Winter sat at his desk, pencil hovering over the math workbook. The numbers on the page seemed to blur together, mocking him. He groaned and slumped back in his chair. With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and opened a chat he had been avoiding all week.

Winter: Hey… did you finish the math homework? 😅

Scar: Hey. Yeah, I finished it last night. You?

Winter: Not yet… I’m struggling with question 5.

Scar: Oh, I can help. Send me a pic of it.

Winter: Thanks! You’re a lifesaver 😭

He snapped a quick photo of the messy worksheet and sent it. Almost immediately, Scar replied.

Scar: Okay, so you… just need to apply the formula we learned yesterday.

Winter: Haha… why do you explain it like that? You make it sound so easy 😩

Scar: Because it is easy 😎

Winter smiled. Scar always had a way of making him feel better—even about something as boring as math.

During lunch, Winter couldn’t help but glance at his phone. Scar had sent another message.

Scar: Btw, I added a little tip for question 7. Check it out when you can. 😉

Winter: You’re literally a genius 😭

He felt a warmth spread through his chest, and he caught himself grinning at nothing. His friends nudged him, asking why he was so distracted.

Friend: Yo, you okay? You’ve been spacing out all morning.

Winter: Huh? Oh… yeah, just… homework stuff. 😅

Over the next few days, chatting with Scar became Winter’s favorite part of school. They shared jokes, memes, and little secrets. Winter found himself laughing more, even during boring classes, just thinking about their conversations.

Winter: Scar… can I ask you something personal?

Scar: Hmm… depends on what “personal” means 😏

Winter: Uhh… do you have someone you like?

Scar: Someone? Maybe 😶 Why do you ask?

Winter: Just curious… I think I like someone… not sure if they feel the same way 😅

Scar: Hmm… interesting…

Winter’s heart raced every time Scar replied. He didn’t even realize he was smiling in class. The way Scar texted was so… effortless. Funny, supportive, teasing just enough to make him blush.

Winter: Scar… can I tell you a secret?

Scar: Sure… spill it 🫣

Winter: I… think I like someone… a lot 😳

Scar: …oh? Like… really like? 😳

Winter: Yeah… it’s confusing.

Winter stared at his phone, hoping Scar wouldn’t think he was too weird.

Scar: Don’t worry… feelings are never simple 😌

Winter: Yeah… thanks, Scar. You always know what to say.

He glanced around the classroom. Everyone was absorbed in their own work, but Winter felt like he was floating above it all. For the first time that week, he actually looked forward to class—and maybe, just maybe, to every message from Scar.

When the final bell rang, Winter’s phone buzzed again.

Scar: Hey… want to go over the homework after school? I think we make a good team 😉

Winter: Absolutely 😁

Winter grabbed his bag, a smile stretching across his face. Little did he know, this friendship was about to become the most important thing in his school life.

The cafeteria was buzzing with noise—clattering trays, laughter, and the occasional shout from the basketball team—but Winter’s attention stayed glued to his phone. A single notification lit up the screen: Scar.

Scar: You survived today’s math class? 😏

Winter: Barely. I’m convinced Mr. Rao is plotting my downfall.

Scar: 😂 Nah, he just hates that you doodle on your notes.

Winter chuckled, glancing at the messy spirals and tiny dragons sketched along the margins of his notebook. He couldn’t help himself—math was boring, and drawing kept him sane.

After school, Winter waited under the old banyan tree near the library, pretending to scroll through social media. His friends had already left for their sports practice, but Scar had promised to drop by.

Minutes passed. The late-afternoon sun cast golden stripes across the courtyard. Just as Winter was about to leave, his phone vibrated again.

Scar: Sorry! Got held up by the science teacher. Be there in 3.

Winter: You’re forgiven… but only because I need your brain to survive algebra 😩

Three minutes later, footsteps approached. Winter looked up, expecting—he wasn’t sure what. But Scar didn’t give much away. Bag slung casually over one shoulder, voice calm, face hidden partly by the low sun, Scar dropped onto the bench beside him like they’d done this a thousand times.

They went through the homework together, but Winter found it impossible to focus. Scar’s handwriting was precise, their explanations clear—but Winter’s thoughts kept drifting. He noticed the way Scar tilted their head while thinking, the quick grin after a joke, the quiet patience.

When Scar leaned over to point at a problem, Winter felt his heartbeat pick up. It was ridiculous—Scar was supposed to be just a friend. Or at least, that’s what Winter kept telling himself.

A breeze swept through, rustling the papers. One sheet flew off the bench. Both of them reached for it at the same time, fingers brushing for the briefest moment. Winter froze.

Scar smirked.

Scar: Careful, Winter. You’re gonna lose all your hard work.

Winter: Y-yeah… can’t let that happen.

They continued working, but the air felt different—charged, somehow.

As the sun dipped lower, Scar packed their things.

Scar: Same time tomorrow? You need all the help you can get. 😉

Winter: Rude… but yes. Thanks, Scar. Seriously.

Walking home, Winter replayed every detail in his head. The brush of fingers. The teasing grin. The way his chest had tightened.

He pulled out his phone one more time.

Winter: Thanks again today. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

Scar: You’d probably fail math and draw more dragons. 😎

Winter: True… but I’d miss this.

Scar didn’t reply right away, but when the message finally came, it made Winter’s heart skip.

Scar: …Yeah. Me too.

Winter shoved the phone into his pocket, a smile tugging at his lips. Whatever this was—it wasn’t just homework anymore.

𝐀 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝.

𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡, 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝.

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫’𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲.

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦.

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫?

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞—𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬. 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬.

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟, 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝.

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲’𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝. 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 😔

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫: 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦. 𝐓𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬.

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝. 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞.

𝐇𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭, 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝, 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

𝐇𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧—𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥.

“𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫,” 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞. “𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝’𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫.”

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝. “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭? 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐦𝐞.”

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦.

“𝐈’𝐦… 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬.”

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝. “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧?”

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡. “𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬… 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐞, 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭—𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞.”

𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦, 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰.

“𝐒𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠…” 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭, “…𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐲?”

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝. “𝐍𝐨. 𝐌𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞’𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭. 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫.”

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐀 𝐝𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡.

“𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐲,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐥𝐲, “𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫’𝐬 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝. “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞… 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝?”

“𝐌𝐚𝐝?” 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝. “𝐍𝐨. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝, 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐫𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, “𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫.”

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧. “𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧… 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲.”

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡. “𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭, 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐀 𝐥𝐨𝐭. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫.”

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫’𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝. “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡.”

𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐝. “𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞.”

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐝𝐞. “𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐲.”

“𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝.

𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦, 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐫𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚, 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.