You And I

Chapter 41: Bridges Rebuit

Levi's POV

It had been an awkward few days. I tried to focus on rehearsals, practicing my lines alone, but it felt like there was a huge gap between me and Mei. Every time I caught sight of her, I’d dodge into the nearest corner or behind a door. I wasn’t avoiding her out of anger — I just needed some time. Every time I saw her, I questioned myself. What was I even doing? Why was I hiding? I was the one at fault, pestering her when she clearly needed space. This went on until Wednesday.

During one of the rehearsals, I overheard Ryan talking to Mei. I couldn’t hear everything, but I caught snippets about how she didn’t mean to yell at me, and that she was going through a lot in her head. My stomach twisted with guilt, but I still couldn't bring myself to face her. Ryan saw me standing in the hallway and gave me a pointed look, but I quickly ducked into an empty classroom before Mei noticed.

She was rehearsing by herself, pouring all her energy into Juliet’s lines. The weight of the situation felt heavier every time I saw her, but I just couldn’t bring myself to step in yet. I needed to figure things out, and I needed some space to do that.

Ryan and Mei’s POV

"Why did you yell at him, Mei?" Ryan asked as they took a break from rehearsing.

Mei sighed, sitting down on the edge of the stage. "I didn’t mean to... I was just overwhelmed. Liya talked to me, and things got all mixed up in my head. I love Levi, Ryan. But sometimes, I don’t know how to handle everything. I snapped at him because I was feeling... I don’t know, threatened? Maybe a little insecure?"

Ryan crossed his arms, nodding. "You know Levi’s been hiding from you, right? He’s not mad, he just feels... responsible. It’s like he’s avoiding you because he thinks he made things worse."

Mei frowned, her heart sinking. "I just want to make things right with him."

Levi's POV (Wednesday Evening)

That evening, I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, when Liya came into my room. She stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, looking serious.

“Levi,” she said, “you need to make up with Mei.”

I glanced over at her, confused. “I know I do, but—"

“No ‘buts.’” She cut me off, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. “I know Mei said some hurtful things, but I’m probably the reason she snapped in the first place.”

I sat up, frowning. “Wait, why? What did you do?”

Liya sighed, running a hand through her hair. “It’s a long story, and you’ll figure it out soon enough. But for now, what you need to know is that she’s been beating herself up about it. She didn’t mean to yell at you, Levi. She told me herself — she hates how things turned out.”

I stared at Liya, speechless. I hadn’t realized Mei felt that way. “I’ll... I’ll talk to her tomorrow,” I finally said, feeling a wave of relief and guilt wash over me.

Liya smiled gently. “Good. You two need to sort this out.”

I nodded, grateful. “Thanks, Liya. I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, Levi. Now get some rest and clear your mind.”

That night, I went to bed with a resolve to fix things.

Thursday Morning

At school, I was still hesitating, but then I caught sight of Mei rehearsing alone in the classroom. She looked so focused, but there was a sadness in her eyes. Ryan noticed me hiding behind the door, and before I could run, he called out, “Look, Mei! There’s Levi!”

I panicked and bolted, heading straight for the rooftop. I could hear Mei calling after me, “Wait, Levi! I need to talk to you!”

I didn’t stop until I reached the rooftop, panting. Moments later, Mei appeared at the door. She rushed toward me, and before I could react, she hugged me tightly, tears streaming down her face.

“I’m so sorry, Levi,” she cried. “I regretted everything I said. I never meant to yell at you. Please forgive me.”

I gently pulled her away, looking into her tearful eyes. “Come on, you’re making me cry now,” I said, my voice shaking. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t know you were going through so much, and I made it worse by pushing you. I should’ve backed off when you needed space.”

Mei sniffled, still holding on to me. “I thought you’d hate me.”

“Hate you?” I shook my head, wiping her tears with my thumb. “I could never hate you, Mei. I just wanted to fix things, and I ended up messing them up.”

She hugged me again, and this time, we stood there for a while, the weight of the last few days slowly lifting off our shoulders.

When we finally went back downstairs, the rest of the group was waiting for us in the classroom. As soon as we stepped in, Ryan grinned and spread his arms wide. “Look who finally made up!”

Everyone welcomed me back with open arms, and for the first time in days, I felt like everything was back to normal. As we all laughed and joked around, I caught Mei’s eye, and she smiled at me, a warm and genuine smile. It was a small moment, but it meant everything to me. I was glad we had made