INTERTWINED FATES: THE RED STRING

CHAPTER 9

The school day was buzzing as students hurried through the halls, ready to get back into their routine. Nabi and her friends were excited because Kevin, Steve, and Adam had finally returned from their overseas trip after four long months. The girls were eager to hear all about their adventures.

As the boys walked into the building, Kevin spotted the girls first. He greeted them with a big grin, his energy undiminished by the long trip. Steve followed, looking happy but also scanning the crowd. He was searching for Veronica Roger, Matthew Roger's younger sister, who had caught his attention. Despite his feelings, Steve hadn't told anyone about them.

Adam, however, walked straight past everyone, heading to Nina Morris, who was chatting with a classmate. The girls exchanged amused looks as Adam made his way over to her, leaving Kevin and Steve to greet the group.

"Hey, what's up?" Kevin called out enthusiastically as he approached.

"Kevin! Steve!" Isa exclaimed, her face lighting up. "We were starting to think you'd forgotten about us!"

"Forget you guys? Never," Kevin laughed, looking around at the familiar faces. "We've got so much to tell you."

Steve smiled, agreeing, but his mind was on finding Veronica. He spotted her chatting with a friend down the hall and his heart skipped a beat when she looked up and caught his eye. He quickly looked away, hoping no one noticed.

Meanwhile, Adam was chatting with Nina, leaning against a locker. "Did you miss me or what?" he teased.

Nina rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "In your dreams, Adam."

The girls saw Adam with Nina and exchanged knowing looks. Helena called out teasingly, "Adam, are you going to leave us hanging?"

Adam glanced over, grinning. "I'll get to you guys in a second. I'm busy here."

Nina laughed and shook her head. "You're impossible."

Back with the group, the conversation turned to what had happened at school while the boys were away. The girls filled them in on the latest news, including the fire alarm incident and the new principal.

"You guys missed all the excitement," the girls said.

"Sounds like it," Kevin replied with a grin. "But we're back just in time for the Talent Fiesta, right?"

The girls nodded eagerly. "Yep! We've got a lot to plan. We'll need all hands on deck."

The mention of the Talent Fiesta brought energy to the group as they started discussing performances, costumes, and who would take the stage. 

Steve, however, was only half-listening, still thinking about Veronica. The thought of seeing her perform excited and scared him, but he wasn't ready to share his feelings with anyone, not even his friends.

As they walked to the dance practice room, the group's laughter filled the hallway, and it felt like the four months apart had melted away. But Steve's thoughts were still on Veronica. 

He saw her wave at him with a smile as they passed her classroom. His heart raced, but he forced himself to stay calm and smiled back.

When the bell rang, the group started to disperse. Steve stayed behind for a moment, watching Veronica until she disappeared around the corner. He sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and longing. Maybe this year he'd find the courage to tell her how he felt, but for now, his secret was still safe.

As the day went on, Nabi felt a bit distant from the conversation. While she was happy to have her friends back, she felt guilty for keeping things from Helena and Isa. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, but some things felt too personal to share. She struggled with the feeling of not being completely honest with her closest friends.