WHISPER

Chapter 6

"I never craved attention, until I tasted yours"

The next morning, I woke up with a sense of heaviness in my chest. Yesterday had been strange, to say the least. Éris's cold demeanor, the way we acted like strangers at Nathan's party—it didn't sit well with me. But more than anything, it was the way his eyes kept finding mine, like there was something he wanted to say but couldn't.

I sat up in bed, staring at the soft light streaming through my window. My mind kept circling back to him. Why was I so drawn to someone who clearly wanted nothing to do with me? Or was that just what he *wanted* me to believe?

With a sigh, I grabbed my phone, hesitating before finally texting Nathan.

**Me:** *Hey, thanks for inviting me to the party yesterday. It was fun.*

I sent the message, hoping it would at least help distract me from thinking about Éris. Nathan had been nothing but kind since we met, and I was grateful to have someone like him around.

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed with a reply.

**Nathan:** *Of course! I'm glad you came. We should hang out more. Everyone liked you.*

I smiled at the message, but before I could reply, a second one came through.

**Nathan:** *Oh, and Éris? He seemed... off yesterday he actually always like this we never hear anything from him and he never smiled to us before. Do you know him?*

My heart skipped a beat. How could I explain what was going on when I barely understood it myself? After a moment, I decided to keep it simple.

**Me:** *oh no I don't know him, ah so he's always quiet and calm.*

Nathan didn't respond for a while, and I wondered if I'd said too much. But then my phone buzzed again.

**Nathan:** Yeah, he's always been like that. Keeps to himself. No one really knows much about him, not even his friends.

**Me:** *Thanks, Nathan.*

I tossed my phone onto the bed, frustration bubbling up inside me.

I decided I couldn't sit around all day, overthinking everything. If I was going to figure out what was going on, I needed to take action.

By early afternoon, I found myself walking toward the place where everything started—the beach. It felt like the only place I could clear my head. The ocean was calm today, the waves gently lapping at the shore as seagulls called overhead. For a moment, I let the sound of the water calm my mind, closing my eyes and letting the breeze wash over me.

"Lumi"

The voice startled me, and my eyes flew open. Éris was standing a few feet away, his hands shoved in his pockets, his black hoodie and black pants his hair messy hiding his eyes as always, looking as serious as ever. My heart raced at the sight of him, but I forced myself to stay calm.

"I didn't expect to see you here," I said, trying to sound casual. But the tension between us was palpable.

He didn't respond right away, just stared out at the water. His face was hard to read, but there was a flicker of something—regret, maybe? Or conflict?

"Lumi," he finally said, turning to face me fully. "You shouldn't have kissed me yesterday."

My heart sank. "Why? Was it really that bad?"

Éris let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "It's not about whether it was bad or not. You don't understand what you're getting into."

I stepped closer to him, my eyes searching his for answers. "Then tell me. Help me understand."

For a moment, he seemed to consider it, his gaze softening slightly. But then he shook his head, stepping back. "I can't."