A Love Rekindled

Chapter 4

The shrill sound of the bell rang through the halls, signaling the end of another day of classes.

Chairs scraped against the floor as students hurriedly packed their things, eager to leave.

"Ugh, I swear, I’ve had it with the homework already," Yoko groaned, slumping her shoulders as they stepped outside.

"Well, that’s school for you," Divina said with a  smile, wrapping her arm casually around Yoko’s shoulders as they walked. "It’s not like we didn’t know what we were getting into."

"But still," Yoko whined. "It feels like all we do is work, work, and more work. Where’s the fun part of this supposed school experience?"

Bianca rolled her eyes, her usual calm demeanor cracking just a little. "I hear you," she said, her voice laced with frustration. "We’ve barely been back for a few days and it already feels like they’re trying to drown us in assignments."

"Quit your whining, people," Kent chimed in, shaking his head at the group with a playful grin. "We’ve only been here a few days, and you all sound like it’s the end of the world."

"Easy for you to say," Yoko muttered. "You probably didn't even touched your assignments."

Kent shrugged with a smug smile. "Maybe that’s my secret to stress-free living."

As the group continued their banter, Yoko glanced at Enid, who was unusually quiet. Normally, Enid would be the one laughing and keeping the conversation lively, but today she seemed distant.

Her brows were furrowed, her mind clearly elsewhere as they walked across the quad.

"Hey, girl," Yoko called out, waving a hand in front of Enid’s face to snap her out of her daze.

"Huh?" Enid blinked and turned her head, her voice distant. "Yeah?"

"You’ve been awfully quiet today," Yoko pointed out, her red eyes narrowing slightly with curiosity.

The group reached one of the outdoor tables scattered across the quad and sat down, spreading out their bags as they settled in for a little break.

"It’s not just today, though," Kent added as he took a seat across from Enid, giving her a knowing look. "You’ve been quiet for the past few days, too. It’s like you’re totally distracted."

Bianca leaned forward with her elbows on the table.

"Kent’s right," she said, eyeing Enid closely. "It’s like your mind’s somewhere else entirely. Wanna share what’s going on?"

Enid hesitated, she stared down at her hands. She could feel the weight of her friends’ eyes on her, waiting for an explanation.

Part of her wanted to brush it off, but the thoughts that had been swirling in her mind wouldn’t leave her alone.

"It’s something," Yoko pressed gently, leaning forward with a teasing smile, sensing there was more to the story. "Something’s been bothering you."

Enid sighed, knowing they weren’t going to let this drop so easily.

"Fine," she relented, her eyes darting between them. "It’s Wednesday."

A round of surprised looks passed between them, followed by the immediate sound of Divina snickering softly.

"I knew it," she said, nudging Yoko playfully. "It’s always Wednesday, isn’t it?"

"What about her?" Bianca asked, tilting her head as she studied Enid more closely.

"Yeah, you two broke up forever ago. Why would she be distracting you now?" Yoko added.

Enid shifted in her seat, unsure how to phrase it. She wasn’t even sure she understood it herself.