close to my dialling heart

51🌹caught in the act

🎶I knew you were, you were gonna come to me, and here you are, but you better choose carefully, cause I, I'm capable of anything, of anything, and everything🎶
                    ~Katy Perry ft Juicy J~

DOVE 🕊

"You seem happy," Xavier remarked as we strolled into the college store.

"I’m with you," I replied with a cheerful lilt in my voice. Xavier chuckled at my enthusiasm, clearly amused.

"You look way too happy now," he teased, a smile playing on his lips.

We finally arrived at my favorite spot in the store—the ice cream section. My heart warmed as I spotted Rhoose, the man behind the counter. He greeted me with a familiar smile.

"There she is... I haven’t heard from you in a while," he said with a laugh.

Rhoose reminded me of the ice cream man from *Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir*, though his accent leaned more Australian than French.

"Hello," I greeted, waving at Mr. Rhoose. Xavier stood quietly beside me, watching our exchange with interest.

"And he...?" Mr. Rhoose asked, preparing a cone as he reached for the ice cream.

"He is..." I hesitated, suddenly feeling shy, but before I could finish, Xavier stepped in with a calm confidence. "...boyfriend." He said it so simply, yet it carried so much weight.

"Ah, so that ice cream you smeared on him was a kind of love potion, huh?" Mr. Rhoose teased as he scooped the ice cream, not needing to ask for my order—he already knew my favorite.

I gasped in surprise. "You saw that?"

Mr. Rhoose nodded, a playful glint in his eyes. "Everyone in the store saw it."

I pressed my lips together, nodding in embarrassment. "It was so embarrassing," I admitted.

Xavier only laughed, the sound warm and reassuring.

"My uncle was killed," I finally told Xavier as we stepped out of the store.

"Really? Is that why you seem so happy?" he asked, his tone, curious.

I hesitated, nodding slightly, knowing it was the truth. "It's wrong, I know, but I can't help it."

Xavier chuckled softly. "Nothing wrong with that," he said, draping his arm over my shoulders.

"I just feel relieved," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Xavier hummed in understanding, his silent support comforting me more than words ever could.
__

Xavier left for his class, leaving me to face a math lesson alone. Just the thought of Mr. Axel made my stomach twist with unease. As I walked toward my class, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Noelle standing behind me, a grin plastered on her face. My nerves immediately flared up, remembering what Mal and Xavier had warned me about.

"Hello," she greeted, her voice almost too cheerful. She was wearing a summer dress identical to mine—long and blue. Even her hair was styled like mine, down to the color. The sight made me cringe inwardly; it was like looking at a taller version of myself. And, to be honest, she looked prettier.

"Is this a coincidence?" she asked, feigning surprise. I could see right through her act. Noelle wasn’t the type to wear anything long unless it exposed something. So what was this about?

I forced a smile and nodded. "Heading to class?" Noelle asked.

"Yes," I replied. "I have math class, so I'll see you later." I gave a quick wave, and she waved back before I turned and rounded a corner, letting out a sigh of relief. The encounter with her had been unexpectedly uncomfortable.