heavy soul

perfectly entagled

As we walked back to school, Riven's arm was casually draped around my shoulders, and we were lost in conversation, talking about everything and nothing all at once. It felt so natural, like we could go on forever, spinning our thoughts out into the night. I've never really been a religious person, but there's a part of me that believes fate must have had a hand in creating him. Like God himself molded his soul to fit perfectly with mine, each of our edges meant to tangle and hold on.

I couldn't help but steal glances at him, at those piercing green eyes that always seemed to see right through me. They were intense, even in moments like this, when everything felt light and easy.

"Hey, Riv," I started, a grin tugging at my lips, "how about we skip school tomorrow and smoke up?"

He shot me that familiar smirk, the one that made my heart skip. "Oh yeah? Only if we go in the morning and drive out somewhere," he replied, a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Only if *you* wake up on time," I teased, nudging him lightly with my elbow.

Riven scoffed, his expression a mix of playful indignation. "Excuse me, am I not the one here at school at 7:30 every damn day? Where are these accusations coming from? If anything, *you* need to be the one setting alarms."

I laughed, knowing he was right, but enjoying the banter too much to admit it. Moments like these made everything else fade away—just him, just us.

I laughed, the sound light and effortless. With Riven, everything felt easy, like the world wasn't as heavy when he was beside me. The air was cool as we strolled down the path, and even though the night had settled in, the warmth from his arm around me made the chill seem distant, like it couldn't touch us.

"Okay, okay," I admitted, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Maybe I'm the one who struggles with the whole *waking up* thing. But in my defense, it's because I have trouble sleeping—too much stuff on my mind." I gave him a side glance, half hoping he wouldn't press for details.

But Riven, ever intuitive, didn't miss a beat. "You know," he said, his voice softer now, more serious, "you could always talk to me if something's bothering you. I'm not just here for the good times and skipping school." His smirk was gone, replaced with something more genuine, more raw. Those green eyes of his, the ones that always seemed so guarded, were open, waiting.

I felt a warmth rise in my chest, and for a moment, the words stuck in my throat. How could I tell him that he was the thing on my mind? That every restless night was filled with thoughts of him—how his laugh made my heart race or how just the sound of his voice could calm the chaos inside me? How could I tell him that even when I wasn't with him, I was thinking about him?

"Riv," I started, unsure of how to proceed. He looked at me, expectant, patient.

"I just... I feel like I'm always playing catch-up, you know? Like the world is moving too fast, and I'm barely holding on. But when I'm with you..." My voice faltered. I was exposing more than I meant to. I looked away, embarrassed, but Riven's hand slid down from my shoulder and gently took mine, stopping me in my tracks.

"When you're with me?" he prompted, his thumb brushing softly over my knuckles, grounding me.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "When I'm with you, everything slows down. It feels like... like I can actually breathe."

For a long moment, Riven didn't say anything. His eyes searched mine, and I wondered if I had gone too far, if I had ruined the easy, laid-back rhythm we always had. But then, he did something unexpected. He smiled—not a smirk, not that playful grin he always wore, but a real, genuine smile. The kind that made his eyes soften, the kind that made my heart skip.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say that," he murmured, stepping closer. His fingers tightened slightly around mine, pulling me closer to him. "Because... you're not the only one, you know? When I'm with you, it's the only time I'm not trying to be something I'm not. With you, I'm just me. And that's enough."

The world around us seemed to fade, the night sky stretching above us like a blanket of stars. I could feel the steady thrum of my heart in my chest, faster now, but steady—because Riven was there. He was always there, even when I hadn't realized it.

I leaned into him, resting my head against his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breath. For a moment, everything was perfect. We were just two people, caught in a moment where the rest of the world didn't matter. The school, the responsibilities, the future—it all seemed so far away.

"Okay," I said softly, a smile playing on my lips. "Tomorrow morning. We'll skip, drive out, and just... be."

He chuckled, his hand gently brushing my hair. "You better set your alarm this time."

I grinned. "I will. But only because you asked."

And with that, we stood there in the stillness, in the quiet, two souls perfectly molded for one another, entangled in a way that only we could understand.