The school corridors were nearly empty as Karina walked alone toward her locker. The distant hum of fluorescent lights filled the silence, her confident stride slowing now that she was by herself. The sharp edge to her demeanor softened, replaced by something quieter, tighter.
She opened her locker, its contents neatly arranged, everything in its place. But her gaze fell on a single photo taped inside: a younger version of herself, laughing with her parents. Her dad's arm rested on her shoulders, her mom smiling beside them. It was a perfect picture... one that didn't fit anymore.
Karina's fingers hovered over the photo for a moment before she shoved it behind a stack of books, as if hiding it would make it easier to forget. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a textbook and slammed the locker shut.
Turning around, she found Winter leaning casually against the wall nearby, arms crossed.
"You good?" Winter asked, tilting her head.
Karina's expression hardened instantly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Winter shrugged. "I don't know. You looked... distracted."
"Mind your business," Karina snapped, her tone sharp and defensive.
Winter raised her hands in mock surrender, a small smirk tugging at her lips, but she didn't press further.
Later, the study room was quiet except for the soft rustle of papers and whispered conversation. The team was halfway through dividing research tasks, but Karina remained disengaged, idly tapping her pen against the table.
Ningning, flipping through her notes, spoke lightly, "Like my mom always says, if you don't stay ahead of your work, it piles up faster than you realize."
Karina flinched, just barely, but Danny noticed.
"Ningning's mom sounds intense," Ara joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Chenle grinned. "Honestly, probably scarier than Giselle."
Giselle shot him a glare. "Excuse me?"
Laughter rippled through the group, but Karina's smile didn't reach her eyes. She quickly looked down, scribbling something in her notebook... something she had no intention of reading later.
Danny leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "What's with you?" His tone was teasing, but there was a flicker of genuine curiosity.
"Nothing. Just focus on your own stuff," Karina said, her words clipped, dismissive.
Danny watched her for a moment longer, then shrugged and turned back to his notes. He let it go, but he didn't forget.
Her bedroom was spotless, everything carefully arranged, except for the desk, where open textbooks and scattered notes suggested she had been staring at them for too long. Her bed was perfectly made, untouched.
Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen. A message from her mom:
Make sure your grades don't slip. No excuses.
Karina's jaw tightened. She typed a quick "Okay" and tossed the phone aside. The message shouldn't bother her... it wasn't new... but still, she buried her face in her hands, exhaling sharply.
A knock at her door made her jump slightly.
"I'm studying," she called without looking up.
No response came. Just the sound of footsteps retreating down the hall.
Karina slowly lifted her head, staring at the blank wall in front of her. After a moment, she reached into her desk drawer and pulled out the same family photo from earlier. She held it for a long time, tracing the edges with her thumb.
The laughter frozen in the photo felt like a memory from another life. Her parents looked so happy, so proud, so... easy. Everything she felt now... pressure, frustration, anxiety... was absent from that moment. She pressed the photo to her chest for a second, taking a shaky breath.
Then, without a word, she tucked it back into the drawer, sliding it under a pile of papers. Out of sight. Out of mind.
Karina leaned back in her chair, her fingers drumming lightly against the desk. She stared at her textbooks, the notes in front of her, and tried to focus, forcing herself into routine. She couldn't dwell on the past, no matter how much it tugged at her heart.
The room was quiet, sunlight casting long shadows across the floor. Karina's gaze drifted to the window, watching students pass by, their laughter and chatter floating faintly through the glass. She felt a small pang of longing for a simpler time, but she pushed it aside. There were expectations to meet, grades to maintain, appearances to uphold.
She exhaled slowly, straightening her back. "Focus," she whispered to herself. "Just focus."
Karina opened her textbook again and let the words blur across the page. The photo of her family remained in the drawer, tucked safely under her papers. She told herself it was forgotten, that it no longer mattered. For now, that was enough.
