Unspoken

Unveiling Art and Emotions

The classroom buzzed with chatter as the door opened, and Miss Rosa Catalano, the art teacher, stepped in. She carried an air of elegance, her flowing scarf and kind smile capturing the students' attention immediately.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she began, her voice warm but commanding. "I believe Mr. Carlos mentioned an art competition happening this Friday. I'm here to collect the names of the participants."

Selena and Ana exchanged glances and stood up together. "We've signed up, Miss," Ana said cheerfully.

Miss Rosa smiled. "Wonderful. Come with me, both of you. We'll discuss the themes and expectations for the competition."

As Selena followed Miss Rosa and Ana out of the room, she caught a glimpse of Daniel. He gave her a small smile, and she smiled back shyly before the door closed behind her.

The moment the girls were gone, the boys wasted no time. Alejandro leaned over to Daniel, grinning mischievously. "Hey, Romeo, what's this I hear about you and Selena having a fun little day out?"

Daniel rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the faint blush creeping up his neck. "Alejandro, don't start."

"Oh, come on," Juan chimed in, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "You can't just keep us in the dark. Did you take her to the park, or are you planning candlelit dinners now?"

"Yeah, Daniel," Marco added, his voice full of mock seriousness. "What's next? Matching outfits every day? Wait, didn't you two already do that?"

The boys burst into laughter, and Daniel ran a hand through his hair, trying to maintain his composure. "You guys are unbelievable," he muttered, though the smile tugging at his lips betrayed him.

Alejandro wasn't about to let up. "Unbelievable? You mean, like the way you were staring at her all day at the amusement park? You've got it bad, man."

Juan joined in again, pointing dramatically. "And the roller coaster! Weren't you the one screaming like a baby while she looked totally cool? Talk about knight-in-shining-armor energy!"

Daniel threw a crumpled piece of paper at him. "Shut up, Juan."

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the room, Rafael sat stiffly in his seat, glaring at the scene unfolding before him. His jaw was tight, and his pen scratched harshly against his notebook. Olivia, sitting nearby, crossed her arms and let out an annoyed sigh.

"I don't know what's more irritating," Olivia whispered, "Daniel acting all shy and blushing, or those idiots hyping him up like he's the greatest thing to ever happen."

Rafael snorted but didn't look up. "Both are equally insufferable," he muttered, his tone sharp.

Olivia leaned closer, her voice laced with frustration. "And Selena? She's just going along with all of this? Acting like she doesn't know how this looks?"

Rafael finally put down his pen, his gaze flicking toward the door Selena had exited. "She probably doesn't. But honestly..." He trailed off, his lips pressing into a thin line.

"But honestly, what?" Olivia pressed.

"Nothing," Rafael said curtly, turning back to his notebook.

Olivia leaned back in her chair with a huff, her fingers drumming against the desk. She glanced over at Daniel, who was now laughing at something Alejandro had said, his face bright with amusement. Her irritation flared again.

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.

Back at the boys' table, Alejandro gave Daniel a playful shove. "So, when are you making it official with Selena, huh? Don't leave us hanging."