The next day at school, Elena could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on her. Whispers echoed through the hallways, but for some reason, she couldn't quite pinpoint why. Her mind kept returning to the conversation she had with Liam the day before. They had agreed on a theme for their project—art and writing intertwined—and she couldn't help but feel a sense of calm whenever she thought about it.
Still, things were far from easy. Every time she looked around, she saw people talking, giggling, or glancing at her with their knowing smiles. But none of it seemed to bother her as much as it usually did.
"Hey, Elena, wait up!"
Elena turned to see Hamly walking toward her, her arms crossed. "What's up?" Elena asked, though she could feel a tightness in her chest, unsure of what to expect.
"You're spending time with Liam?" Hamly asked, raising an eyebrow.
Elena blinked. "What?"
"I saw you two talking yesterday in the library." Hamly's voice was casual, but there was a sharp edge to her words.
"Oh, we're just working on the project together," Elena said quickly.
Hamly's lips curled into a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I see. Just be careful. He's not like the others."
Elena frowned. "What do you mean?"
Hamly didn't answer immediately. She glanced around the hallway, and then in a quieter voice, said, "I don't know, Elena. He seems nice enough, but people like him—they don't usually stick around for long."
Elena felt a pang in her chest. She wasn't sure if Hamly was genuinely looking out for her or if there was something deeper she wasn't saying. But before she could respond, Hamly turned and walked away, leaving Elena with more questions than answers.
---
Later that day, Elena sat by herself in the cafeteria. She poked at her lunch, her thoughts still racing from the conversation with Hamly. She wasn't sure if she was overthinking it or if there was some hidden truth behind Hamly's words.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Elena looked up, surprised to see Liam standing beside her. He had a small, shy smile on his face, as if asking permission to join her, even though the seat was empty.
"Uh, sure," Elena said, nodding.
Liam sat down across from her, unpacking his lunch as though he had done it a thousand times. He didn't seem bothered by the awkward silence, but Elena could feel the tension in the air.
"Is everything alright?" Liam asked after a moment, glancing up at her.
"Huh?" Elena blinked, caught off guard.
"You seem a little off today," Liam continued. "You know, if something's bothering you, you can talk to me."
Elena hesitated. Her heart raced, but something about Liam's sincerity made her feel like he meant it. "It's just… Hamly said some things today. She thinks I should be careful around you."
Liam frowned. "Hamly said that?"
"Yeah." Elena's voice dropped, her eyes avoiding his. "She thinks you won't stick around."
Liam's frown deepened, but then he exhaled slowly. "I'm not going anywhere," he said firmly, his gaze locking with hers. "You can trust me."
Elena swallowed. Trust was a hard thing for her, especially after everything that had happened in the past. But the sincerity in Liam's voice made her want to believe him.
"Okay," she said softly, nodding.
"Good," Liam replied, offering her a small smile. "Now, about the project. What do you think of this idea?" He pulled out his sketchbook, flipping it open to reveal a new drawing—a tree, but this time, the branches looked like words, twisted and interwoven into the shape of leaves.
Elena leaned in, studying the drawing with interest. "It's beautiful," she whispered, her fingers tracing the edge of the page. "The branches look like they're telling a story."
Liam nodded. "That's what I was going for. We can write a poem about growth and change, and the tree can represent that."
"I love it," Elena said, her voice full of wonder.
They spent the rest of lunch brainstorming ideas, their project evolving into something more than they had ever expected. As the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period, they packed up their things.
"Want to work on this after school?" Liam asked as they stood up.
"Yeah, that sounds great," Elena replied, a small but genuine smile tugging at her lips.
---
After school, Elena made her way to the library, her heart racing with excitement. She was actually looking forward to spending time with Liam, something she hadn't felt in a long time.
When she arrived, Liam was already sitting at one of the tables, his sketchpad open in front of him. He looked up as she walked in and gave her a warm smile.
"Hey," he said. "Ready to get to work?"
Elena nodded, sitting down beside him. As she took out her notebook, Liam turned the page in his sketchbook, showing her the updated version of the tree. This time, the branches looked more alive, the words flowing from the roots all the way to the top, like a river of thoughts.
"I've been working on this since lunch," Liam said. "What do you think?"
"I love it," Elena said, leaning in to get a better look. "It's… it's like the tree is growing its own story."
Liam's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Exactly! I was thinking we could write a poem that reflects that—the growth of a tree, the flow of words, how both are connected."
"Yeah," Elena said softly, already jotting down ideas in her notebook. "I like that."
As they worked, the library grew quieter. Elena could feel the rhythm of her pen moving in sync with Liam's pencil strokes. It was almost like they were in their own world, where nothing else mattered.
At some point, Elena paused, glancing up at Liam. "I've been meaning to ask… What's your family like?"
Liam looked up, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. "Why do you want to know?"
"I don't know," Elena said, shrugging. "I guess I've never really asked anyone that before. And I trust you."
Liam went quiet for a moment, his fingers tapping the table. Finally, he spoke, his voice softer now. "My dad wasn't a good person," he said, his gaze shifting away. "He used to… he used to hurt my mom and my sister. He cheated on my mom all the time, and when he wasn't around, things just felt better."
Elena felt her heart ache at his words, but she didn't interrupt.
"He left us when I was younger," Liam continued. "And honestly, I don't think we've been the same since."
"I'm sorry," Elena whispered, unsure of what else to say.
"It's okay," Liam said quietly. "It's not something I talk about much, but I figured you should know."
Elena nodded, her thoughts drifting back to her own family. She had her own burdens, but hearing Liam's story made her feel a little less alone.
"My family's… complicated," Elena said after a moment. "They expect a lot from me, and nothing I do is ever good enough. I'm always compared to my siblings. It's exhausting."
Liam nodded in understanding. "That sucks."
"Yeah," Elena said, her voice shaky. "But I guess we all have our own struggles, right?"
"Yeah," Liam said softly. "We do."