BRIDGING THE GAP

CHAPTER 1

POV: Me trying to heal, but life said nah.

I was peacefully minding my own business—aka lying in bed like a depressed burrito—when I got *smacked* in the face with a towel.

“Ack—what the—?!” I sat up so fast I probably summoned a demon from the floor.

There stood Synn. Towel-throwing menace. My cousin. My biggest hater. My unofficial therapist.

“You’ve been sulking for two business days, Natnat,” he deadpanned. “Get. Up.”

Me? Sulking?

Okay, yes. But do I have a *reason*? Absolutely.

Ever heard of the emotional apocalypse known as *your crush changing their relationship status to 'In a relationship’* on Facebook?

Yeah.

That happened.

And not just any crush—Zeuk Arched freaking Marlowe. My best friend since 7th grade. The human serotonin I’ve been pining over for *literal years*.

I flopped back on my bed with a groan. “Leave me to rot in peace.”

“No.”

Ugh.

If I lived anywhere else, this would be fine. But since we share a condo, I’m legally not allowed to rot quietly. Synn would file a noise complaint with his mouth. He’s louder than our air fryer when it dies mid-toast.

He ripped the covers off me like I owed him money. “Stop being dramatic. It’s just Zeuk.”

Just Zeuk?

Just the guy who makes my heart do the Macarena every time he breathes near me. Just the guy who told me I looked pretty once and ruined every other compliment for the rest of my life. Just the guy who—

“Earth to Simp City?” Synn waved a hand in front of my face.

I sat up with the energy of a haunted potato. “Bro. I’m literally grieving. This is heartbreak. You’re watching a boy crash and burn in 4K.”

“Heartbreak?” he laughed. “Y’all aren’t even dating. He doesn’t know you like him.”

Exactly.

He doesn’t know.

Because if he *did*…

If he did, I might lose him forever.

You can’t go back to normal once you confess and get rejected, especially not with someone like Zeuk. He’s warm, magnetic, everyone’s favorite person. Losing him? That’d destroy me more than staying silent ever could.

Still, seeing that status update—with Elyn of all people? The Insta-famous, curly-haired, model-looking girl with a jawline sharp enough to cut my feelings? Yeah, it hurt. No, it *devastated* me.

Synn threw another towel at me. “Also, you smell like sadness and old cereal. Shower. Now.”

“Rude.”

“True.”

I sniffed myself and immediately regretted it. Fine. He had a point.

“Okay, okay! I’m moving!” I groaned, dragging my carcass to the bathroom.

Fast forward to me in uniform, hair barely tamed, trying to look like I hadn’t just cried over a Facebook post. Synn was in the kitchen, munching on chips like we weren’t already late for class.

“You could’ve left me, y’know,” I said, grabbing my bag.

“Yeah, and get disowned by Auntie Lou for letting her favorite nephew skip school?” he snorted. “I value my life.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re dramatic.”

“YOU cried over a Facebook post.”

“Touche.”

He was right though—exams were creeping up like a horror movie monster and skipping today would screw me over. I forced myself to focus on that instead of spiraling back into the memory of Zeuk’s status and that tiny, evil red heart emoji beside Elyn’s name.

On the ride to school, I stared blankly out the window like I was in a sad indie movie. Raindrops would’ve made it more dramatic, but unfortunately, the sun was shining like my world *wasn’t* falling apart.

Then my phone buzzed.

I froze when I saw the caller ID.

**Zeuk.**

My stomach did a full somersault. I swear I could hear the “dun dun DUN” sound effect play in real life.

I shoved the phone in Synn’s face. “He’s calling. Do I answer?”

“If you answer, I’m throwing you out of this car,” Synn said without looking away from the road. “You’re not giving simp energy today. We’re reclaiming your dignity.”

“…It’s already halfway gone.”

“Then let’s keep the remaining 2%.”

I sighed and hit “decline.” Immediately felt both proud and sick to my stomach.

Growth hurts.

We finally got to campus and split ways. Synn’s a vet med major. Makes sense. He’s always been soft for animals. The dude once hand-fed a limping pigeon back to health. Meanwhile, I’m a Fine Arts major in Interior Design. I just like making spaces feel safe—probably because I never felt that growing up.

He once asked why I chose it. I told him, “Because decorating gives me control over something. Even if my life’s a mess, at least my room isn’t.”

He didn’t say anything, but later that week he bought me a pack of scented candles and said, “For your aesthetic.”

I still have them. I haven’t lit any.

They smell like peace.

I stepped into class and was hit with chaos. Absolute *visual and auditory warfare*.

One side was gossiping about some influencer cheating on her husband. Another group was in full gaming mode, cussing and spamming buttons. Someone was blending makeup with a brush that looked more expensive than my phone. And someone else was asleep using a sketchpad as a pillow.

No Sir Alan in sight.

Weird. That man shows up even when he’s sick. Once came to class in a neck brace and still made us submit projects.

“Natnat!” a familiar voice called from the back.

Sakai.

I smiled as I walked over to her. She looked like a literal anime character—soft features, dimples, pale skin, and eyes that turned into crescents when she smiled.

“Morning!” she chirped, her tone way too energetic for 8 a.m.

“Hey, Sakai. Any idea where our prof is?”

She grinned. “Getting remarried.”

“What?!”

“To his wife. Again.”

“Oh.”

Honestly, Sir Alan getting married a second time to the same woman was the most romantic thing I’d heard all week. *Unlike some people changing their status with no warning.*

I sat next to her, trying not to let my heartbreak leak into the convo. But of course, Sakai’s next words stabbed me right in the chest.

“So… do you have someone special right now?”

I blinked.

What do I say?

*Yeah, I do. But he’s in love with someone else and I’m just the ‘best friend’ who helps him pick out birthday gifts for his girlfriends while secretly dying inside.*

Yeah. No.

“Not really,” I muttered.

She tilted her head. “Really? You give off ‘secretly in love’ vibes.”

I almost choked on my soul.

“I—what? Me? Nah. I’m just…” I trailed off, lying through my teeth, “Focusing on school.”

She laughed, clearly not buying it. “Whatever you say.”

I turned away, cheeks burning.

And then my phone buzzed again.

A text this time.

**Zeuk:**

> hey, are u ignoring me?

**Zeuk:**