MY DAYS AT CRYSTAL GEM ACADEMY

In The Midst Of It All

This chapter is dedicated to DreamingBrush for the vote and comment.

The next day, I walked into school with a mix of emotions. The pain from yesterday was still a dull ache in my side, but the medication was helping to manage it. What I wasn't prepared for was the concern etched on Norrell's face as he spotted me in the hallway.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, falling into step beside me. His voice was softer than usual, and his brows were furrowed in worry. "You looked really pale yesterday."

I forced a smile, trying to downplay the situation. "I'm fine, just a bit tired," I said, hoping he'd let it go.

Norrell's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't push the issue. Instead, his focus shifted, and a grin spread across his face. "So, have you thought about the school dance?"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden change in topic. "Not really," I replied, still trying to make sense of the moment.

He laughed lightly. "You should come. It'll be fun."

I hesitated, my thoughts swirling. The dance was a big deal, and though I hadn't planned on going, there was something about the way he said it-so casually, yet with an undertone of excitement-that made me reconsider.

"Maybe," I said, not committing either way, but unable to hide the curiosity stirring inside me.

As Norrell walked away, his usual easy confidence filling the hallway, I found myself lost in thought. There was something about him-something I couldn't quite define. It wasn't just the way he cared about people, or how easily he could make everyone laugh. It was the way his attention felt different, like he was seeing me in a way that no one else did.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. What was wrong with me? I barely knew Norrell, yet something kept pulling me toward him. I couldn't explain it, but I couldn't ignore it either.

I gathered my things and headed out of the cafeteria, the weight of his words still lingering in my mind. As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was about to change in some fundamental way, like the earth beneath me was shifting just out of sight.

I didn't notice the figure standing in front of me until I almost collided with them. Apologetic, I looked up, startled to see Jayden smiling at me.

"Hey, Kaylila," he said, his warm eyes crinkling at the corners as his smile widened. "What's got you so lost in thought?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Jayden and I had always been close, and he was someone I trusted, but admitting that I couldn't stop thinking about another guy-especially Norrell-seemed complicated. I couldn't risk hurting him.

"Just thinking about school stuff," I said finally, hoping it sounded casual enough.

Jayden nodded, his expression understanding. "I know how that is. Sometimes I feel like my head is going to explode from all the homework and stuff."

I laughed, the familiar comfort of his presence easing some of the tension in my chest. Maybe I was just stressed out from school, and that's why I was feeling so unsettled. It wasn't about Norrell, right?

As Jayden and I walked together down the hallway, I felt a sense of relief. At least with Jayden, I didn't have to pretend to be someone else. He always knew how to make me feel at ease, and I appreciated him for that more than I could express.

But even as I smiled and laughed with Jayden, my thoughts kept drifting back to Norrell. There was an undeniable pull when he was around, a quiet force that tugged at me in ways I didn't understand. I couldn't help but feel his presence, even when he wasn't in the room. The thought of him, his teasing smiles, and the way he seemed to look straight through me unsettled me.