CHAPTER EIGHT23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOw492WOLf
The event was in full swing. The students were scattered across the field, participating in different games, cheering, laughing, competing.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vXBWbl22N
But as Musa scanned the crowd, his eyes were drawn to one spot. She was there again.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmXLIkgA0S
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0S2W9Y6QT
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzvDz1U2PS
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutFFU9klNs
He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t yet. Maybe he didn’t know how.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2to4yzHzcy
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLKz5yASFq
But just as quickly as his heart raced, she disappeared into the crowd.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmPCSUEfnQ
Kim23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXXknmYAVH
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQonYZfhJZ
But then I feel it. The eyes. On me.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJ4PzWuZFO
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudmFQ6jNX2
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?”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzg2CJaKpe
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHNM8VI4UT
“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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4RQopwHhO
“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.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAiRf8XnTe
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BhYN54DrE
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.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBaSDGZ4dM
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHicPM3dtG
“Thanks...” I manage to mumble, but my words feel hollow, like they don’t mean anything.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQmQyLEeGM
And then, as if on cue, another boy pops up from behind him. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXepHaXv5qS
“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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHXK6mpxBv
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsEnn5xkXr
“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?”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzKkJlUK0h
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqivNKztMUr
Musa23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NexR1C7zi
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHnSLk2VFi
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1KtFn9tjY
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpr52YMcBj
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQNEyvHiQP
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrPLdphAoB
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhfQdkbMde
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0w7JfH7r2o
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP821awtxxD
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNLyCU65yb
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86utIbl85E
A voice snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNr6isDIoAB
“Musa, you coming to the after-party?”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WEHdpKe6q
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojSzOvlLKa
“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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdilygw5Dz5
“She’s always with them, huh?” Musa said before he could stop himself, his voice a little sharper than he intended.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg41CzTa0kz
Martin gave him a puzzled look. “Who?”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCkgteBcGk
“Her,” Musa said, pointing towards Kim, his jaw tightening. “She’s always with them.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1P7XL7Jzc
Martin shrugged, seemingly unaware of the weight in Musa’s voice. “So? She’s cool, bro. She talks to everyone.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jM1REldLb
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEzPfjjMbo
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.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHX2WyNtKVJ
But it didn’t help. Nothing helped.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XAdjymq4D
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaU6eoGfra
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvmzRcFGcP
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvA7Gttd9cG
It wasn’t fair.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjy2287efmR
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?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eeUQ5XsyM
She didn’t even notice him standing there.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFACNa0jDO3
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aT4iZWSc1
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHnRKlH5I5
It wasn’t just about the race.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDO41KkwUr
It was about Kim.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJeueiWyPY
And for the first time, Musa realized—he didn’t know how to get her to notice him.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsZYDQFOsY
Kim23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgghJ6KFThP
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkYhMz75xe
“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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4HjrmPOcN
I walk faster now, hoping I’ll get far enough away, but it feels like they’re still there, just behind me. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iW94lxDj7
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVpxEPbTxH
But I can’t stop thinking about the eyes. They follow me, even when I turn away.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CjcOkADX4
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9AuPpI3mE
I’ve been trying to shake off the attention all day, but it’s like a cloud I can’t escape. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlcrvNZcNp
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0q1FGbuzv
And then I see him.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRZbLTBNVW
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7G8KQ5Hmv
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMBAr79cIM
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRFgnVr75k
I know it’s crazy. I don’t even know him. I’ve never spoken to him. But maybe that’s the point.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOrTYBckoW
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxY7nBlvry
Before I can second-guess myself, I take a step toward him.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZaJQvF7RT
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYpsNTPiPK
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuJ2091aLN
“Hey,” I say, a little too loud, a little too eager.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xgW4VCekK
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjxgHXtmaz
“Musa, right?”. I read his name from his prefect’s tag on his blazer.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYm7Qt245JL
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79xJJCUSqa
“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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcj5zN7RxcM
“Can I help you with something?”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMA89cgESR
His voice is... softer than I expected. Less guarded. It makes me wonder what’s behind that quietness. Who is he really?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkKeszewpH
“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? 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9S7647696S
“Just felt like talking to someone who’s not trying to impress me for once.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61o8qArIPG
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqC9TkIua6A
“Well,” he finally says, “I’m not good at impressing people, if that helps.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO8xo4H0KT
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeHo8njkCb
“Well, I guess that’s a good start,” I say with a small smile. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoqO8X4ksu
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEyIhGAeU3
“So... what’s your deal, Musa? Why do you keep to yourself?”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESP4275pKH
He looks at me, his expression a little unsure but not hostile. “I just don’t like the noise,” he says simply. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinJ3lIWLsd
“There’s a lot of... distractions, I guess. And I’m not much for them.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UVvJo1wuo
I smile, and it’s strange. It’s easy. Too easy.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tMIhkjFUP
“Yeah,” I say, my voice quieter now, almost as if I’m letting him in on something I’ve been thinking for a while. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQHxbGbTWE
“I get that. It’s hard to find a moment of peace with everyone always making a big deal out of nothing.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvb4XkH2oJ0
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HHY4Ozha9
“I’m glad you’re not like the others,” I say, before I can stop myself.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0z3JYVlX5
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZnKB3MWpV
“Well,” he says, finally breaking the silence, “I guess I’m glad you’re not like the others either.”23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ojRnmNbLW
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBpGchOQIB
And somehow, I feel like maybe this is the start of something real.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53ztsjYVTb
*********23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6mZyO1P2Y
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeiDcvZMSo
“Hey, Juma, I was looking for you,” she says, her tone light but pointed. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsvol7MVqH
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOY00wcbr2
“Hey, Seline!” he calls out, his voice warmer and more animated than it’s been all afternoon.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuZoVqjc4E
Seline grins back, clearly pleased by his reaction. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruduA5ZmHP
“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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YXclGjiYf
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDl1VltVCf0
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsskP4O1Gn
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzKKMOaZmR
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. 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnScvJGhTKm
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu08oLJJbR
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDZ9YydDja
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