As the bell signaling the end of lunch drew closer, Ava and Luna packed up their things. "Alright, see you later," Ava said with a quick wave as she stood, Luna following close behind with her usual calm, unreadable expression.
Daniel and Diana waved back before they returned to their quiet spot. A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps broke the silence, and Aiden appeared, a grin spreading across his face. "Yo," he greeted, giving them a nod.
"Hey," they replied in unison, both smiling. They chatted for a few minutes, catching up on small things—upcoming assignments, class schedules—until Daniel hesitated, glancing down at his hands as if working up the courage to say something.
Finally, he looked up at Aiden. "Hey, you wanna… go sit outside for a bit?" His tone was cautious, like he was testing out the idea himself.
Aiden's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but his grin widened. "Sure, man. Let's go."
The three of them headed down to the schoolyard and found an empty bench. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, each lost in thought, watching groups of students walking past, the soft hum of conversations drifting around them.
After a few minutes, Diana suddenly stood up. "I need to go to the bathroom," she said, excusing herself with a small wave as she headed off.
Left alone with Aiden, Daniel shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to start. After a beat, he took a deep breath. "Aiden, I… I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
Aiden glanced at him, puzzled. "For what?"
Daniel sighed, his eyes fixed on the ground. "For being such a recluse all these years. And… for still being one, even though you keep trying to help me." He paused, searching for the right words. "I know it wasn't my fault, not at first. But… continuing to be like that? That's on me. And I'm sorry."
Aiden was silent, processing Daniel's words. Daniel looked over, noticing the way his friend's face softened, almost as if he didn't know how to respond.
Daniel continued, "I decided… I don't wanna be that person anymore. I want to change. So, yeah… I'm really sorry."
For a second, Aiden looked stunned. Then a big, joyful smile spread across his face. He blinked rapidly, as if holding back tears. "Dude, what the hell—you're gonna make me cry," he laughed, clapping Daniel on the back.
At that moment, Diana returned, catching sight of them laughing together—just like they used to when they were younger. She paused, watching from a distance, feeling a quiet warmth seeing them reconnect. As she approached, Aiden and Daniel looked up, still smiling.
Daniel gestured towards her, still chuckling. "We were just reminiscing," he explained.
"That's nice," Diana replied, though a tiny pang of disappointment tugged at her for missing it. But as she sat back down, Aiden immediately pulled her into the conversation, making her feel included the way he always did.
They stayed there for the rest of lunch break, the three of them together, talking and laughing in a way that felt almost like old times.