The next few days passed in a blur. Dalton found himself thinking about Vanessa more than he expected—about their quiet interactions in class, the shy smiles, and the way her face lit up when she talked about her drawings. It was strange how, after years of barely noticing her, she was suddenly on his mind all the time.
In class, they continued to sit next to each other, and slowly, the awkwardness began to fade. They didn't talk much at first—just small conversations about the class or the weather. But every now and then, they'd share a glance, or Vanessa would show him something in her notebook, and Dalton would feel something inside him shift.
It wasn't much, but it was enough.
***
One afternoon, as Mr. Tamm went over the phases of the moon, Dalton found himself glancing at Vanessa's notebook.
She was scribbling something in the corner of the page, and at first, Dalton thought it might be another one of her sketches. But as he leaned over to get a better look, he realized it wasn't a drawing—it was her signature.
Vanessa noticed him looking and gave him a small, shy smile, tilting the notebook slightly so he could see it more clearly. Next to her neatly written name was a tiny drawing of a bear, its face round and cute, as if it were her personal stamp on every page.
"You're so good at signatures!" Dalton whispered, smiling back. "I don't think I could ever do something like that."
Vanessa's cheeks flushed, and she looked down at her notebook, clearly embarrassed but pleased. "It's just something I do." she mumbled, her voice soft. "I've always liked adding a little drawing to my name."
Dalton nodded, admiring the tiny bear. "I'd probably mess it up every time personally" he joked lightly, hoping to ease the awkwardness. Vanessa giggled softly, and for a moment, Dalton felt the connection between them grow just a little stronger.
Their interactions continued to grow from there.
The next time they worked on an assignment together, it felt more natural, like they were starting to become comfortable around each other. They shared notes, exchanged small jokes about the class, and even laughed when Mr. Tamm made one of his usual enthusiastic comments about the wonders of space.
During one class, as they were finishing up an assignment, Vanessa hesitated for a second before turning to Dalton. "Hey... do you watch anime? I know you noticed my drawings, so I thought maybe..."
Dalton blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, I watch some stuff. But actually, I make AMVs and edits. You know, anime music videos."
Vanessa's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait, seriously? You make AMVs? That's so cool! What do you use to edit? I've heard some people use CapCut or Sony Vegas..."
Dalton smiled, glad she was interested. "I use After Effects mostly. It's a bit more complicated, but I've gotten used to it."
Vanessa's face lit up even more. "After Effects? That's amazing! I tried using CapCut, but I was never any good at it. I couldn't figure out the transitions or get the timing right."
Dalton nodded, understanding her struggle. "Yeah, CapCut's good for simple stuff, but it's hard to really get everything perfect. After Effects gives you more control, but it takes a while to learn."
Vanessa leaned in closer, clearly excited. "I'd love to see your edits sometime. Do you post them anywhere?"
"Yeah, I post them sometimes." Dalton replied, feeling a spark of excitement. "I can show you."
Vanessa reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. "Here, let's swap Instagrams. I want to check out your stuff."
Dalton fumbled for his own phone, surprised but happy at how easily the conversation had turned. They exchanged Instagram handles, and for the first time, Dalton felt like this was real. They weren't just sitting next to each other in class—they were connecting outside of it, too.
***
A few days later, they started texting.
It started off small, just a few messages here and there about class or anime, but soon they were texting more frequently. Their conversations became playful, and Dalton found himself looking forward to each notification from Vanessa.
One afternoon during class, Dalton glanced over at Vanessa and noticed that, instead of taking notes, she was drawing again. He smirked and sent her a quick message on Instagram.
Dalton: You know, you're supposed to be taking notes, not creating your next art masterpiece.
Vanessa's phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen, her eyes widening slightly before she looked over at Dalton, a playful smile tugging at her lips. She quickly typed back.
Vanessa: Shhh, this is my creative process. The moon's phases are inspiring me!
Dalton stifled a laugh and replied.
Dalton: Oh, so the moon's just another muse for your art, huh?
Vanessa: Exactly! I'll have a whole moon-themed anime by the end of this class at this rate.
Dalton shook his head, grinning. He could feel their connection deepening with each playful exchange. Texting her made everything feel easier, more natural, and he liked the way their banter flowed. The awkwardness from before had turned into something more comfortable, and he found himself teasing her more often, enjoying how she always had a witty comeback.
***
At home, things were falling apart.
His parents' arguments had gotten worse. The tension in the house was unbearable, and now it wasn't just about money or jobs. Dalton's mother had started accusing his father of cheating. The accusations came out of nowhere, sharp and venomous, and they escalated the fights to a level Dalton hadn't expected.
"You're never here anymore!" his mother screamed one night, her voice echoing through the walls.
"You're always out late, and I know it's not just work. You think I'm stupid? I know what's going on!"
His father's voice was deep and angry, but defensive. "You're paranoid! I'm working! I'm trying to keep this family together while you're here tearing it apart!"
Dalton sat in his room, headphones on, trying to block out the noise, but it didn't help. How long could this go on? He had started spending more time at the park or lingering at school just to avoid being home.
In class, though, Vanessa was becoming his refuge.
The more time they spent texting, the more Dalton looked forward to seeing her in Earth/Space Science. It wasn't just about the lessons anymore—it was about her. Vanessa was slowly becoming the one bright spot in his day, the one thing that helped him forget about the chaos at home.
They were still awkward around each other in person, but it was a different kind of awkward. It wasn't the nervous, stammering kind. It was more like they were figuring each other out, step by step, and with each small conversation or shared laugh, Dalton felt like they were getting closer.