Beneath the Silence

Chapter 2: I suppose, you're interesting

Yusuf couldn't believe his luck. He just hit triple 7s on the slot machine! Dahlia actually said yes to walking home with him. He replayed the moment over and over in his mind, each time feeling that strange thrill all over again. Her cold, soft voice echoing in his ears: "Okay."

It wasn't the enthusiastic agreement he had dreamed of, but it was enough to make him feel like he was floating. He may not have swooned her off her feet, but hey, she still said yes! He was going to walk home with Dahlia, the girl who had captivated his every thought since the moment she stepped into their classroom.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. He barely heard Mrs. Cooney's lessons, and his usual recess games felt dull and unimportant. He was preparing himself mentally for the big event. All he could think about was the walk. He imagined how it would go, what he would say, how he might even make her smile again—although that smile she'd given him earlier had been anything but reassuring. But it didn't matter, it was a smile, and that was worth its weight in gold to him.

As the final bell rang, Yusuf hurried to pack up his things. His heart pounded with a mix of excitement and nerves as he spotted Dahlia in the hallway, already slipping her backpack over her shoulder. She was so calm, so composed, as if the world around her didn't even register.

"Ready?" Yusuf asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Dahlia simply nodded, her expression unreadable, and they started walking. The air outside was crisp, with the sun casting long shadows on the pavement. It was truly a beautiful scene. Was this street always this nice? He'd walked it hundreds of times but now everything seems a little brighter, the view a little sharper, the air a little cleaner and without a doubt this was thanks to her.

Yusuf stole glances at Dahlia as they walked, searching for any sign of what she might be thinking. She kept her eyes fixed ahead, seemingly uninterested in the world around her. Yet there was a tension in the air, as if something was just beneath the surface, waiting to emerge. It was probably just him, to her there was no tension, this was just another day.

"So... what's your favorite subject?" Yusuf asked, eager to fill the silence that was quickly becoming uncomfortable.

"Math," Dahlia replied without looking at him. Her voice like usual was flat, devoid of any enthusiasm.

"Oh, that's cool," Yusuf said, trying to keep the conversation going as well as sound cool. He made his voice a little deeper the next time he spoke. "I'm more into history, but math is okay too, I guess. Do you like any sports?"

"No."

Welp, well that didn't work. Yusuf's attempts at small talk were met with the same cold, brief responses, but he pressed on, determined to break through her icy exterior. Should he just give up and find someone else? The thought made his head spin. It was unsettling, but Yusuf couldn't bring himself to care. He was walking with Dahlia, the most mysterious, beautiful girl he'd ever met, and nothing else seemed to matter.

As they turned a corner, they came across a group of sixth-grade kids hanging out near the corner store. Yusuf recognized them immediately—Jonny and his group. They were notorious for picking on younger students, and Yusuf had had a few run-ins with them before. They ripped some of the cards in his deck a month ago, they stole his BeyBlade last spring, back when it was cool to play with BeyBlades. Now, that's lame and Yu-Gi-Oh is the mature thing for kids to play. His heart sank, and he instinctively tensed up, glancing at Dahlia to see if she had noticed them.

She had, but she didn't seem concerned. Her expression didn't change; she just kept walking, her eyes locked on the path ahead. Yusuf, on the other hand, felt his stomach twist into knots as the older boys noticed them and started to move in their direction, grinning in a way that always made Yusuf's skin crawl.