The Revel Heart || Ni-ki

Epilogue II

The sky had begun to darken, the colors of twilight painting the world in shades of purple and amber. I leaned against the railing of the  rooftop, staring out at the horizon as a cool breeze tugged at my jacket. From here, the city sprawled below us, lights beginning to flicker on as the day came to a close. The evening felt quiet, as if the world was taking a collective breath before the rush of the night.

It was hard to believe that so much had changed in the span of a years—so much had shifted, even though the building before me and the streets below seemed so unchanged. Things had changed because of her. Because of Celine.

I never saw it coming.

At first, she was just another student a girl with an attitude, the one who never really followed the rules. She was the kind of person I would’ve steered clear of, especially being someone like me. The perfect student president, the guy who always had his life together, who kept everything in order. I was the one who lived by the rules. I was the one who stayed late to make sure the school events went smoothly, the one who always had a to-do list in my pocket. My whole life was about discipline and responsibility.

And then there was her.

Celine was the exact opposite. She was a rule-breaker staying out late, skipping class, always in trouble, and never once apologizing for it. She didn’t care about the consequences. She didn’t care about grades or reputation. She was the kind of person who lived for the moment, who broke the rules with a grin, daring anyone to stop her.

At first, I didn’t like her. I didn’t like the way she seemed to disrupt the order of things, the way she would  always be the first to speak out when we were in student council meetings when she got violation,  not caring one bit about what I or anyone else thought.

She was chaos in human form, and I was… well, I was order.

But that was before I started to spend time with her.

It started small—an accidental encounter, really. I was on my way to student council duties one afternoon when I saw her, skipping clasd again just like usual. With her carefree attitude. I don’t even remember what I said, or if she even responded, but she had a way of getting under my skin, a way of forcing me to notice her.

At first, it was just a few brief conversations between me and her . But then, somehow, I found myself seeking her out.

It wasn’t intentional. I was supposed to be focused on my responsibilities, on making sure everything ran smoothly, on upholding the rules. But every time I crossed paths with her, it felt like something pulled me in.

And soon enough, I found myself drawn to her, even when I fought it.

I remember the first time she asked me to she will follow rule if I caught her breaking a rule . It was ridiculous. I was the student president. I always  Caught her doesn't she knows it?

"Ni-ki?," she said. "Am I seeing this right? You're here in the bar? ."

I remember how I hesitated, how I tried to talk myself out of it, I'm also drunk that's why i don't know what i said to her. “I'm not perfect.”

“you can't just always stay quiet” she , not backing down.

In that moment, something shifted inside me. I’d always prided myself on being responsible, on being the perfect student president. But for once, I wanted to say something. So, I did.