C2

I've been avoiding Elio like the plague. Every time I see him coming, I duck into a different hallway or pretend I hadn't seen him. It's not that I don't want to talk to him. It's just that I don't know what to say.

I'm still bothered by Isabella's return to Elio's life, and I hate myself for being such a fool all this time. I assumed I had a chance, but no, Sajarah, you're wrong and delusional to think that. Elio will never see me as anything more than he sees Isabella.

One morning, I'm sitting alone in the garden, eating a snack I bought from the cafeteria. But my mind keeps wandering to Elio. 'I wonder what he's doing right now. Maybe he's with Isabella...' I sighed heavily, the thought ruining my appetite.

Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see Elio standing behind me. My heart skips a beat. 'No..! Focus, Sajarah, don't falter, you foolish bitch!'

"Hey," he says, smiling at me. My eyes soften.

"Elio... You're here?" I ask, confused. He should be with Isabella...

He looked at me as if I were weird to ask such a question. "Of course I am."

I wanted to ask about Isabella, but a lump formed in my throat, so I shut up.

He sat down beside me, and I flinched a bit. I don't know if I'm ready to talk to him. But then I realize I can't keep avoiding him forever. We sit in silence for a few minutes, neither of us knowing what to say.

Finally, Elio breaks the silence. "So, how have you been?" he asks. Right, it's been almost two weeks since I last talked to him, since I started avoiding him as best I could. I look up at the yellow leaves falling from the branches above us. "...I'm good. You?" I look at him with curious, casual eyes.

Elio looks at me. My heart races. Damn you, Sajarah. "You seem a little... off," he says. I look away. "I'm fine." His thick eyebrows furrow. "Sajarah, what's wrong?" he asks. I look at him. His eyes are full of concern. A lump forms in my throat. I hate this.

Elio looked at me for a long time, his expression serious. "I know you've been avoiding me," he said. "And I want to know why." I can barely breathe, pressured by his soft voice... "I've just been really busy with schoolwork, Elio."

Elio shakes his head. "Don't lie to me, Sajarah," he said. "I know you better than that. Something's wrong, and I want to know what it is."

I look down at his hand near mine, my heart aching. I want to tell him the truth, to tell him how I feel about him. But I'm too scared. I don't want to lose him as a friend. So, I pull my hand away. "I'm sorry, Elio," I say. I sigh. "It's nothing, Elio," I say. "I'm just going through a rough patch, that's all."

I know I can't keep lying to him. So, I turn and walk away, leaving Elio sitting there on the bench. I don't know what his expression is, but it hurts too much to even look back.

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