There was a silence. A thick one. Xavier just stared—his usual haunting, unreadable expression—and Sid shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other.
I was gearing up to throw another sarcastic missile his way when I finally noticed it.
Sid's smile had dimmed.
Her shoulders were hunched slightly.
I frowned and turned to her, my irritation instantly melting.
"Hey," I said, quieter now. "You good?"
She blinked like I'd snapped her out of something. "What?"
"You look... off. What's wrong?"
She gave a small, too-quick shrug and busied herself rearranging her books like they hadn't already been stacked perfectly. "Nothing. Just... you know. School. Exams. Life. The usual."
That was a lie.
Even Xavier's gaze sharpened a little.
But before I could press, he finally—finally—stood up from my bed.
"I'll go," he said, flat and reluctant. Like it physically pained him to walk away.
I shot him a look. "Through the door this time, thank you very much."
He didn't respond, just walked past both of us with his usual smooth, silent steps, his presence still somehow lingering even after he opened the door.
At the threshold, he paused.
"See you at the ball," he said softly, then disappeared into the hallway before.
I sighed
Sid didn't speak.
And that? That was more unsettling than anything Xavier Cage could ever do.
I turned to her, expression soft. "Okay, talk. What's really going on?"
I left my books, sat on the bed and patted the space next to me.
Sid hesitated before dragging her feet over and perching like a bird, hands tucked tightly in her lap. She stared down at her knees, silent.
"Sid," I said gently, "you know you can tell me anything, right?"
She nodded without looking up.
"Is it about the ball?" I asked, keeping my voice light. "Because, same. I wasn't planning to go anyway. Screw fancy dresses and slow songs."
Still nothing.
I tilted my head. "Sid?"
She let out a small breath. "It's stupid."
"I still wanna hear it."
She chewed on her bottom lip, then mumbled, "No one's ever asked me. Like, ever."
That made my chest tighten.
I sat up straighter. "What? No way. You're smart, funny, adorable—"
"I'm weird, Coco," she cut in softly. "Im not pretty . I wear glasses thicker than my chemistry textbook, I have braces, and I look like a walking noodle."
"Correction: you are a magical noodle," I teased, nudging her shoulder gently. "You are beautiful. And I love you exactly like this."
She finally gave me a faint smile. "I know you do. But no one else does. And every year when the ball comes around, I pretend I don't care, but I do. Just... a little."
My heart broke a little. I reached over and pulled her into a hug, tight and warm. "Well, screw them. I care. And if I could clone a dozen charming, respectful boys who worship the ground you walk on, I'd hand them out like party favors."
She laughed into my shoulder, muffled. "You'd make a terrible fairy godmother."
"I'd still rock the wand though."
We stayed like that for a second, wrapped in the soft silence.
Then Sid pulled back and wiped her nose. "Thanks, Coco."
"Anytime."
I leaned back on my palms, giving her a lopsided grin. "You know what? Screw dates."
Sid blinked at me. "What?"
"We'll go together. Just the two of us. Who needs some awkward tuxedo-wearing boy dragging us around when we can rock that ballroom ourselves?"
"You're serious?"
"Yes." I said.
Her smile slowly stretched wider, and I felt that little bubble of triumph rise in my chest.
"We'll get dressed up," I added, "dance like idiots, and sneak snacks into our bags. If anyone gives us weird looks, we blind them with glitter."
"Coco, we don't have glitter."
"I'll find glitter."
She laughed — properly this time — and the sound made my heart feel a little lighter.
"Okay," she said finally, still a bit hesitant, "we'll go. Together."
"Damn right we will."
With that settled, she settled on the floor with her legs crossed and sighed, "You're still not done with Mr Pierce's assignment ?"
"Yep." I reached for my notes. "This, is torture. "
She chuckled and leaned her head against the edge of the bed. "I'll just sit here and keep you company. But don't expect me to be helpful,"
"Wouldn't dream of it."
She made a face and stole one of my pens. "I'm moral support."
I smiled to myself as I opened my notebook. It felt good — this quiet moment, the laughter, the pact. No dates, no boys, no drama.
*****
That evening, I reached the seniors block just in time. Evan came in and sat next to me before the class began.
Mr. Pierce's monotone voice filled the air. To be honest, I wasn't even focused on what he was saying. I just wanted this day to be over with.
Evan probably noticing my uninterested stance spoke,
" Do you get anything he's saying?"
I was just getting into a conversation with Evan when the door creaked open near the end of class. I didn't need to look—I knew that walk, that heavy silence that followed him like a storm cloud.
Xavier.
I kept my eyes on Evan, but I could feel him—his presence was impossible to ignore. Like a shift in gravity. He didn't say a word as he moved to the back of the class, sliding into the only empty seat like he owned the place. And of course, he didn't look at me. Not directly. Not anymore.
Evan was mid-sentence, talking about some crap about the history of..... Calculus? Pizza? I don't know I just nodded along, trying to focus, but I couldn't help glancing toward the back of the room. Xavier sat still, arms crossed, eyes on the board—but I wasn't fooled. His jaw was tight, and his posture screamed tension.
I tried to ignore it. I really did.
"So anyway," Evan paused, "are you even listening to me? ."
"Mhm," I hummed, trying to act normal. But it was hard to concentrate when the temperature around me seemed to have dropped by ten degrees. I caught Xavier looking at us. Just once. Just enough to catch the steel in his eyes before he turned away again.
Evan glanced over his shoulder, then back at me with a crooked grin. "He's hates this."
"What?" I frowned.
He tilted his head, amused. " You Sitting next to me. Talking to me."
I rolled my eyes. "He doesn't care," I muttered, maybe a bit too fast. "He doesn't even like me. And the feeling's mutual."
Evan gave me a look that made me want to squirm. Like he knew something I didn't. But thankfully, he let it go.
Still, I could feel Xavier's stare like a weight. It made no sense. He barely talked to me all day, acted like I was an inconvenience—but the second someone else gave me attention, he turned into stone.
The worst part? A stupid part of me liked that he cared. If he cared. Which he didn't.
I shook the thought away and focused on Mr. Pierce, who was now animatedly explaining something on the board. I didn't catch the first part, but it didn't matter. I had my assignment ready. I was here, at least half-focused. That was all I could give tonight.
But as I took a breath, I felt it again—that pull, like something tethering me to the back of the room.
I didn't turn around. I didn't have to. I knew he was watching.