10:45

PART 6

Rico wasn’t acting like himself. Claudine noticed it right away, even if he was trying hard to hide it. Normally, he would be the one making everyone laugh, throwing jokes left and right, but today, he was quieter, his smile seemed forced, and he didn’t join in with the group as much.

They were sitting in the school cafeteria, and while Claudine and their friends were chatting about their weekend plans, Rico just stared down at his food, poking at it but not really eating.

Claudine frowned, her heart tugging at the sight of him. She knew something was wrong, but she didn’t want to push him in front of everyone. Instead, she decided to wait until they were alone to ask him about it.

After lunch, Claudine walked beside Rico as they headed to their next class. He was still quiet, lost in his own thoughts.

“Rico, are you okay?” Claudine asked softly, glancing up at him.

Rico forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine, Clau. Just tired, I guess.”

Claudine didn’t buy it. She had known Rico long enough to see when something was really bothering him. “Are you sure?” she asked, her voice full of concern. “You’ve been really quiet today.”

Rico sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, Clau.”

Claudine nodded, respecting his need for space. “Okay,” she said softly. “But if you ever do want to talk, I’m here.”

Rico glanced at her, his eyes softening a bit. “Thanks, Clau,” he murmured. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

---

Over the next few days, Rico’s mood didn’t improve. In fact, it seemed to get worse. He wasn’t answering Claudine’s texts as quickly as he usually did, and when they did hang out, he was distant, like his mind was somewhere else.

Claudine’s worry only grew. She hated seeing her best friend like this. It wasn’t like him to shut her out, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on.

Finally, one evening, Claudine decided to confront him. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She texted him, asking if they could meet up at the park where they always hung out after school. After a few minutes of waiting anxiously, Rico replied with a simple, “Okay.”

Claudine quickly grabbed her jacket and headed out the door, her heart heavy with concern. She arrived at the park and found Rico sitting on their usual bench, staring off into the distance.

She sat down beside him, her gaze gentle but determined. “Rico, what’s going on?” she asked softly. “You haven’t been yourself lately, and I’m worried about you.”

Rico sighed, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, and Claudine waited patiently, giving him the space he needed.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and strained. “It’s just... everything’s falling apart, Clau. My family... my parents have been fighting a lot lately. Like, every single day. And it’s starting to affect me. I can’t focus on anything. I don’t even want to be at home.”

Claudine’s heart sank. She hadn’t known Rico’s home life was this bad. “I’m so sorry, Rico,” she whispered, placing a hand on his arm. “I didn’t know.”

Rico shook his head, his expression pained. “It’s not your fault. I didn’t tell you because... I don’t know, I just didn’t want to drag you into it. I didn’t want to burden you with my problems.”

Claudine frowned, squeezing his arm gently. “Rico, you’re my best friend. You could never be a burden to me. If something’s bothering you, I want to know. I want to help.”