Echoes of a Silent Beat

Chapter 8: Boundaries

After the talk with Angel, things have become awkward between us. We both try to act like nothing's wrong, but the tension is impossible to ignore. I can feel the distance growing, especially from my side. I find myself holding back from opening up to her now, particularly when it comes to anything involving Lexie. It's like there's an invisible barrier between us that wasn't there before, and it's suffocating.

When we head to class, I look for a chance to talk to Gab. I need someone who will understand where I'm coming from without judging me. Gab's always been that friend who sees things from my perspective. When I finally get her alone, I tell her everything that happened—the confrontation with Angel, the lingering awkwardness, my conflicted feelings about Lexie. As expected, Gab listens intently, nodding along. "I get it," she says softly. "You just want to clear things up with Lexie and do what feels right for you. You shouldn't have to apologize for that." Her understanding makes me feel a little less isolated, even if it doesn't solve the problem.

Later that day, we find ourselves back at Sir Jim's office. It's routine by now—discussing our upcoming projects, updates on our assignments, the usual stuff. As I sit there, my mind half-focused on the conversation, I see Lexie outside the window, waving gently. She's asking if she can come in, her eyes scanning the room to see if Sir Jim is available. She's here to get her certificate.

Angel and Mina are deep in conversation with Sir Jim, and they don't seem to notice Lexie outside. Without thinking, I get up and head towards the door. "Hey," I say as I step outside, closing the door behind me. "The certificate isn't here. It's actually back at the dorm, but I'll bring it tomorrow."

Lexie smiles, her relief evident. "Oh, okay. Thanks for letting me know."

"My schedule for the internship changed," I add, trying to sound casual. "So I can swing by the campus tomorrow to give it to you."

Her smile widens, and for a moment, everything feels normal—like the tension with Angel, the confusion in my head, all of it is miles away. "That'd be great. Thanks, really," she says before waving goodbye.

I walk back into Sir Jim's office, feeling a mix of emotions—mostly relief from seeing Lexie smile, but also an uncomfortable twinge from the glares I get from Angel and Mina. The moment I cross the threshold, I can feel their eyes boring into me, their expressions a mix of annoyance and something else—disdain, maybe?

As I take my seat, I hear them whispering just loud enough for me to catch snippets of their conversation.

"Why did she approach her? It's not like Lexie was looking for her," Angel mutters, her voice dripping with irritation.

"Yeah, she was asking for Sir Jim, not you," Mina adds, her tone just as sharp.

"You know you don't have the certificate with you, so why go there looking stupid?" Angel sneers, her eyes rolling dramatically as if to emphasize her point.

I keep my face neutral, pretending not to hear, but their words sting more than I'd like to admit. My chest tightens with frustration and a bit of shame. I know I don't have the certificate with me. I know it probably looked foolish to go over there without it. But I can't help myself; I wanted to be the one to tell Lexie.

I sink into my seat, trying to focus on the conversation with Sir Jim, but the whispers keep echoing in my mind. Angel and Mina continue throwing glances my way, clearly unimpressed, and I can't help but feel like I'm caught in the middle of some unspoken conflict. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I'm second-guessing everything.

Why does everything with Lexie have to be so complicated? And why does it feel like, no matter what I do, I'm somehow always in the wrong?

As soon as we step out of Sir Jim's office, the tension lingers in the air like a thick fog. I can feel Angel and Mina's eyes on me, the weight of their disapproval pressing down on my shoulders. I've had enough of their silent judgment, and before I can stop myself, I turn to them, my voice sharper than I intended.