Beyond The Final Whistle

𝟱: 𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗘

Simi watched Alex's smile flicker, shadows playing just beneath the surface, like a half-formed thought waiting to escape. His gaze slipped away from hers, as if he was afraid to anchor it too close to the weight of whatever was haunting him.

"Fresh start?" she echoed, her voice soft, almost apologetic, like she was treading on the edges of something fragile. She didn't want to pry-well, maybe she did, just a little-but it was more than that. She wanted to understand him, to peel back the layers beneath his easy charm and see what really made him tick.

For a moment, the library felt impossibly still, the kind of silence that isn't really silent, but filled with the whispers of a thousand unsaid things. Alex's jaw tightened, just for a second, the kind of micro-expression that you'd miss if you weren't really looking. But Simi was looking, and she noticed.

"Yeah," he finally said, his voice dropping to a tone that felt almost too vulnerable for this crowded library filled with stressed students and the smell of stale coffee. "I lost someone really important to me... It messed me up pretty bad. When everything around you starts falling apart, it's hard to find your footing again. So, I came here. Figured I needed to find something that was just mine, you know?"

Simi nodded, though the movement felt heavy, weighted down by the empathy that wrapped itself around her like the soft, well-worn hoodie she was currently drowning in. "Yeah," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, like she was afraid of scaring away the truth he'd just let slip. "Life can throw things at you that you just... never expect."

And then she realized she'd said too much. The words had slipped out before she could stop them, revealing a glimpse of the internal storm she usually kept locked away. But there was something about Alex-maybe it was the way his eyes had softened when he said "someone important," or maybe it was just the way his presence had a gravitational pull, drawing her in, making her want to share things she'd sworn she'd keep to herself.

Alex leaned in, as if the space between them was suddenly too vast, and the intimacy of their conversation needed to be contained, held in the air between them like a fragile secret. "Exactly," he murmured, his voice taking on a tone that felt both intense and comforting. "But I figured if I'm going to turn things around, now's the time," Alex said, his fingers absently tracing the rim of his Sprite bottle cap. The minty aroma of the carbonated drink mixed with the lingering scent of old books, grounding him in the present while his thoughts drifted. "Football... it's like the only place where everything makes sense, where I can shut out the noise." He paused, as if weighing whether to share more. "It's where I can forget-for a while, at least."

As he spoke, Simi's gaze drifted to the window, watching as a group of students laughed, their carefree voices muffled by the glass. She couldn't help but think of her younger brother, how he'd struggled with his own demons back home. The connection between Alex's words and her own memories struck her deeply, drawing her further into their shared space of unspoken pain.

"When I'm on the field," Alex continued, "it's like everything else fades away. It's just me, the ball, and the moment."

Simi looked at Alex again. She could see it in his eyes-the way they lit up just a little when he talked about football. It was the same way she felt when she sat down at the piano, the keys under her fingers, the music taking shape beneath her touch. It was like finding a piece of yourself you didn't know you'd lost.

"I get that," Simi said, her voice a bit stronger now, the connection between them solidifying. "Music does that for me. It's like, when I'm playing, nothing else matters. Everything that hurts or confuses me just... disappears."

"Music, huh?" Alex asked, his curiosity piqued. "What do you play?"

"Piano," she replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I've been playing since I was a kid. My mom used to say I was born with music in my soul. But lately, it's been... different. Harder to connect with."

Alex's gaze held hers, and for a second, she thought he was going to ask why, but instead, he just nodded, like he understood that some things were too complicated to explain in a library conversation. "We all need something that's ours," he said simply. "Something that keeps us going when everything else feels impossible."

Simi felt a warmth spread through her chest, mingling with the bittersweet ache that came from being understood. She wasn't sure if it was the way Alex's voice had softened, or the way he looked at her, like she wasn't just another face in the crowd, but someone who mattered. And for a moment, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could let him in.

"Maybe we should escape together sometime," Simi suggested, the words slipping out before she could second-guess them. Her heart quickened, the thrill of possibility dancing just out of reach.

Alex's eyes brightened at her suggestion, a playful glint appearing in the depths of his gaze. "What do you have in mind?" he asked, leaning forward as if the moment could stretch forever, filled with the promise of something new and exciting, just waiting for them to seize it.

Simi shrugged, trying to play it cool even though her pulse was racing. "I don't know. Maybe something as simple as a drive outside the city. Or we could find a quiet spot and just... be. No distractions, no pressure, just us."

The idea of breaking away from the campus, the endless cycle of classes, practices, and late-night study sessions, felt liberating. It was as if the air around them had shifted, filled with the scent of rain-soaked earth and the distant rumble of thunder-like a storm was coming, but instead of dread, all Simi felt was excitement.

"Simi, 'Outside the city' is Ogun state,"

"I know-I mean-"

"Sounds like the perfect escape," Alex said, his smile returning, but this time, it was different-less of a mask, more of a real, genuine smile that reached his eyes. "Let's do it. Soon."

Simi returned his smile, a sense of anticipation bubbling up inside her. She knew there were shadows hanging over both of them, unspoken fears and unresolved pain, but for now, those shadows could wait. They had time to figure it all out. For now, it was enough to just be here, together, with the promise of more to come.

And maybe, she thought as their conversation drifted back to lighter topics, the real escape wasn't about running away at all. Maybe it was about finding someone who made you feel like you didn't have to run anymore.

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