My Enigma

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Auroras POV

It was strange how silence could be louder than anything.

I hadn't spoken to Luke in over a week. Not by accident. Not out of spite. Just... choice. It hurt less to keep my distance than to keep reaching and getting nothing in return.

He showed me he didn't want me. And for once, I decided to stop begging someone to stay.

So now, I matched his energy. And suddenly, that seemed to bother him. His eyes lingered in the hallways longer than before. He'd slow his pace near my locker. Once, he even said my name — soft, like a truce — but I walked right past him like I didn't hear a thing.

I used to wonder what that would feel like. Ignoring the person who hurt me.

It felt... freeing. Heavy, but freeing.

Levi's memorial pep rally was in two weeks, and the principal had asked me to help organise it. Something about me being the only one who could do it justice. I wanted to say no. I wanted to scream that remembering him still felt like pressing into an open wound. But I didn't. I nodded, smiled weakly, and swallowed the lump in my throat.

He was my brother.

And if the school was going to remember him, it was going to be right.

The next day, I sat in the back of the student council room surrounded by mood boards and half-empty coffee cups, staring blankly at the list of ideas on my notepad. A jersey ceremony. A speech. Highlight reels. Maybe even lanterns at night on the field. It all felt like too much and not enough all at once.

"You look like you're trying to win a war with that pen," a familiar voice said.

I didn't even have to look up. "Connor," I breathed, the tiniest smile tugging at my lips.

He dropped into the chair beside me like he belonged there — because he once had. We used to be inseparable. Before the tragic passing of my brother, before he confessed he had feelings for me. Before everything got too complicated. Before, he was angry at me, before Luke.

"I know how hard this can be, I thought you could use some backup."

I looked at him properly then. Connor had always been that soft kind of steady, warm eyes, patient energy, a quiet kind of strength. He wasn't pushy. He never forced his way into spaces. But when he was there, you felt it.

I missed this side of him, and I'm glad his anger towards me has cooled down. I get to experience the Connor I knew once again. I hope it stays that way.

"I didn't think you'd want to help," I admitted. "After... you know," I say, trying not to outrightly bring up his love confession.

He shrugged. "Levi was my friend too, Rory. And I miss you."

There it was. Simple. Honest. No expectations attached.

"I missed you too," I whispered.

His smile reached his eyes.

We dove into planning. For the first time in days, my brain didn't feel like it was swimming through fog. Connor listened when I needed to ramble, added structure when my thoughts scattered, and cracked the occasional joke when he noticed my shoulders tensing.

He didn't hover; he supported. I did not know how much I needed that until now. Is this the kind of support I had missed out on after I ghosted him and Hanna after the funeral? I guess we will never know.

When I mentioned wanting to speak at the rally, my voice shook.

"You should," Connor said immediately. "If anyone can capture who Levi was, it's you."

"But what if I fall apart up there and start crying?"

"Then I'll be right in the front row, reminding you that you're not alone."

My throat tightened.

The week rolled on. And Connor, true to his word, was there every step of the way. He stayed late after school with me. Picked out songs for the tribute video. Talked to the football coach about Levi's old jersey. He even walked me home once when the skies turned grey and I forgot my umbrella.

It was easy with him. Familiar. No weight. No guessing games.

On the other hand, Luke was harder to avoid than I thought he'd be.

He'd always been subtle about his presence, never overbearing, but now, it felt like he was everywhere. When I passed, he was leaning against his car in the lot, lingering near the gym doors, and watching from across the quad while I laughed with Connor.

I caught his gaze once. He didn't look away.

And I didn't look back.

I was done being someone's almost.

While we were printing rally flyers in the media room one afternoon, Connor nudged me gently. "You good?"

I blinked. "Yeah. Why?"

"You've got that look. The one you get when you're trying not to think about something."

I gave a soft laugh. "You still remember that?"

"Hard to forget," he said, nudging me with a grin. "So, what are we avoiding?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Luke."

Connor didn't say anything for a moment. Just waited.

"I feel stupid, you know?" I said. "For catching feelings for someone who was not even sure of me."

"You're not stupid, Rory."

I met his eyes. "Then why does it still hurt?"

"Because you cared. Because it meant something to you. And that's never something to be ashamed of."

I nodded, quietly grateful. This is the Connor who was my long-term friend. It had been a while since I saw this side of him, and it felt nice knowing that our friendship was getting better. It may never be how it used to be, and that's fine, but at least we are not where we were when we began the school year.

He didn't try to fix it, he didn't tell me what I should feel, he just let me be.

By the end of the week, the rally was shaping up beautifully. We had banners, photos, videos, and speeches lined up. Levi's favourite songs were part of the playlist, and the team agreed to wear black armbands in his memory.

I found myself smiling again. Not big, not always. But real.

I continued my journaling journey daily, just like my therapist insisted I do. I wrote about the guilt, the ache, and the random bursts of laughter that made me feel human again. I wrote about Luke, too, the version of him I had dreamed about and the reality that left me feeling lonely.

I wrote about Connor and how good it felt to have a friend who showed up without asking for anything in return.

One day, as we sat in the gym sketching out the rally layout, Luke walked in.

He didn't say anything. Just watched us.

Connor noticed him, then looked at me like: You okay?

I nodded, calmly. "Let's finish the banner," I said. "The colors need to pop under the stadium lights."

Luke left after a minute. No scene. No words.

But I saw it, the flicker in his eyes. The realisation.

Maybe he thought I'd always wait. That I'd always be available.

But I was learning to choose people who chose me, not just when it was convenient, not just when they were lonely and needed somebody to talk to.

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-Alegna.