know how it is.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOr68zdsI8A
But it didn’t help. Nothing helped.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27c7zvykCq
Musa’s gaze flicked back to Kim. She was still surrounded by the boys, still laughing and enjoying herself, and it felt like something deep inside him was twisting. He couldn’t even get close. Every time he tried, another boy stepped in between them, another voice stole her attention. It was like she was untouchable, a person he could observe but never reach.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5K3HndiMR
The thing was, he wasn’t used to not being noticed. He had always been in control, always the one who could make an impression. But with her, everything was different. She was always surrounded by someone. There was never an opening.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXfrP9MvRC
And now, watching her laugh with her new friends, seeing the way they shared some private joke, Musa felt a surge of resentment. He wanted to be the one to make her laugh like that, to be the one to have her attention. But every time he tried to get close, he was shut out.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzS7rVXO7W
It wasn’t fair.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOU2YHLB5q
He wanted to walk up to her, pull her away from the boys, make her see him—really see him. But it was impossible. She was always surrounded, always with them. And the worst part?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay2qFbaibj
She didn’t even notice him standing there.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMb3xL16wTg
Musa turned away, his body tense with the frustration that had been building all afternoon. He could feel the heat of it creeping into his chest, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He didn’t know what to do with it.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACOEbLnRtJ
And so, he walked away, pushing through the crowd, trying to shake off the feeling of being left behind. But it stayed with him. The jealousy. The frustration. The unanswered longing.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBSgZvZNF9
It wasn’t just about the race.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdxZWyQtDx
It was about Kim.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBeJjIPc9i
And for the first time, Musa realized—he didn’t know how to get her to notice him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASLqQH4iuW
Kim25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk70q01v2Ma
I try to laugh it off. Fake it. But I can’t do it. I feel like they’re all waiting for something. For me to crack, to give them a reason to keep going. And I don’t want to give them that.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxBzHofKTg
“I... I think I’ll go back to my friends,” I mutter, stepping away from them, not looking back. But it doesn’t matter. They keep watching me, following my every move.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GaytkxdUd
I walk faster now, hoping I’ll get far enough away, but it feels like they’re still there, just behind me. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKt3JjXJf8
I quicken my pace, head down, trying to disappear into the crowd of girls sitting by the bleachers. I want to hide. I want the ground to swallow me whole.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMNC84faQh
But I can’t stop thinking about the eyes. They follow me, even when I turn away.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWP2Me9ldA3
It’s getting to that point where I can’t stand the noise anymore. The boys, their constant attention, the way they think they’re so clever, so cool, all because they can throw compliments my way or say some silly joke that they think will make me laugh. I’m tired of it. I just want someone to talk to me for who I am, not for the way I look, not for the way I laugh.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwr0UTbMVh
I’ve been trying to shake off the attention all day, but it’s like a cloud I can’t escape. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDR83UGnxrv
They hover around, they follow me, they’re all so eager to prove something—like I care about any of it. I’m so tired of it.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8pebVqwsN
And then I see him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY5hdtpili
I’ve seen him before, of course. He’s impossible not to notice—always hanging out in the back, never really mixing with the crowd. He’s quieter than the others, more distant, like he’s not even interested in being a part of the show everyone else is putting on. I’ve watched him a few times, mostly from a distance. He doesn’t speak much. Never shows up in any of the usual circles, never joins in with the boys who think they own the place.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFcWeRgC0A
Something about that sticks with me. Maybe it’s the way he’s always out of place. Maybe it’s the way he doesn’t care to get attention; how different he is from the others. I don’t know. But now, after hours of feeling like I’m trapped in a cage with all these boys trying to outdo each other, I find myself staring at him across the field.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfeehPvY3k
There’s something about him. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s so... different. So away from all of this. He’s just standing there by the edge of the crowd, his hands in his pockets, not trying to impress anyone. The more I look at him, the more I realize that, out of everyone here, he’s the one who hasn’t bothered me at all.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vnD9ioIFm
I know it’s crazy. I don’t even know him. I’ve never spoken to him. But maybe that’s the point.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHlu1YTyHF
I’ve had enough of the constant noise, the boys who think they can pull my attention by talking about their games or how fast they run. I don’t want any of that. I want something real. I want... something different.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dm2bqCqxL
Before I can second-guess myself, I take a step toward him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFUhPpR4Pu
His back is to me, but I know he feels the shift in the air. Maybe it’s because I’m one of the few people brave enough to walk through the crowd without glancing away, trying to look busy while I hide away. But I’m not hiding anymore. Not today. Not anymore.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpigcj1Yqh
When I reach him, he doesn’t turn around right away. For a moment, it’s almost like he’s pretending he doesn’t see me. But I know he does. He knows I’m here.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsxFHPeTZl
“Hey,” I say, a little too loud, a little too eager.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwlZh4wpfa
It sounds forced in my own ears, but I don’t care. I’m here for small talk after all. I’m here because I’ve decided I don’t want to be that girl anymore. The one who’s always on the receiving end of unwanted attention.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwrsWKNVIp
“Musa, right?”. I read his name from his prefect’s tag on his blazer.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrRUPCskxm
He scans around, slowly, like he’s not entirely sure if I’m talking to him or someone else. There’s a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but then it fades. He seems surprised, almost confused. I don’t care. I’m tired of the way the boys in this school have all been so quick to chase me around. Musa is different. He doesn’t play those games.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7FwU4zBYO
“Yeah, that’s me,” he answers, his voice low and hesitant, like he’s trying to figure out why I’m standing in front of him, like he’s trying to understand why I’m talking to him. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQH2RsdHuYx
“Can I help you with something?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrvq8TafQI
His voice is... softer than I expected. Less guarded. It makes me wonder what’s behind that quietness. Who is he really?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVaj3r1zYj
“I don’t know,” I say, and I can feel the words hanging in the air. I shrug, trying to play it cool, but deep down I’m surprised at myself. What the heck am I even doing? 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfoUosMASL
“Just felt like talking to someone who’s not trying to impress me for once.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROTUyKB5nm
His brow furrows slightly, and for a second, I think he’s going to say something defensive, like he’s not the type to be just another guy after me. But then he looks away for a brief second, like he’s thinking it through.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJDiHG6RVj
“Well,” he finally says, “I’m not good at impressing people, if that helps.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBN0RW2dJ8f
I laugh, genuinely surprised. He’s not even trying to make a joke. It’s just... honest. And that’s kind of refreshing. A little weird, but refreshing. I can’t remember the last time someone said something that didn’t feel like a performance.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6SkvGEr9e
“Well, I guess that’s a good start,” I say with a small smile. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChHPZVRhM6
For the first time today, I actually feel like I’m in control of the conversation, like I’m not just a piece of the show. I can feel the weight of the boys’ stares fading into the background. For a moment, it’s just us, standing here.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3VWVYMfYm
“So... what’s your deal, Musa? Why do you keep to yourself?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvYoWH6KfA
He looks at me, his expression a little unsure but not hostile. “I just don’t like the noise,” he says simply. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Qp2u3UGw3
“There’s a lot of... distractions, I guess. And I’m not much for them.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRpPxm0O76
I smile, and it’s strange. It’s easy. Too easy.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GDcDbhozN
“Yeah,” I say, my voice quieter now, almost as if I’m letting him in on something I’ve been thinking for a while. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Bd8lyhFSv
“I get that. It’s hard to find a moment of peace with everyone always making a big deal out of nothing.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ttv7Ow54r
He nods, as if he understands what I’m talking about. It’s the first time today I’ve felt like someone actually gets it—gets what I’ve been feeling all along.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6iERu2Z3c
“I’m glad you’re not like the others,” I say, before I can stop myself.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZDq27rKi2
Musa doesn’t respond right away, but there’s something in his eyes now. Maybe he’s a little more at ease, or maybe he’s just as surprised as I am that we’re actually talking.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhM2fC8eeV
“Well,” he says, finally breaking the silence, “I guess I’m glad you’re not like the others either.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHvJdqsdyk
It’s funny. I don’t even know why I chose him, but here I am, talking to him like he’s someone I’ve known forever. No pretenses. No games. Just two people, both tired of all the noise.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CyQ8DyXJV
And somehow, I feel like maybe this is the start of something real.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJ0O1OtxU4
*********25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0zZWuZpRw
Before she can answer, Seline appears at Kim’s side, her eyes flicking quickly from Kim to Juma. She barely acknowledges Kim, focusing instead on Juma. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7JvO5XmaN
“Hey, Juma, I was looking for you,” she says, her tone light but pointed. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNJOoe9ZQj
Juma glances at Kim, then back at Seline, a little uncertain. Kim expects Juma to stay reserved, but instead, his face lights up with a smile that Kim hasn’t seen before. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZaGsaGxyu
“Hey, Seline!” he calls out, his voice warmer and more animated than it’s been all afternoon.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSahzmalk0d
Seline grins back, clearly pleased by his reaction. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCLDnbPxU4
“Did you see the relay? I thought you’d be at the finish line cheering,” she teases, nudging his arm like it’s the most natural thing in the world.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC7Bl9qvuI
Kim feels a flicker of confusion. She hadn’t expected Juma to be so happy to see Seline-she thought their conversation was going somewhere. Now, watching the easy way Juma and Seline interact, Kim suddenly feels like an outsider, unsure where she stands.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEiK0nDN9t
The conversation shifts; Seline and Juma start talking about something only they seem to understand, leaving Kim on the outside. Kim feels herself fading into the background, suddenly the third wheel in her own conversation.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEpZqpOgwb
The field is a mess of color and noise. It’s sports day, and everyone’s out here-boys and girls clumped together in little groups, some cheering, some sprawled on the grass, others just gossiping or messing around. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrw97ZFVnj
There’s a race happening somewhere, but half the crowd isn’t even watching. They’re too busy with their own drama, their own games. All around them, the field buzzes with the excitement and social energy that sports days bring, drawing people together and sometimes pulling them apart. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqHeni1EsJ
For Kim, the moment is a reminder that in these big, lively groups, connections can shift in an instant-and sometimes, you’re left wondering where you really belong.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3Rjj2dl6P
25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVopB6e13cw
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