𝙀𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨

Chapter Four

I was rummaging through my locker, trying to find my textbook, when I noticed a familiar figure standing a few lockers down. I closed my locker and took a few cautious steps forward. There she was—Bella, still not looking very well . Her eyes were downcast, and she seemed lost in thought. It was clear that the past few months had taken a toll on her.

"Bella?" I called out softly, not wanting to startle her.

She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. "Ishkhan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I walked over to her, my heart aching at the sight of her sadness. "I can't believe you're back. How are you doing?"

Bella shrugged, her eyes avoiding mine. "I'm managing," she said, her voice tinged with a sadness that was hard to miss.

I could see the pain in her eyes, and I knew that words alone wouldn't be enough to ease it. "It's okay," I said softly. "You don't have to explain. I'm just really glad to see you."

"Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's been hard.”

I nodded "Well, if you need anything, or if you just want to talk, I'm here."

She gave me a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Ishkhan. That means a lot."

The shrill sound of the bell echoed through the hallway, signaling the end of our brief but meaningful conversation. I glanced at Bella, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.

"I guess that's our cue," I said, offering a small smile. "I'll call you later, okay?"

Bella nodded, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Alright, I'll be waiting."

I took a step back, reluctant to leave her side. "And don't worry, I'll catch up with you"

"Sounds good," she replied, her voice soft but steady.

With one last look, I turned and made my way to my next class, feeling a sense of reassurance.

It's been a week since Bella came back to school, and in that time, I've been doing my best to help her catch up on her homework. Thankfully, she doesn't have a mountain of work to get through—just a few assignments that need completing.

We sat together in the library, the quiet atmosphere making it easier to focus. Bella was working on her English essay, while I was going over some calculus problems. The soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional rustle of pages created a peaceful backdrop for our study session.

"How's the essay coming along?" I asked, glancing over at her.

"It's getting there," she replied, a hint of a smile on her face. "Thanks for helping me with the outline. It made things a lot easier."

"Anytime," I said, returning her smile. "If you need any more help, just let me know."

She nodded, her eyes reflecting gratitude. "I will. It's nice to have someone to rely on."

We continued working in comfortable silence for a while. I could see Bella's concentration as she typed away on her laptop, occasionally pausing to think or jot down notes. It was clear she was determined to catch up and not let her absence affect her grades.

After a while, I noticed she seemed to be getting stuck on a particular point. "Need a hand with that?" I asked, leaning over slightly to see her screen.

"Yeah, actually," she admitted, pushing her laptop towards me. "I'm having trouble with this paragraph. I can't seem to get the wording right."

I read through what she had written and offered a few suggestions. "Maybe you could try rephrasing it like this," I said, typing out a sentence. "It might flow better that way."