The week following Jake’s unexpected kiss was filled with a strange undercurrent. Raya tried her best to ignore it, to focus on her studies, but every time Jake messaged her, her heart skipped a beat. She had convinced herself that it was nothing, just a spur-of-the-moment thing, but her thoughts kept returning to it.
The week was filled with late-night study sessions. Raya, determined to get everything perfect for her exams, locked herself in her room after school each day, immersing herself in her textbooks. Yet, even with the structure she imposed on herself, she found it hard to concentrate fully. Thoughts of Jake kept creeping into her mind, making her wonder whether she’d misread everything between them.
One Friday afternoon, she met with her friends, as usual, to talk about anything other than exams. Lili, Raiza, Kren, and Josh were gathered at their usual spot in the school courtyard. They were all chattering away, a mix of jokes and gossip swirling in the air, but Raya’s thoughts kept drifting.
“You okay, Raya?” Lili asked, her voice cutting through the noise.
Raya blinked, focusing on her friend. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”
“Uh-huh.” Raiza raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been looking kind of… distracted lately. Is it about your exams or something else?”
Raya hesitated. Should she tell them? It wasn’t like they didn’t know about her friendship with Jake. He’d been around for years, and they all knew how close they were. But this… this was different.
“I don’t know,” Raya finally said, shaking her head. “It’s just… I don’t know how to explain it. Something happened, and now I can’t stop thinking about it.”
The group fell silent for a moment, eyes trained on her, waiting for her to elaborate.
“Do you mean with Jake?” Josh asked, his voice soft.
Raya froze. It felt like everyone was waiting for her to confirm it, but how could she explain it? “Yeah,” she said after a moment. “But it’s nothing. I’m probably just overthinking things.”
The others exchanged glances, but before anyone could say anything else, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Raya quickly grabbed her things, eager to escape the conversation. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t over. She couldn’t just sweep it aside. Not when every time she saw Jake, it felt like something had shifted between them.
The weekend arrived, and Raya’s mind was still preoccupied. Jake had texted her earlier in the day, asking if she wanted to hang out. Despite the busy schedule she had set for herself, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. She’d missed spending time with him, even if things felt a little awkward.
When Jake arrived at her house, there was an odd tension between them, something unspoken that neither was willing to acknowledge. He sat down next to her on the couch, and they fell into their usual routine, discussing everything from school to random topics. But beneath the surface, the question lingered: Was there more to their relationship than either of them had realized?
At some point during the afternoon, Jake casually leaned back, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “So, are you still planning to become a doctor ". he asked, glancing at her with a playful smile.
Raya smiled faintly, grateful for the normal conversation. “Yeah, that’s the plan. I have to prove to myself that I can do it, you know? I don’t want to depend on anyone for my success. I want to make my own way in the world.”
Jake nodded thoughtfully, his expression serious for a moment. “I get that. You’ve always been someone who knows what they want.”
Her heart warmed at his words. It was nice to hear him say that. Jake had always believed in her, even when she didn’t believe in herself.
Later that evening, after they’d watched a movie and had dinner, Jake stood up to leave. There was a brief, almost awkward pause before he turned to her.
“Hey, I just… wanted to say I’m sorry if I made things weird the other day. I never meant to make you uncomfortable.”
Raya’s breath hitched. She hadn’t expected him to bring it up again, but she appreciated the honesty in his voice.
“It’s okay, Jake,” she said, smiling softly. “I’ve just been… thinking a lot. But it’s nothing. We’re good.”
Jake’s face softened, and for a moment, it felt like everything was right again. “Good. See you tomorrow?”
Raya nodded. “Yeah. See you.”
As he left, she couldn’t help but feel a lingering uncertainty. It was as if their friendship had crossed an invisible line, and now there was no going back.
That night, as she lay in bed, Raya thought about everything—the exams, her dreams, and the growing feelings she was trying so hard to suppress. She had always known she wanted to be successful on her own, to be independent and capable. But what if her heart had other plans? What if her feelings for Jake were more than just a friendship? She couldn’t ignore it anymore, and it was driving her crazy.
As her thoughts swirled, she sighed, turning over in bed. Maybe I’m overthinking it, she thought, trying to calm her racing thoughts. It’s stupid to complicate things. I can’t let this get in the way of my goals.
But even as she told herself that, she knew it wasn’t that simple.
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Tomorrow
Fanfiction"Raya, why dream so big? Do you think anyone will really notice you?" Raya glanced at her BTS poster, a quiet determination in her eyes. "It's not about being noticed. It's about proving to myself that I'm capable. They may be stars, but they're als...
