Unspoken Affection

02

The next morning, Lia was able to go to attend her class, and so did Jake. Their friends were happy to see them, but Jake gave a slight smile to Lia and went to his seat after greeting their friends.

The next morning, Lia walked into class, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation. She had replayed the events of the previous night in her mind countless times, and now seeing Jake again after their bittersweet moment filled her with uncertainty. As she entered the classroom, her eyes immediately scanned the room for him.

Mia and Hannah noticed her and waved excitedly. "Hey, Lia! Glad to see you're back!" Mia said, grinning. "We were worried about you yesterday."

"Yeah," Hannah chimed in, "good to have you back."

Lia smiled at her friends, grateful for their support. "I'm feeling better, thanks," she said, though her thoughts were elsewhere. Her eyes flicked over to where Jake had just walked in. He greeted the group with a quick nod and smile, but it wasn't the usual warm, easygoing grin Lia was used to. His gaze met hers briefly, but then he looked away and quietly headed to his seat without saying much more.

The interaction felt heavy, like there was something unspoken between them now—a shift in the air that only they seemed to feel.

As Lia made her way to her own seat, she couldn't help but wonder if things would ever go back to normal between them. Their friends, seemingly unaware of the tension, continued chatting around them. Steve and Jay were cracking jokes, and Mia and Hannah were discussing their weekend plans, but Lia found it hard to focus.

She glanced over at Jake a couple of times, noticing the way he seemed more reserved than usual. He caught her looking once, and for a split second, there was a flash of something in his eyes—something that reminded her of their shared secret. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by his usual calm expression.

As the class went on, Lia did her best to concentrate, but her mind kept drifting back to Jake. She wondered if he was thinking about last night too, or if he had already moved on. Either way, things felt different now, and she wasn't sure what the next step would be.

During a break, Mia nudged her gently. "You okay? You've been a little quiet this morning."

Lia forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... a lot on my mind."

Mia gave her a concerned look but didn't press further. Meanwhile, Jake stayed at his desk, talking quietly with Steve and Jay, but never once glancing Lia's way again.

The tension between them was palpable, yet invisible to everyone else. Only they knew the weight of the secret that lingered between them, and for now, it seemed neither of them was ready to confront it head-on.

Lia quietly stood up as she headed out of the classroom while sighing. Her friends saw that as well as the guys, but none of them were willing to catch up with her because they thought she needed some space, but little did they know Lia would meet someone that she never imagined would talk to her, and that's Nicholas, another classmate of hers who seats in front of them.

Lia quietly stood up and slipped out of the classroom, her sigh barely audible over the hum of her classmates' chatter. As she made her way down the hallway, she tried to clear her mind, but the weight of everything from last night still pressed heavily on her. She thought she might need some air, some space away from all the complicated emotions swirling around her and Jake.

Her friends noticed her sudden departure but exchanged silent glances, deciding not to follow. They assumed she needed some time to herself and didn't want to push her.