The Unspoken Currents

Underneath the Lanterns

Three weeks of awkward, fleeting encounters and small, casual greetings that Freen did her best to avoid, had passed.

And now, they were working together on a school project.

It was just their luck that their teacher had announced a group project with the words, *choose your own partner.* Freen had barely begun to process the assignment when she heard Becky's voice next to her, cheerful as always.

"Freen, want to work together?"

Freen's initial instinct was to say no. She didn't want to spend any extra time with Becky, didn't want to break the fragile balance she had been trying to maintain. But the idea of partnering with someone else, of opening up to someone she barely knew, felt far worse than working with Becky. At least Becky had become familiar.

So, against her better judgment, Freen nodded.

"Sure," she muttered, feeling the weight of her decision settle uncomfortably in her chest.

Becky's smile brightened immediately, as if Freen's reluctant agreement was some sort of victory. "Great! We can meet up after school today if you're free? Maybe in the library?"

Freen hesitated. She didn't want to spend hours with Becky, didn't want to risk letting her guard slip. But she didn't have a good reason to say no. The project had to be done, and it would be better to get it over with quickly.

"Yeah, fine," Freen said, avoiding Becky's gaze.

That was how Freen found herself sitting across from Becky in the school library later that day, their textbooks and laptops spread out between them, the quiet hum of the air conditioning filling the silence.

---

The library was mostly empty, the soft glow of the lamps casting long shadows across the bookshelves. The late afternoon sun slanted through the tall windows, bathing the space in a warm, golden light.

Freen kept her head down, focusing on her notes, or at least trying to. It was hard to concentrate with Becky sitting so close, the quiet, comfortable energy between them making Freen feel strangely on edge.

Becky, on the other hand, seemed completely relaxed. She leaned over her laptop, typing away with a focused expression that made Freen wonder if Becky had any walls at all. Did anything ever bother her? Freen found herself glancing at Becky occasionally, wondering if there was more beneath that easy smile.

"So," Becky said, breaking the silence. "I was thinking we could split the research part in half and then meet up again to go over everything before we put it together. Sound good?"

Freen nodded, relieved that Becky was sticking to the task at hand. "Yeah, that works."

They fell into a comfortable rhythm, each working in silence. But as the minutes passed, Freen found herself stealing glances at Becky. She hadn't noticed it before, but there was a slight frown of concentration on Becky's face, a tiny crease in her brow. Something about it made Becky seem... different. Less perfect. More human.

"Are you okay with this topic?" Becky asked, her voice soft, almost hesitant. Freen looked up, surprised by the subtle uncertainty in Becky's tone.

"Yeah, it's fine," Freen replied. She hesitated for a moment, then added, "Are you?"

Becky smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, it's just... I don't know. I'm not as good at these big projects as I probably seem. I mean, I do well in school, but group stuff always feels... a little overwhelming."

Freen blinked. She hadn't expected that. Becky always seemed so in control, so effortlessly confident. The idea that she might feel nervous or unsure didn't fit with the image Freen had built in her mind.