The Revel Heart || Ni-ki

17

The hallway was suffocating. Students gathered in small, murmuring clusters, phones in hand, faces lit with the glow of gossip spreading like wildfire. The whispers had started small an offhand comment, a glance exchanged but by now, the news were everywhere.

Ni-ki stood by his locker, staring at his phone with a growing sense of dread. His heart raced as he scanned the flood of texts and notifications, each more damaging than the last. The school's unofficial rumor mill had seized on the one thing that could threaten everything he'd worked for: his relationship with Celine.

"Student Council President Ni-ki was in a relationship with celine, the school's biggest rule-breaker?" The words were everywhere.

"Unbelievable."

"Did he actually think, she will be a good influence on him? "

"What does this mean for the student council? No wonder he's been lacking now for the position. "

His breath hitched as he ran a hand through his hair. This wasn't just a news; it was a potential political disaster. The board, the teachers, even the students none of them would let this go. He knew the students didn't care much about the rules, but the adults? They'd find a way to punish him for this, to make an example of both of them.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and students began filtering into classrooms. Ni-ki barely noticed the flow of bodies as he remained glued to his locker, his mind reeling.

"Ni-ki."

The voice came from behind him, and he tensed. Celine's tone was calm, too calm, like she was trying to mask something. He turned slowly, not sure if he was ready to face her.

She stood there, arms crossed, eyes fixed on him. Her dark hair hung loose over her shoulders, casual as always, but there was something about the way she was standing that told him she was anything but relaxed.

He swallowed, trying to keep his voice steady. "Do you know the news about our relationship spreading? ."

"yes. Everyone is talking about it. " she said, her voice sharp. "But our relationship isn't a secret after all, they just making a fuss out of it. Since You are the student president." Her words cut deeper than she probably intended,

He stared at her, the words swirling in his head. "Celine, I'm sorry for this mess, I will try to fix it" He paused, frustrated. "You know how this affects me.and I know it will affects you too, we're not just two people in a relationship anymore. But I have an image here and reputation on as a student president ."

She scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "yeah you are the student president, but do you really care about your reputation more than me?" "

"You're missing the point," he said, trying to control the frustration bubbling in his chest. "I'm trying to protect both of us. If this goes south, the school will turn on us. I'll lose my position, Celine. And what about you? You already have a reputation to deal with. Do you think this will make things easier for you?"

Her jaw clenched, and she pushed herself off the wall. "I don't need you to 'protect' me," she shot back. "I don't need your charity. I'm not a damsel in distress."

"You're not-" He stopped, running a hand over his face. "That's not what I meant. What I meant is-"

"What you mean is you're scared," she interrupted. "You're scared of losing everything you've worked so hard for. And you think I'm the one standing in your way, right?"

"That's not-" Ni-ki's voice cracked with the weight of his words. He took a breath, trying again. "This isn't about me, it's about us. If we're going to make this work, we need to be smart about it."

Celine's eyes hardened. "Smart? By saving your reputation and face? Everyone already know we are together."

"I'm not asking for anything. " he stepped toward her, frustration clear on his face. "I'm asking you to be careful. You don't understand how everything could fall apart if we don't take this seriously."

"Oh, I understand just fine," she shot back, her voice rising. "You're more worried about what people will think than about how I feel."

Ni-ki opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. His eyes flickered to the students who were beginning to glance in their direction, their whispers growing louder. His palms felt clammy, his nerves fraying.

"I didn't sign up for this," Celine muttered under her breath. She turned away from him, pacing a few steps, clearly struggling to contain the storm inside her. "You know what, Ni-ki? Maybe we're just too different."

The air between them was charged now, thick with tension.

"No," he said, taking a step closer. "Don't do this. We can fix it. We can-"

"No, you can fix it," she said, spinning around to face him again. Her eyes were burning with a mix of anger and hurt. "You've got your precious image to protect, don't you? Your perfect, spotless reputation. That's what matters to you, right?"

Ni-ki opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out. She was right he was terrified of losing everything. But it wasn't just the position, or the image it was the thought that he might lose her, too.

"Celine, please..." He took another step forward, his voice softening, but she stepped back, her face hardening.

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head. "I need to figure this out. Maybe we both do."

He stared at her, his heart sinking as she turned away from him, walking toward the stairs. Her footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, and he stood there, powerless, watching her leave.

---

Celine kept walking, her chest tight, her mind racing. She could still hear the last words he'd said, his voice breaking under the weight of it all.

It wasn't just about the news. It was about everything that came with them. Ni-ki was trapped in his own world, a world that seemed so distant from hers, and no matter how hard she tried, she didn't fit in that world.

But maybe that's exactly why they were better off apart.

She pushed open the door to the outside, letting the cool air wash over her. The sky was overcast, the clouds heavy with the promise of rain. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

She needed space. She needed time to think. And maybe just maybe this time apart would be the answer.

"But what about him?"

Celine's heart gave a painful tug at the thought of him, but she shook her head, forcing herself to walk away.

It was for the best...

Right?