Caesar regretted agreeing to this challenge.
Sitting in the cafeteria, he eyed Blythe warily as she munched on her sandwich, looking far too pleased with herself.
"So, are you ready for today's challenge?" she asked, grinning.
"Get it over with," he muttered.
Blythe clapped her hands together excitedly. "Okay! Today's task is simple: sit with someone new for lunch."
Caesar froze mid-bite.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Caesar, it's literally the easiest thing ever."
"I already sit with someone new. You."
Blythe rolled her eyes. "That doesn't count anymore. We're basically besties now."
"We are not."
"Too late, you signed the contract." She winked.
Caesar sighed, rubbing his temples. Why did I agree to this again?
Still, the deal was made. He had to at least try.
His eyes scanned the cafeteria. Too loud. Too chaotic. Too many people. His usual safe corner felt miles away.
After a long hesitation, he spotted a quiet girl sitting alone by the window. She wasn't talking to anyone. Maybe she'd leave him alone too.
He took a deep breath, grabbed his tray, and walked over.
---
Caesar cleared his throat.
"Can I sit here?"
The girl looked up, slightly surprised, then shrugged. "Sure."
He sat down stiffly, focusing on his food.
Silence.
This is fine, he thought. No talking, no small talk—
"You're Caesar, right?" the girl suddenly asked.
He flinched. So much for silence.
"Yeah," he muttered.
"I heard you're really smart. Do you actually study all night, or is that a rumor?"
Caesar blinked. That was… unexpected.
"I study. But not all night."
She nodded, seemingly satisfied. "I knew it. People exaggerate everything."
He didn't respond, unsure if that was a compliment or not.
From across the room, Blythe gave him a thumbs-up. He glared at her.
"Is that Blythe?" the girl asked, noticing his gaze.
"Unfortunately."
The girl chuckled. "She's loud, but she seems nice. You two are… friends?"
Caesar hesitated. Friends?
He wasn't sure. But before he could answer, Blythe appeared out of nowhere, dropping her tray onto the table.
"Surprise! I thought I'd join too."
Caesar groaned.
Blythe just grinned. "So, how's the challenge going?"
The other girl blinked in confusion. "Challenge?"
Caesar sighed. "It's nothing."
Blythe, of course, ignored him. "He's stepping out of his comfort zone. Isn't that great?"
The girl nodded. "Actually, yeah. It's kind of impressive."
Caesar nearly choked on his drink. Impressive?
Blythe winked at him. "See? You're already changing."
Caesar didn't know how to feel about that.
---
After lunch, the sky had darkened. The usual warm sunlight was replaced with thick, heavy clouds.
Caesar hated storms. Not because of the rain, but because they always reminded him of the day his father passed away.
That day, the sky was just as dark.
That day, his world changed forever.
As he walked outside, a loud clap of thunder echoed through the air. His hands clenched into fists. He needed to get inside—
"Caesar!"
He turned just as Blythe caught up to him.
"Are you okay? You kind of zoned out."
Caesar took a deep breath. "I'm fine."
Blythe studied him for a moment. She wasn't buying it.
"Come with me," she suddenly said, grabbing his wrist.
He flinched at the contact. "What? Where—"
"Just trust me."
For some reason, he did.
---
Blythe led him to an empty music room. It was quiet, except for the faint sound of rain hitting the windows.
"Better?" she asked.
Caesar frowned. "Why did you bring me here?"
Blythe leaned against the piano, tapping a key absentmindedly. "You looked… tense. I figured you needed a break."
He didn't know what to say to that. No one ever noticed when something was wrong.
"I used to come here a lot when I was younger," Blythe continued. "Whenever I was upset, I'd sit at this piano and just… play."
Caesar raised an eyebrow. "You play the piano?"
She grinned. "Surprised?"
"A little."
Blythe cracked her knuckles. "Well, prepare to be amazed by me !"
She placed her fingers on the keys and started playing a soft, slow melody.
Caesar didn't recognize the song, but something about it felt… calming and soft.
For the first time since the storm started, he didn't feel tense.
Blythe glanced at him mid-song. "Music helps, you know. It can turn bad memories into good ones."
Caesar stayed silent. He wasn't sure if that was possible.
But maybe… just maybe… she she was right.
---
To Be Continued...