BETWEEN THE PANES

Chapter 16

  Kelvin stood there, his mind racing with a mixture of regret and anxiety. He replayed the conversation with Dera over and over in his head, each word carrying more weight than the last. The realization of the mess he had gotten himself into sank in deeper with every passing second.

He knew Dera was capable of causing trouble, especially when she felt scorned. Her threat to expose his past intentions to Timi sent a chill down his spine. Kelvin's heart ached at the thought of losing Timi's trust and the newfound relationship they had built together.

As he pondered his next move, Kelvin's phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him out of his reverie. He retrieved it and saw a message from Timi.

"Hey, are you okay? I haven't heard from you all day. Let's meet up after school. I miss you. ❤️"

Reading Timi's message filled Kelvin with conflicting emotions. On one hand, he longed to see her and reassure her of his feelings. On the other hand, he dreaded the possibility of Dera's deceit coming to light and tarnishing their relationship.

With a heavy heart, Kelvin decided to meet Timi as planned. He couldn't bear the thought of hiding from her or avoiding their conversation any longer. He needed to be honest with her, even if it meant risking everything they had together.

After school, Kelvin found Timi waiting for him at their usual spot. She smiled brightly when she saw him, but her smile faltered when she noticed the solemn expression on his face.

"Hey, Kelvin. Is everything okay?" Timi asked, concern evident in her voice.

Kelvin took a deep breath, gathering his courage to speak. "Timi, there's something I need to tell you," he began, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Timi's expression softened, and she reached out to gently squeeze his hand in reassurance. "You can tell me anything, Kelvin. I'm here for you," she said sincerely.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Kelvin looked into Timi's eyes and was about to speak but stopped.

Kelvin couldn't bring himself to tell Timi about Dera's threat. He knew it would only cause unnecessary drama and possibly lead to their breakup. Instead, he chose to cherish the moments they shared together, even though he carried the guilt of his past actions.

"I love you," he said, hoping his words would somehow make up for his silence about Dera.

"Aww, you almost gave me a heart attack," Timi said, hugging him tightly. Kelvin felt a pang of guilt at her trusting embrace.

"I love you too," she whispered, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Don't scare me like that again," she warned, and Kelvin nodded, hiding his inner turmoil behind a smile.

As Timi prepared to leave, Kelvin couldn't help but hold onto her hand a little longer, pulling her into another hug. Timi was taken aback by the sudden display of affection but returned the embrace.

"If anyone tells you anything about me, would you believe them?" Kelvin's question hung in the air, filled with uncertainty.

"No, why are you asking?" Timi inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Kelvin brushed off her question with a smile. "Nothing," he replied cryptically.

"See you tomorrow," Timi said, her smile bright as she walked away, stealing a glance back at Kelvin.

"Bye," Kelvin murmured, watching her retreating figure with a heavy heart, knowing that he was keeping secrets that could potentially shatter their relationship.

                         🍒TIMI🍒

I couldn't ignore Kelvin's strange behavior, but I tried my best to push it aside. After finishing my assignments, I closed my books, feeling utterly exhausted. There were no messages from Kelvin in the evening, which was unusual.