he is real..

The rain felt heavier that day.

Not louder.

Not stronger.

Just—

Closer.

Maria Edwards walked into school without her umbrella.

Again.

Her hair was slightly damp, her sleeves cold against her skin, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Because her thoughts weren’t on the rain.

They were on him.

David.

“…I like you too.”

The words echoed in her mind, over and over again.

Soft.

Certain.

Real.

She held onto them like something fragile.

Like if she thought about them too much—

They might disappear.

When she entered the classroom, she didn’t even look anywhere else.

Straight to the back.

And there he was.

Relief settled in her chest instantly.

“…You’re here.”

She didn’t realise she had said it out loud.

David looked at her.

A faint smile forming.

“…I said I would be.”

She smiled back.

Small.

But real.

Maria sat down, her movements lighter than usual.

For a moment—

Everything felt normal again.

Until—

“…Maria?”

She turned.

Her friend was staring at her.

Not confused.

Not amused.

Concerned.

“…Who are you talking to?”

Maria blinked.

“…What?”

“You just said ‘you’re here’ to… no one.”

A pause.

Maria turned slowly.

David was sitting right there.

Looking at her.

“…I’m not talking to no one,” she said.

Her friend frowned.

“There’s literally no one behind you.”

Maria’s chest tightened.

“…Stop joking.”

“I’m not joking.”

Silence.

Maria looked at David again.

He didn’t say anything.

But his expression had changed.

Softer.

Almost…

Sad.

“…They just don’t notice,” he said quietly.

Maria swallowed.

Then turned back to her friend.

“You just don’t see him.”

Her friend’s expression shifted.

From confusion—

To something else.

“…Maria, there’s no one there.”

“I said you just don’t see him.”

Her voice was firmer this time.

The conversation ended there.

But the feeling didn’t.

All through class, Maria could feel it.

The looks.

The whispers.

“…She’s talking to herself again.”

“…Is she okay?”

“…That’s kind of weird…”

Maria ignored all of it.

Because beside her—

David was real.

He spoke.

He listened.

He was there.

That was enough.

At lunch, she didn’t wait.

She walked straight to the covered walkway.

And like always—

He was there.

The rain fell steadily, creating a soft curtain around the empty courtyard.

“You heard them,” Maria said quietly as she stood beside him.

“…Yeah.”

She looked down at her hands.

“…Does it bother you?”

A pause.

“…No,” he said.

Then softer—

“…It bothers me for you.”

Maria looked at him.

“…Why?”

He didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he watched the rain.

“…Because you’re the only one who has to deal with it.”

Her chest tightened slightly.

“…I don’t care,” she said.

And she meant it.

“I know you’re here.”

Silence.

David turned to her slowly.

“…Maria.”

Something about the way he said her name—

Made her heart ache.

“…What?”

He hesitated.

For a moment—

It looked like he was going to say something important.

Something he had been holding back.

But then—

“…Nothing.”

Maria frowned.

“You keep doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Stopping.”

A pause.

“…Some things are hard to say.”

Maria stepped a little closer.

“…Then don’t think. Just say it.”

David looked at her.

His expression softened again.

“…That’s exactly why I don’t.”

She didn’t understand that.

But she didn’t push.

Instead—

She said something else.

“…I meant what I said yesterday.”

His eyes flickered slightly.

“…I know.”

“I don’t regret it.”

Silence.

“…I know that too.”

Maria took a breath.

“…Then why do you look like you do?”

David didn’t answer.

But his hand shifted slightly on the railing.

Closer to hers.

Not touching.

Just—

Close.

“…Because I do too,” he said quietly.

Maria’s heart skipped.

“…You regret it?”

He shook his head.

“…No.”

A small pause.

“…I don’t regret liking you.”

Then softer—

“…I just wish it was easier.”

Maria’s chest tightened again.

“…It is easy.”

She turned to him fully now.

“You’re here. I’m here. That’s all that matters.”

For a moment—

David just looked at her.

Like he wanted to believe that.

Like he almost did.

But not completely.

“…Yeah,” he said quietly.

But it didn’t sound certain.

The bell rang again.

Students began moving inside.

Maria didn’t.

“…David.”

“…Yeah?”

She hesitated.

Then—

She reached out.

Slowly.

Carefully.

And took his hand.

For a second—

He froze.

Like he wasn’t expecting it.

Like he wasn’t sure if he should.

But then—

He held her hand back.

Gently.

And in that moment—

Maria smiled.

Because to her—

That was proof.

He was real.

No matter what anyone said.

No matter what anyone thought.

He was real.

And she wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from her.

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