Unspoken

Jealousy

As the last equation was solved, the group collectively sighed in relief, sinking back into their chairs. Alejandro stretched with a dramatic groan. "Finally, we're done. I thought we'd never finish."

Lucia laughed, nudging Selena. "All thanks to our genius here. Selena, you were on fire today."

Selena smiled shyly. "It wasn't just me. Everyone worked hard."

Daniel, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since their earlier snack break, suddenly leaned forward, resting his arms on the table and locking his gaze on Selena.

"Well, speaking of working hard... Selena, tomorrow, I'm taking you out."

Selena blinked, startled. "W-What? Tomorrow? Out where?"

Daniel smirked, his confidence unmistakable. "It's a surprise. But trust me, you'll love it."

Lucia gasped, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Selena, you have to go! How can you say no to a surprise?"

Selena looked between them, her heart racing. "I—I don't know... I mean, I've got a lot of things to do—"

Alejandro cut her off, waving his hand dismissively. "Oh, come on. You've been killing it with this assignment. You deserve a break."

He turned to Daniel, grinning. "And who better to show you a good time than our charming Daniel?"

Daniel tilted his head, his grin widening as he added in a playful tone, "And just so you know, I'm not taking no for an answer."

Selena's cheeks flushed, and she tried to form a coherent response, but her words stumbled. "I—uh... I don't—"

Lucia and Alejandro burst into laughter, their teasing relentless. "You're blushing!" Lucia teased, clapping her hands. "This is adorable. You have to go, Selena!"

Alejandro nodded in agreement, feigning a serious expression. "It's practically a crime to say no to Daniel Reyes."

Selena sighed, realizing there was no escape. Her eyes darted nervously to Daniel, who was now watching her intently, his grin softening into something almost... tender.

She bit her lip, feeling her resolve falter. "Alright," she said softly, avoiding his gaze. "I'll go."

"That's my girl," Daniel said smoothly, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smirk.

Her heart skipped a beat at the way he said it, and she tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

"But I still want to know where we're going," she insisted, crossing her arms in an attempt to regain some control.

Daniel chuckled, standing up and grabbing his jacket. "Patience, Selena. The best surprises are the ones you don't see coming." He winked, adding just enough charm to make her blush again.

Meanwhile, Mateo, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, was grinning as he typed furiously on his phone.

Mateo: You're gonna lose, dude. Daniel's pulling out all the stops. He's got her wrapped around his finger.

On the other end of the chat, Rafael stared at the message, his jaw tightening. His heart sank as Mateo's words sank in. Daniel's giving Selena his full attention?

Mateo followed up with another text, this time teasing: Better step it up before she forgets you exist.

Rafael threw his phone onto the couch, his chest tightening with a mix of frustration and something he didn't want to admit was jealousy. He leaned back, staring at the ceiling, unable to shake the image of Daniel smiling at Selena... and Selena smiling back.

Back at Daniel's house, the group was wrapping up.

As they walked out, Daniel lingered near Selena, his hand casually brushing against hers as they headed to the door. "So, tomorrow at noon," he said, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

Selena nodded, her cheeks flushing again as she whispered, "Okay."

Daniel's smirk deepened. "I'll be looking forward to it."

As she walked home that evening, her mind swirled with questions, nerves, and an undeniable curiosity. What exactly is Daniel planning? And why does it make my heart race so much?

Back at Rafael's house, Alex leaned against the wall, raising an eyebrow as he watched Rafael throw his phone onto the couch with unnecessary force. "Dude, what's your problem? Why'd you toss your phone like that?"

Rafael shook his head, trying to mask the frustration in his voice. "Nothing. It's... nothing. Just something horrible I saw, that's all."

Alex shrugged, unconvinced but choosing not to press further. "Alright, if you say so."

Ana, who had been organizing their completed assignment papers, stood up and stretched. "Well, our work here is officially done. Can we head home now? I've got plans later, and I don't want to be late."

Rafael nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, sure. Thanks for coming, everyone. We did good today."

As the group began to gather their things, Olivia lingered near the doorway, unusually quiet. Her thoughts were consumed by the same nagging questions—What were Daniel and Selena doing? Were they really just working? Or... something else?

As the others started filing out, Olivia hesitated before speaking up. "Hey, Rafael," she called softly, stopping him before he could walk away.

He turned, surprised by her tone. "Yeah?"

She shifted uncomfortably, trying to sound casual but failing. "Why don't you come over to my place for a bit? We could hang out, have some fun, maybe watch a movie or something. You know, just relax."

Rafael frowned slightly, sensing a hint of desperation in her voice. "I can't," he replied simply. "I've got a football match tomorrow. Mateo and I are heading out early, so I need to rest up tonight."

Olivia's shoulders slumped, and she forced a smile. "Oh... yeah, of course. Football's important."

"See you in class," Rafael added, his tone neutral as he turned back to pack up his things.

Olivia clenched her fists, frustration bubbling inside her. She quickly turned and left, her steps heavy as she walked out of Rafael's house.

Her car was waiting outside, and her driver opened the door for her. She slid into the backseat, her emotions swirling between anger and sadness.

As the car pulled away, Olivia stared out the window, biting her lip as she replayed the day's events in her mind. She couldn't stop herself from obsessing over one thought: What had Daniel and Selena done together?

Her imagination spiraled as jealousy began to take hold. Did they laugh together? Did Daniel make her blush the way he used to make me blush?

She gritted her teeth, her nails digging into her palm. "This isn't over," she muttered under her breath, her gaze hardening as her house came into view.

Could it be that Olivia's jealousy stems from a past relationship with Daniel that ended unresolved, leaving her wondering if she ever truly mattered to him?