The Girl in the Rural Breeze

Seeker

The morning began like any other—alarm blaring, sunlight slipping through the blinds, and the faint hum of the city outside. I got ready, brushed my hair back, and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading out. But even as I followed my usual routine, something felt... off.

It was subtle at first, like a faint whisper in the back of my mind that something wasn’t quite right. I shook the feeling off as I made my way to college, the crisp morning air brushing against my skin. Probably just tired. Maybe I stayed up too late thinking about... things. I frowned at the thought but quickly pushed it aside.

Classes were the same as always—long lectures, professors droning on, and the occasional scribbling of notes. But today, my focus was all over the place. My gaze drifted toward the window far too often, the pen in my hand tapping absently against my notebook. I’d try to snap myself back into focus, only for my mind to wander again.

Her face kept appearing in my thoughts—the quiet way she spoke, her hesitant smiles, the way she seemed almost as unsure of me as I was of her. It was maddening. I didn’t even know why I was thinking about her so much. It wasn’t like anything had happened. But still, the thought of her lingered like a stubborn tune I couldn’t shake.

When the final bell rang, I was relieved to pack up and leave. Mark was already waiting for me outside the classroom, spinning a basketball in his hands.

“Ready for practice?” he asked, tossing the ball in my direction.

I caught it, nodding. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The walk to the gym was filled with Mark’s usual chatter about strategy and how we could improve our game before the next match. I listened, or at least I pretended to. My responses were automatic, but my mind was still elsewhere.

The gym was alive with its usual energy—the echo of basketballs bouncing, sneakers squeaking on the polished floor, and teammates calling out plays. As soon as I stepped onto the court, the familiar rhythm of practice started to take over.

Mark threw me the ball as we began warming up. “You good today, man? You seem a little out of it.”

I dribbled the ball, forcing a grin. “Just tired, I guess.”

Mark shrugged. “Well, tired or not, we’ve got drills to run. Better wake up.”

Practice was intense, as always. We ran plays, shouted instructions, and pushed ourselves until our muscles ached and sweat dripped down our faces. For a while, I managed to lose myself in the game. The rush of adrenaline drowned out everything else, and for a moment, I felt normal again.

As the practice wrapped up, Mark and I headed to the bleachers to grab our stuff. That’s when I noticed Michelle standing by the entrance, waving at us. She was alone, though, and the absence was noticeable.

“Hey, where’s your shadow?” Mark called out with a teasing grin as we approached her.

Michelle rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “She’s not my shadow. She’s my friend. And no, she didn’t come today. She said she had some work.”

Her words hit me harder than they should have. I tried to keep my face neutral, but the disappointment tugging at my chest was impossible to ignore. Without thinking, I blurted out, “She’s not here?”

Mark immediately turned to me, his expression morphing into a sly grin. “Looks like someone’s missing her.” He raised an eyebrow, leaning closer as if he’d uncovered some grand secret.

“Shut up, Mark,” I shot back, my face heating up.

Michelle raised an eyebrow at me, her lips twitching like she was holding back a laugh. “You’re asking about her?”

I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. “Just noticed she wasn’t here. That’s all.”

“She said she had something to do,” Michelle said with a shrug. “Didn’t say what, though.”

Mark nudged me with his elbow, his grin widening. “Man, you’re not subtle at all. Just admit it.”

I shoved him lightly, muttering, “Let it go, dude.”

He chuckled but didn’t push further, thankfully. I grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder as we started to head out. Michelle fell into step with us, her phone in hand as she scrolled through something.

But even as we walked, her words echoed in my head. She didn’t come today. It wasn’t a big deal, not really. She probably had a good reason. Still, the weight in my chest didn’t ease. Her absence felt... wrong.

I shook my head, trying to brush it off. You’re being ridiculous, Jake. Stop overthinking it.

But as much as I tried to push the thoughts away, one thing was clear—today didn’t feel complete without her.

The walk home felt unusually long, the city buzzing around me as my thoughts churned. My bag was slung over my shoulder, but it felt heavier than usual, weighed down by something I couldn’t quite name.

“She didn’t come today,” Michelle had said. Those words played over and over in my head, like a broken record. It wasn’t a big deal. People skipped things all the time. Maybe she had something important to do. Maybe it was nothing. But somehow, it didn’t feel like nothing.

I adjusted my bag and kicked a stray pebble on the sidewalk. Why am I even thinking about this so much? I barely knew her. I shouldn’t care this much. But the truth was, I did care.

As I passed the familiar streets, the thought hit me—I’d ask her tomorrow. Just casually, of course. Nothing weird. I’d just bring it up like any normal person would. “Hey, why weren’t you at practice yesterday?” That didn’t sound too intense, did it?

The more I thought about it, the more I convinced myself that it wasn’t a bad idea. I needed to stop overthinking things. Just talk to her. Simple.

By the time I reached home, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, dropping my bag by the couch. The house was quiet, the kind of stillness that let my thoughts run even louder.

I headed to my room, tossing my sneakers into a corner before collapsing onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, I ran through what I’d say to her tomorrow. What if she thinks I’m prying? Or what if she doesn’t want to talk about it?

I sighed, rubbing my face with my hands. You’re overthinking again, Jake.

After a quick shower to clear my head, I sat at my desk, trying to distract myself with homework. But my mind kept drifting back to her—her quiet smile, the way she seemed both confident and reserved at the same time.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’d ask her. Maybe then, this knot in my chest would finally loosen.