Rich Heart,poor souls

Silent Reactions

The bell rang, loud and sudden, cutting through the silence that had settled over the room. Without a word, Kai shoved his supplies into his bag and strode out of the classroom, his footsteps echoing down the hall. He didn’t look back, didn’t acknowledge anyone. The rest of the group watched him leave, bewildered by his abrupt exit.

"Who won the challenge?"Jaden asked, his voice trailing off in the awkward quiet that followed.

No one had an answer. Everyone had been waiting for Kai’s usual snide comment, his declaration of victory. But this time, he left without saying anything.

Zyran sat frozen at his seat, staring at the empty doorway where Kai had disappeared. His heart sank, a heavy weight pressing against his chest. This was the first time he had ever shown his artwork to his friends, the first time he had truly opened up. And now Kai—Kai had walked away without a word.

He tried to keep a calm expression, but inside,
he was torn. Did Kai hate it? Did he feel mocked?

Zyran had no idea what to think. All he knew was that Kai’s silence felt like a rejection, a blow to the excitement he had felt when drawing him. He had hoped for something—anything—but instead, he was left with confusion.
The others gathered their things slowly, casting glances at Zyran, but no one said anything. The tension was thick, and Zyran couldn’t shake the
feeling of disappointmentMaybe this had all been a mistake.

Kai’s POV

The second the bell rang, Kai made a quick exit. He couldn’t handle staying in that room for a second longer. His face felt hot, his heartbeat quickening in a way he wasn’t used to.

Zyran had drawn him. Not some random doodle or a casual sketch—he had been studying Kai, focusing on him the entire time. Kai had been so absorbed in his own work, too focused on trying to outshine everyone else, that he didn’t even notice. How had Zyran done it? How had he managed to capture every detail—his expression, his posture—without him realizing?

Kai’s mind raced as he hurried down the hall. His cheeks still felt warm, and he cursed himself for letting it get to him. Blushing? Seriously? Over a drawing? But it wasn’t just any drawing—it was him. Zyran had been paying attention to him the entire time, and the thought of that was messing with his head.

He stopped in front of his locker, his hand gripping the metal door as he tried to gather himself. What was Zyran trying to prove? Kai was used to being the center of attention, but this was different. There was something about being the subject of Zyran’s drawing that threw him off. It wasn’t just admiration—it felt… personal. Intimate, even.

Kai let out a frustrated breath, his blush deepening despite his efforts to shake it off. He couldn’t let Zyran know how much this had gotten under his skin. That would only give him the upper hand, and Kai wasn’t about to let that happen.

Still, the image of the drawing lingered in his mind. Zyran was good—really good. And for a moment, Kai couldn’t help but feel flattered. Maybe Zyran had seen something in him that no one else had. But even then, he wasn’t about to admit that out loud.

Whatever," Kai muttered to himself, straightening up. He’d act like it didn’t matter, that it was no big deal. But deep down, the thought of Zyran watching him so closely—drawing him so carefully—made him blush all over again.