invisible thread | A. WALTER

TWO

the next day

you were in class, sat close with alex. it seemed that you were discussing the events of yesterday..

suddenly the door of the classroom opened, and jackie enters the room, drawing the attention of the class, and much to your disgust, alex. alex's gaze lingered on her as she walked in, his eyes shining.

you notice alex's interest in jackie and try to hide your disappointment, focusing on welcoming the new girl instead.

the teacher motions for jackie to take the seat next to alex, inadvertently shifting the dynamic in the classroom.

"guys this is our new student, jackie, stand up and tell us a fact about yourself!" the teacher says, in a friendly tone.

jackie was hesitant, as if she didn't know what to say.

"let me make it easier..why did you move here?!" the teacher helps.

jackie's eyes flickered with a brief shadow of sadness, a heavy silence engulfing the room. before she could muster a response, alex spoke up, his voice calm yet supportive.

"uh just a change of scenery, sir!" alex helps.

his response surprised you. you watched alex's empathetic gaze fixed on jackie, offering silent reassurance, and felt an unexpected pang in your stomach.

you observed the exchange, your mind racing with questions. did alex's concern for jackie meant he liked her? no maybe he was just looking out for her.. right? the uncertainty gnawed at you.

jackie gave alex a small, thankful smile. he smiled back. you watched the exchange, feeling a pang in your chest.

as the lesson begins, you see alex stealing glances at jackie as if he was intrigued by her presence. you tried to engage him in your usual playful banter, but his attention kept drifting away.

you whisper to alex, "earth to alex! what's with the sudden daydreaming?, you tease.

alex responds "sorry, just... thinking that's all."

you nod, trying to push aside your own feelings, determined not to let your emotions show. you watch as alex and jackie exchange a few words.  you felt like you had been slapped in the face.

to you, class seems to drag on. finally the bell rung, signalling lunch. jackie quickly got up and left, leaving you and alex together.

the two of you gathered your belongings, walking in silence towards the bustling canteen. your gaze flickered between the ground and alex, your mind preoccupied, with the thoughts of alex and jackie.

the two of you settled at your usual table, the air heavy with unspoken tension. you could see jackie stood alone in the queue, her posture slightly slumped, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

alex sees this and says "i'll just... i'll be back in a moment."

before you could respond, he had risen from his seat, determined to offer jackie some support. however, as he made his way towards her, cole had swiftly intercepted, engaging jackie in conversation and helping her get food.

alex's shoulders slumped, a pang of frustration gnawing at him. you observed the scene, your expression a mix of disappointment and something else - a flicker of relief.

you mutter quietly, "it's not easy, is it?"

alex, looks at you, perplexed, "what do you mean?"

you avoid eye contact with him "seeing someone you care about with someone else."

your gazes meet, a moment of understanding passing between the two of you, a shared sense of longing.

the conversation hung between you, charged with unspoken feelings. you sit in silence what feels like an eternity.

"hey uh.. you wanna come to mine tonight, my mom got me this new game and it's super cool? plus we can bake cookies" you nudge, giving him a smile.

"oh uh.. i cant sorry (y/n).. i promised jackie i would show her the horses" he replies, a guilty look on his face.

"oh right." you looked a bit put out.. alex had never denied to hang out with you before.

"sorry (y/n).. it's just-" alex starts.

"no it's fine uh.. i get it. ive got to go" you mutter.

alex met your eyes, his face full of guilt. before he could stop you, you excused yourself from the table, leaving alex to contemplate his own feelings and the unintended impact they were having on his closest friend.

"he's obsessed with her already i can tell." you groan. you had left the table to sit in the gaming room; it was a space, safe from alex.

"(y/n).. come on now." kiley, one of your other best friends, responds looking at you sympathetically.

"look, you have nothing to worry about, it's clear to everyone that alex has liked you for like forever." she continues.

"you all say that but.. you should have seen him earlier kiley. cole went to help jackie with her food and he was raging. and he declined playing video games with me tonight?? when has he ever done that?" you sigh.

"look, you know how stupid alex can be sometimes. it's just a new person that's all, he'll be back to being all over you like he was before in a couple of days." she responds, smiling at you comfortingly.

"maybe you're right." you smile, "maybe this will all be over in a few days"

oh boy were you wrong..