Silent Echoes

The monday after

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Rye
📍New Jersey

Walking into school on Monday, my mind was a chaotic whirlpool of thoughts about Je and the kiss. I hadn't spoken to her all weekend, and the silence was eating away at me.

The memory of her lips, her touch, her teasing eyes—it all felt surreal, and now I had to face her again.

As I made my way through the crowded hallways of Lincoln High, I couldn't help but feel a pit of anxiety settle in my stomach.

Over the weekend, Solana and I had texted a lot, growing closer as we worked on our project.

The assignment required us to get to know each other better, and Solana's easygoing nature made it less daunting.

I arrived at my locker, my hands shaking slightly as I fumbled with the lock. The first bell rang, and I headed to my first period class. Sitting down, I couldn't focus on the lesson.

My thoughts were consumed with Je. When the bell rang again, signaling the end of the period, I gathered my things and headed to my next class, dreading the inevitable encounter with her.

As I approached my second period class, I saw Je standing by the door. Our eyes met for a brief moment before we both looked away, the tension between us palpable.

I walked past her and took my seat, feeling the weight of her presence in the room.

That set the tone for the entire period, with us exchanging glances until it was finally time for lunch.

During lunch, I sat with Solana. She had quickly become a confidante, someone I felt comfortable opening up to.

We picked at our food, the buzz of the cafeteria surrounding us.

"Something's been on your mind all morning," Solana observed, her eyes searching mine. "You wanna talk about it?"

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. "It's about Je," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Solana leaned in closer, giving me her full attention. "What happened?"

Taking a deep breath, I recounted the events of Friday night—the kiss, the interruption, and the silence that followed. Solana listened intently, her expression softening with understanding.

"That's intense," she said after I finished. "How do you feel about Je?"

I stared at my hands, trying to find the right words. "I like her. A lot. But she made this weird ass comment about 2 masc girls & that's making me not wanna say how i feel to her."

Solana placed a reassuring hand on my arm. "Maybe you should talk to her. Be honest about your feelings, i think she's feeling you."

Her words resonated with me, and I nodded slowly. "ight.. maybe you're right."

After lunch, I found Je by her locker. My heart pounded as I approached her, my palms sweaty with nerves.

"Je, can we talk?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

She looked at me, her eyes softening. "Yeah, wassup?"

We found a quiet spot outside, away from the bustling crowd of students. For a moment, we stood in awkward silence before I finally found the courage to speak.

"About Friday night..." I began, my voice shaky. "That kiss—"

"It was in the moment," Je interrupted, her tone wavering. "A mistake. We can't let it change things between us. People would... it's just too weird, we two masc girls. I don't want to ruin our friendship over something like that."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt a lump forming in my throat, but I swallowed it down, trying to keep my composure.

"right," I said quietly, looking away. "I don't want to make things weird either."

The tension between us was palpable as we stood there in silence. I could tell she was struggling with her feelings just as much as I was, but neither of us knew how to navigate the situation.

After a moment, Je let out a sigh. "We should get to class," she said, her voice softer now.

I nodded, but before we left, I turned away and quickly wiped away a tear that had escaped.

The familiar weight of silence settled over me, and I felt myself retreating into my nonverbal state.

We parted ways, each heading to our respective classes.

omniscient

As Rye walked back to class, Solana approached with a concerned look.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

Rye didn't respond, her head hanging low.

When Rye reached her next class, she sat down &  Solana came in and sat right next to her.

Solana's perceptive gaze quickly noticed Rye's withdrawn state.

Despite her attempts at conversation, Rye didn't respond—no head nod, no words.

The silence was heavy, and Solana seemed to understand that something probably went wrong when she talked to Je.

She felt guilt for even telling Rye to talk to Je about her feelings.

After school and classes were over, Solana, aware of Rye's nonverbal state, insisted on accompanying her home. She wanted to comfort her, and Rye was grateful for her support.

Rye had forced herself to open up to Solana. She needed someone beyond her cousin Cleo, someone she could call her own.

Solana had become that friend, providing a comforting constant in her life.

They arrived at Rye's house, where the quiet atmosphere indicated that her dad was still at work.

Rye went straight to her room, Solana following closely. She locked the front door behind them and took a quick glance around the living room before heading down the hallway.

In Rye's room, Rye sat on her bed, staring at nothing in particular. Solana took a seat on the bean bag near the door, and they sat together in silence.

The weight of Rye's emotions began to press down on her, and eventually, she started crying.

She felt foolish for even crying over the situation and for showing her vulnerability to someone she had only recently become close to.

The tears triggered a painful memory from her childhood, bringing back the harshness of her grandmother's treatment.

She remembered being forced to sit in a corner, crying silently as her grandmother berated her for being different—telling her that her feelings were wrong and that she would never be accepted.

It was as if she was back in that oppressive environment, her self-worth being torn apart. She felt like a child again, helpless and exposed.

Rye thought she should have never told Je how she felt. The entire experience made her feel like she was making a big deal out of something she shouldn't have.

She allowed herself to get close to someone and develop feelings, only to feel like she had been misled by a kiss that suggested more than it really meant.

It made her believe they could have been something more.

Deep down, she knew Je might say something like that, but it still hurt to be right..

Solana, noticing her distress, moved closer and rubbed her back gently, offering silent comfort as Rye let her emotions out.

please excuse any mistakes.