The next morning, Alvian arrived as usual.
But one thing was different.
Ever since he got off his Chopper, his mind kept replaying one sentence from Grace.
“If you’re not busy, would you come with me to the library?”
Alvian shook his head slightly.
“Why can’t I stop thinking about it?”
“Because you like her.”
Raka’s voice suddenly came from behind him.
Alvian turned around.
“Where’d you come from?”
“Behind you.”
Raka walked past him, laughing.
“And I’m right.”
Alvian picked up his bag.
“Not necessarily.”
“If it’s not necessarily true, then why are you smiling?”
Alvian immediately put on a blank expression.
“Come on, let’s go in.”
Raka laughed.
“It’s getting more obvious by the second.”
XI IPS 2
Grace was already in the classroom when Alvian walked in.
The girl was reading a book.
When she saw Alvian, Grace immediately gave him a small smile.
“Morning.”
“Morning.”
Alvian set down his bag.
“So...”
Grace closed her book.
“So what?”
“The library?”
Grace looked a little embarrassed.
“Oh. Right.”
“What time?”
“After the last class.”
Alvian nodded.
“Okay.”
Keisha, who had been listening to their conversation, immediately turned around.
“The library?”
Grace nodded.
“Yeah.”
“With Alvian?”
“Yeah.”
Keisha looked at Alvian.
Then at Grace.
Then she grinned.
“Interesting.”
Grace immediately knew what her best friend was thinking.
“Don’t.”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“But your face already did.”
Keisha laughed.
Alvian, who had heard the conversation, only smiled.
Class Time
That day, Mr. Arman gave them an individual assignment.
All the students were told to read several sections and then write a summary.
The classroom grew fairly quiet.
Alvian had actually finished first.
But instead of immediately chatting with Raka, he watched Grace, who was still writing.
A few moments later, Grace’s pencil fell to the floor.
Alvian picked it up.
“Here.”
Grace took it.
“Thank you.”
“You’re not done yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Which part?”
Grace pointed at her book.
“This part’s kind of hard.”
Alvian read it for a moment.
Then he explained it simply.
Grace listened attentively.
“Oh...”
She nodded.
“When you explain it like that, it’s actually easy.”
Alvian smiled.
“That’s why you shouldn’t overthink it.”
Grace looked at him.
“You could actually be a teacher.”
“Don’t. I’m not ready to have a student like Dimas.”
Dimas, who was sitting several desks behind them, immediately called out.
“HEY!”
The whole class laughed.
Mr. Arman tapped his desk.
“Anyone who wants to talk can leave.”
The classroom immediately fell silent.
Alvian and Grace looked at each other.
They held back their laughter.
After Class
The final bell rang.
The students began leaving the classroom.
But Alvian was still sitting there, putting his books into his bag.
Raka stood beside him.
“You’re not going home?”
“Not yet.”
“The library?”
Alvian nodded.
Raka smiled.
“Good luck.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Raka walked away.
Dimas followed him with his bag in hand.
“Alvian!”
“What?”
“When you get married, don’t forget to invite me.”
Alvian immediately grabbed the eraser from his desk and threw it.
Dimas laughed as he ran away.
“HEY!”
Alvian shook his head.
But when he saw Grace standing near the door, his smile returned.
“Ready?”
Grace nodded.
“Yeah.”
They walked together toward the library.
The Library
The library was much quieter than usual that afternoon.
Only a few students were there.
Grace headed straight for the bookshelves.
Alvian followed her.
“What are you looking for?”
“A reference book.”
“For the assignment?”
Grace nodded.
They searched for several minutes.
Then Grace found the book she was looking for.
But it was pretty high up.
She tried to reach it.
She couldn’t.
Alvian stood beside her.
“This one?”
“Yeah.”
Alvian easily took the book down.
Grace accepted it.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
They then sat at a table near the window.
Grace opened the book.
Alvian sat across from her.
But a few minutes later, Alvian realized Grace wasn’t reading.
She was just staring at the same page.
“What’s wrong?”
Grace raised her head.
“Hm?”
“You’re spacing out.”
Grace gave him a small smile.
“I’m not.”
“It’s obvious.”
Grace fell silent.
Then she closed her book.
“Alvian.”
“Hm?”
“What do you think...”
Grace looked hesitant.
“Why do people like to judge someone by their appearance?”
Alvian didn’t answer right away.
He knew it wasn’t just an ordinary question.
“Maybe because it’s the easiest thing to see.”
Grace lowered her head.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Grace fiddled with the edge of her book.
“It’s nothing.”
Alvian didn’t press her.
But he watched Grace’s expression.
There was something she was hiding.
Something she wasn’t ready to talk about.
Alvian finally said,
“If someone judges you just by your appearance, then they don’t really know you.”
Grace looked at him.
“You’ve never thought that way?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Alvian smiled.
“Because I get judged by my appearance a lot too.”
Grace looked surprised.
“You?”
“Yeah.”
“They see you as a cool guy.”
Alvian chuckled.
“And what do you think?”
Grace fell silent.
Then she answered honestly.
“I think you’re just Alvian.”
Alvian said nothing.
His heart seemed to beat a little faster.
The sentence was simple.
But that was exactly what he had been looking for all this time.
Not someone who saw him as a popular guy.
Not someone interested because of his Chopper.
Just...
Alvian.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the library.
Someone stopped near their table.
Nathaniel.
“Grace.”
Grace turned around.
“Oh, Nathaniel.”
Nathaniel smiled.
“You’re not heading home yet?”
“Not yet. I’m looking for a reference.”
Nathaniel looked at the book on the table.
“If you need a book about that topic, there are some on the shelf next to it.”
Grace nodded.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
Nathaniel then looked at Alvian.
“You too?”
Alvian nodded.
“Yeah.”
Nathaniel gave him a faint smile.
“Good.”
There was no hint of hostility.
Yet the atmosphere suddenly felt a little different.
Nathaniel looked back at Grace.
“There’s a math assignment tomorrow, right?”
Grace nodded.
“Yeah.”
“If you want, I have complete notes for it.”
Grace smiled.
“Sure. Thank you.”
Nathaniel nodded.
“I’ll send them later.”
He left.
Alvian watched Nathaniel’s back until he disappeared behind the shelves.
Grace opened her book again.
“You know Nathaniel?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s nice.”
Alvian nodded.
“Seems like it.”
Grace smiled.
But Alvian stayed silent.
For the first time, he felt something he had never felt since coming to that school.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
But discomfort at seeing someone approach Grace.
A feeling that had only ever been the subject of Raka’s jokes.
Jealousy.
Alvian sighed.
“I think I really do like you, Grace.”
The words only existed in his heart.
That Afternoon
After they finished at the library, Grace and Alvian walked toward the school gate.
They walked side by side without saying much.
Until Grace suddenly asked,
“Alvian.”
“Hm?”
“Are you coming early again tomorrow?”
Alvian smiled.
“Why?”
Grace shrugged.
“No reason.”
“What if I do?”
Grace gave him a small smile.
“Then... good.”
Alvian looked at her.
“Then I’ll come.”
Grace laughed softly.
“You’re so easy.”
“For you, yeah.”
Grace immediately fell silent.
Alvian only then realized what he had said.
He cleared his throat.
“I mean...”
Grace smiled.
“I know.”
They kept walking.
In the distance, Raka, who had just come out of the classroom, saw the two of them.
He smiled.
“There’s no need to guess anymore.”
On the other side of the courtyard, Salsa also saw Alvian and Grace walking together.
Her smile slowly faded.
But she didn’t approach them.
She only stood there silently for a while.
Then she left.
That Night
Alvian sat on the porch, gazing at his Chopper.
His phone vibrated.
A message came in.
Grace:
“Thanks for coming with me to the library.”
Alvian smiled.
Alvian:
“You’re welcome.”
A few seconds later, a new message appeared.
Grace:
“Don’t forget to come early tomorrow.”
Alvian chuckled.
Alvian:
“Why?”
Grace’s reply appeared.
Grace:
“Because I want to tell you something.”
Alvian stopped smiling.
He stared at the screen for a few seconds.
Alvian:
“What do you want to tell me?”
Grace’s message remained unread.
Alvian leaned back in his chair.
For some reason, he suddenly felt curious.
What did Grace want to tell him?
And for the first time, he realized that maybe he wasn’t the only one beginning to open his heart.
Maybe Grace was also slowly opening the door she had always kept closed.
But Alvian didn’t know yet...
The story Grace would tell him the next morning would make him see the girl from a completely different side.