The Moon Shines when the Sun Isn't Around

31

Chapter 4 / Pt31
What's the title? I don't know.

Oreo lay on her bed, staring at her phone screen, the last conversation with Daron flashing in front of her. She had hoped for some reassurance, something to ease the pit in her stomach. But his dismissive response had only deepened the growing sense of loneliness.

Maybe King was right all along, she thought, biting her lip in frustration. She couldn't shake the feeling that things with Daron were superficial, empty. Her mind drifted back to King—how he always made her feel comfortable, how he knew her better than anyone. And yet, she had let someone else come between them.

She sighed, glancing at the time. It was late, but she couldn't sleep. The thought of King being angry with her weighed heavily on her heart. She opened their text conversation again, reading over his last words:

"We're just friends anyway, according to you. Go talk to Daron."

It stung. She typed a few messages, deleting them each time before she could send anything. Nothing seemed right. How could she fix this? Was there even a way to? She hesitated for a moment, then decided to send something simple:

"King, can we talk? Please."

There was no response. She stared at her phone for what felt like an eternity, but nothing came through. Frustrated, she tossed the phone aside and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.

I messed up, she thought. How could I not have seen this coming?

Meanwhile, King sat in his room, staring blankly at the wall. He had walked aimlessly after shutting off his phone, his thoughts circling back to Oreo and how things had spiraled. He felt betrayed, even though he knew deep down they were only friends. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

When he saw her sitting with Daron, laughing and acting like it didn't matter, something inside him snapped. All this time, they had been inseparable, but now it felt like she was drifting away from him. Was I ever really important to her? The thought gnawed at him.

He picked up his phone, tempted to turn it on and read whatever messages might be waiting, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he clenched his jaw and put it back down. He had tried to be patient, to let things be, but Daron was all he could think about. How Oreo let him slide into her life so easily, even after everything they had been through together.

"I should've just told her how I felt," he muttered to himself, the regret settling in. But now, it felt too late.

The next day, Oreo woke up groggily, her phone clutched in her hand. She checked it immediately, hoping for a response from King, but still nothing.

He's really ignoring me, she thought, sitting up and running her hands through her hair. It hurt more than she wanted to admit. She debated texting him again, but instead, she got dressed and headed downstairs. She needed some air.

At school, things were even more tense. King kept his distance from Oreo, his expression cold whenever their eyes met. Daron, oblivious to the tension, greeted Oreo with his usual flirtatious charm. He was all smiles, but Oreo barely responded. Her thoughts were entirely on King, wondering if she had lost him for good.

At lunch, Daron sat beside Oreo again, his hand casually brushing against hers. She flinched, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. The usual banter between them felt hollow now.

"You good?" Daron asked, noticing her shift in mood.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Oreo lied, her eyes wandering over to where King sat with his friends, not even sparing her a glance.

She knew she had to talk to him—really talk to him—but every time she thought about approaching him, her nerves got the best of her. The walls between them had grown thicker, and she wasn't sure how to break through anymore.