In Love, Against All Odds

After the Bell Rings

As Patrick and I talked, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Our brief moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps and the familiar creak of the classroom door opening. Mrs. Page, our strict professor, stepped out, her gaze immediately falling on us. Her lips pursed as if she had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to catch us off-guard.

"If you two behave rudely again, you'll both be getting detention next time," she warned, her voice dripping with impatience.

I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment, but Patrick? He just grinned, completely unfazed by the reprimand. It was like nothing could shake him. His carefree attitude made the situation feel a little less serious, and despite myself, I found a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"See you around, Kat," he said, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer than necessary before he turned and walked away, his footsteps light as if the encounter hadn't affected him at all.

As soon as he was out of sight, I felt the presence of my friends, their eyes practically burning holes into the side of my head. I didn't even need to turn around to know they were already bursting with questions. When I did finally look, sure enough, there they were: Alista, Brailey, and Vinita, standing just a few steps away, smirking.

We all walked out of the building together, heading toward our usual bench under the large oak tree in the campus courtyard. The tree was our go-to spot for lunch, gossip, and moments just like this—where my friends could grill me for every single detail.

Alista, as usual, was the first to break the silence. She nudged me playfully with her elbow. "What did Patrick say to you, Kat?" she asked, her tone dripping with curiosity. There was a mischievous glint in her eye that told me she wasn't going to let me off easy.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "We were just talking about class. Nothing special."

Before I could finish, Brailey cut in, her eyes wide with excitement. "Lil do you know, Kat, he has a crush on you!" she said dramatically, causing Vinita and Alista to gasp and giggle.

I felt my face heat up instantly. "What? No way!" I stammered, trying to brush it off, but my voice betrayed me, shaky and unconvincing.

Alista smirked, leaning in closer as if she was about to reveal some deep secret. "Oh, come on. After hearing about your breakup with Bradwin, he probably thought this was his big chance to get close to you. That's why he had an argument with Mrs. Page on purpose and came out to talk to you."

I rolled my eyes, but I could feel my cheeks burning. "Shut up, girls. I broke up with Bradwin yesterday, and you're already trying to ship me with someone else. Can we focus on something else, please?"

We all laughed it off, but deep down, the teasing was getting to me. I tried to move on from the conversation, but my mind kept wandering back to Patrick—his easy smile, the way he looked at me today. It was different from how Bradwin ever looked at me, softer, almost... caring. I shook the thought away, but just as I did, I noticed Patrick walking by from a distance, his usual confident stride replaced with something a little lighter like he was walking on clouds.

He smiled at me again. And I couldn't help it. I smiled back, though the blush creeping up my neck probably gave away more than I intended. Alista noticed too, of course. She leaned over and whispered, "He's probably the happiest guy on the planet right now, thanks to your breakup."

Everyone burst into laughter again, but I felt the heat rush to my cheeks once more. I tried to brush it off, but the truth was, I couldn't deny the warmth that spread through me at the thought of Patrick being... interested. I wasn't ready for something new, but there was something undeniably sweet about the idea of someone liking me, especially after how shattered Bradwin had left me.

We finally headed to class, but the conversation lingered in my mind. I hadn't noticed Patrick much before today, but now? It was like he was everywhere. Every time I glanced up during the lecture, I caught him sneaking a look at me. My stomach fluttered each time our eyes met, and I found myself smiling, despite my best efforts to stay focused.

Class ended with little fanfare, the professor's droning voice finally permitting us to pack up. I grabbed my things and made my way to the bus stop, my thoughts a swirling mess of confusion. How had I gone from crying over Bradwin to thinking about Patrick in less than 24 hours? The thought made me feel... guilty, in a way, like I wasn't giving myself enough time to heal.

When I got home, I was desperate for a distraction. My little brother Austin was, as usual, glued to his PlayStation, his fingers tapping furiously at the controller.

"Move over, it's my turn!" I demanded, striding over to the couch.

He groaned without looking up from his game. "No way, Kat! You're always hogging it."

"Am not," I retorted, even though I was. I reached for the controller, and after a short but intense sibling wrestle, I managed to pry it from his hands.

"Ha! Victory is mine!" I declared triumphantly, holding the controller above my head like a trophy.

Austin just grumbled something under his breath, but he didn't fight back. With a victorious grin, I settled onto the couch and started playing. For a while, I managed to push all thoughts of Patrick—and Bradwin—out of my mind. The game was a nice distraction, even though I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.

After a few rounds, I decided I'd had enough and wandered into the kitchen for dinner. My parents were chatting quietly at the table, the hum of their conversation blending with the clinking of dishes as I sat down to eat. The familiar routine was comforting, and for the first time that day, I felt a small sense of normalcy creeping back in.

But that peace didn't last long. Later, as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Patrick's smile crept back into my mind. It was silly, really—how could I be thinking about someone else so soon after Bradwin? But I couldn't help it. The way Patrick looked at me today, the way he made me feel like I wasn't broken like I was still someone worth noticing... it was something I hadn't felt in a long time.

My mind replayed every moment of the day—the conversation in the hallway, his smile as he walked away, the way he seemed genuinely interested in talking to me. It was a sharp contrast to Bradwin's aloofness, the way he had treated me like I was an afterthought toward the end. Patrick's attention felt warm, comforting, and maybe even a little exciting.

But still, the guilt lingered. Shouldn't I be mourning my relationship with Bradwin? I had loved him—or at least, I thought I had. The way things ended, though... maybe I was just holding on to an idea of love that never really existed between us.

I sighed, rolling over and hugging my pillow close. It was too soon to think about someone else. Too soon to let myself feel anything but hurt. And yet, despite my best efforts to push it away, Patrick's smile lingered in my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep.