Keira had barely stepped into the second-floor hallway when she realized something was wrong.
It wasn't because the school had suddenly gone quiet.
Quite the opposite.
Monday morning at Cakrawala Nusa High School was just as noisy as usual. The sound of chairs scraping came from inside the classrooms. A few students were running because the first bell was only ten minutes away. From the end of the hallway, someone shouted at a friend to let them copy their homework. The basketball team crowded the stairs, talking about the weekend's game.
Everything was normal.
Except for the way people were looking at her.
Keira caught the first stare as she passed XI-2.
Two girls standing in front of the door abruptly stopped talking when they saw her. One of them hurriedly lowered her gaze to her phone screen.
The second stare came from a group of students near the window.
The third came from someone Keira didn't even know.
Keira kept walking.
Her pace didn't change.
Neither did her expression.
At least, she hoped not.
"Kei!"
Tasya's voice made Keira stop.
Tasya hurried over from the direction of their classroom. She looked like someone who had just discovered a small fire and hadn't decided whether to put it out or panic along with it.
As soon as she reached Keira, Tasya grabbed her arm.
"Inside."
Keira frowned. "Why?"
"Just get inside first."
"Tas—"
"Keira."
That tone was enough to make Keira obey.
They entered XI-4.
The classroom wasn't very full yet. Farah was already in her seat, reading a book. Celine was in the back with two other students, but the moment she saw Keira walk in, she stood up.
There it was.
Now Keira was absolutely sure something was going on.
"What?" she asked.
No one answered right away.
Keira set her bag on her desk.
"Tasya."
Tasya glanced at Celine.
Celine glanced back.
Farah finally closed her book.
Keira sighed. "Why are you all looking at each other?"
Celine slowly raised her phone.
"Don't get mad yet."
"I'm not mad."
"And don't panic."
"I'm not panicking either."
"Good."
"Celine."
"Yeah, yeah."
Celine handed over her phone.
A post from an account every Cakrawala Nusa student knew filled the screen.
@TheNextHallway
An anonymous account run by who knows who, it had been a place for confessions, gossip, complaints, and pointless student stories for years.
Keira read the latest post.
ANONYMOUS POST
Heard the longest-lasting couple in the junior class broke up. Anyone know why? 👀
That was it.
No names.
No photo.
No class.
But it already had more than a hundred comments.
Keira handed the phone back.
"Oh."
Celine blinked. "Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Just oh?"
Keira pulled out her chair. "What else am I supposed to say?"
"I don't know. Maybe something a little more human?"
Keira sat down.
Tasya stood beside her desk with her arms crossed. "The post isn't the problem."
Keira looked at her.
"The comments are."
Keira said nothing.
Tasya took Celine's phone, scrolled several times, and showed it to her.
Keira didn't actually want to read them.
Unfortunately, her eyes had already caught a few lines.
Is this J and K?
I HEARD THAT TOO.
Seriously, they broke up???
Jovan practiced alone yesterday, even though Keira usually waited for him.
Keira isn't wearing her bracelet anymore either.
Keira's fingers instinctively moved toward her left wrist.
Empty.
The tiny movement didn't escape Tasya's notice.
Keira quickly lowered her hand.
The next comment made her chest feel a little tighter.
I heard there's a third person.
Keira stopped reading.
She returned the phone faster than before.
"That's enough."
Tasya took it immediately.
Celine, who usually had a thousand things to say, suddenly fell silent.
Farah watched Keira from her seat.
"Want to report it?" she asked.
"No."
"Kei—"
"They didn't mention any names."
"But everyone knows who they're talking about," Celine said.
Keira gave a faint smile.
Not because anything was funny.
"Whatever."
Tasya frowned. "Whatever what?"
"If I get mad, are they going to stop talking about it?"
No one answered.
Of course not.
If anything, it would probably get even louder.
Keira opened her bag and took out her first textbook.
She moved her hands as calmly as possible.
"Kei."
"Hm?"
"Are you really okay?"
Tasya's question made her hands pause for a moment.
Only a moment.
Keira nodded.
"I'm fine."
Tasya didn't look convinced.
Keira wasn't convinced either.
Jovan was seven minutes late.
That wasn't surprising.
What was surprising was that he came alone.
Usually, Jovan's voice could be heard before he appeared. He was either arguing with Bima, bothering Dito, or laughing at something Galen thought wasn't funny at all.
This morning, he simply walked in with his bag slung over one shoulder and earbuds in his ears.
Keira saw him through the classroom window.
By accident.
At least, that was what she wanted to believe.
Jovan walked past XI-4.
For a split second, Keira forgot to breathe.
He was wearing his uniform as usual. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His hair was slightly messy. There was a small bandage near his right index finger, probably from practice.
Keira knew she should look away.
But she was too late.
Jovan turned.
Their eyes met through the window.
One second.
Two seconds.
Keira didn't know which of them would look away first.
It turned out to be Jovan.
He faced forward again and kept walking.
As if Keira were just one of dozens of people who happened to be in that classroom.
No smile.
No little nod.
No greeting.
Nothing.
Keira lowered her gaze to her book.
Good.
Wasn't this how it was supposed to be?
They had agreed.
No need to look for each other.
No need to bother each other.
No need to be friends.
Over meant over.
"Kei."
Keira looked up.
Farah was watching her.
"What?"
Farah only shook her head. "Nothing."
Keira knew Farah had seen everything.
And for the first time that morning, she hoped the bell would ring soon.
"Why do I feel so famous today?"
Jovan dropped his bag onto the desk.
Bima, sitting on the desk in front of him, let out a short laugh.
"Just realizing that?"
Jovan pulled out one earbud. "Why?"
Dito, who was eating bread, pointed at him. "The leading man finally showed up."
"Leading man in what?"
Without a word, Galen handed him his phone.
Jovan read the same post.
His expression didn't change.
He scrolled through a few comments.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then he stopped.
"Damn," he said.
Dito swallowed his bread. "The comments are already over a hundred."
"Amazing."
"You're not pissed?"
Jovan handed Galen's phone back. "Why would I be?"
"People are talking about you."
"They talk about people every day."
Bima studied his friend's face.
"Van."
"Hm?"
"Someone said you cheated."
Jovan, who was taking out his books, stopped.
For one second.
Then he continued.
"So?"
Dito frowned. "So? Your reputation, boss."
"What reputation? I'm not running for neighborhood chief."
Dito laughed.
Galen didn't.
Neither did Bima.
Jovan sat down.
"Forget it."
Bima got off the desk. "Has Keira seen it yet?"
Jovan looked straight at him.
It was the quickest reaction he'd given since entering the classroom.
Bima raised both eyebrows.
Jovan realized it.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because she's your ex."
"Ex."
"Exactly."
"Then it's none of my business."
Bima smiled slightly. "I didn't say it was your business."
Jovan picked up a pen and threw it.
Bima dodged successfully.
"Gross. Getting me worked up first thing in the morning."
"I only asked a question."
"Your mouth is the problem."
Dito laughed along.
For a while, things went back to normal.
Jovan laughed too.
He even managed to steal Dito's bread and took the resulting insults in stride.
No one mentioned Keira again.
Until Bima returned to his seat and accidentally said, "Oh, right. I saw Keira in front of XI-4 earlier."
Jovan's hand stopped in midair.
"And?"
"Nothing."
"Why tell me?"
Bima shrugged.
Jovan eyed him suspiciously before opening his book.
Two minutes later, he asked without looking at anyone,
"What did she look like?"
Bima smiled.
Jovan immediately pointed at him with his pen.
"If you smile, forget it."
"I haven't said anything."
"You did. Never mind."
"She looked normal."
Jovan fell silent.
Bima continued, this time without joking.
"Probably."
Jovan gave a small nod.
"Good."
But when the teacher entered a few minutes later, Jovan didn't hear a single word of the opening remarks.
His thoughts remained stuck on one word.
Probably.
First break was even worse.
Keira had expected the cafeteria to be crowded.
She hadn't expected it to be this crowded.
"What did I tell you?" Tasya muttered.
They had just entered the Block B Cafeteria when several heads turned.
Keira took a breath.
"Don't react."
"I'm the one who wants to react."
"Tas."
"Yeah."
Celine walked beside them and whispered, "If I suddenly dump iced tea on someone, will you back me up?"
"No," Farah answered.
"What kind of friends are you?"
"Friends who don't want to get called to the counseling office."
They chose a table near the window.
Keira sat with her back to most of the cafeteria.
A simple strategy.
If she didn't see people staring at her, maybe she could pretend they weren't staring at all.
"What do you want to eat?" Tasya asked.
"I'm not hungry yet."
"Keira."
"I'm serious."
Tasya was about to say something when a burst of noise rose from the cafeteria entrance.
Keira didn't need to turn around.
She recognized Dito's voice.
Then Bima's laughter.
Then another voice far too familiar to her ears.
Jovan.
Keira's back automatically went rigid.
Celine immediately lowered her gaze to her food.
Farah busied herself opening her water bottle.
Tasya stared at all three of them in disbelief.
"Why are you suddenly acting weird?"
"Who's acting weird?" Celine asked quickly.
"You."
"I'm normal."
"You're holding your spoon upside down."
Celine looked at her hand.
"Oh."
Keira fought the urge to laugh.
She almost succeeded.
Until the footsteps drew closer.
The futsal players' usual table was three tables away from theirs.
Of course it was.
Keira stared at her phone screen.
There were no new messages.
But she kept scrolling as if she were reading something incredibly important.
"Hey, Van."
Dito's voice carried over.
"What do you want to order?"
There was no answer.
"Van?"
"Hm?"
"Something to drink."
"Lemon tea."
"With ice?"
Keira froze.
A normal question.
Very normal.
But her body remembered too many things.
Jovan used to order two drinks at once.
A lemon tea with lots of ice for himself.
A hot chocolate for Keira.
Even when the weather was hot.
Because Keira didn't like cold drinks when her throat started feeling sore.
Keira forced herself to look back at her phone.
Then Jovan's voice came.
"Ice."
One word.
That simple.
For some reason, Keira's chest felt heavy.
Tasya touched the back of her hand beneath the table.
Keira didn't look at her.
"I'm going to the bathroom for a minute."
She stood.
"Kei—"
"Just a minute."
Keira walked out of the cafeteria.
She didn't run.
She made sure her steps stayed normal until she passed through the door.
Only after reaching the side hallway did she let out a long breath.
Ridiculous.
So ridiculous.
They had only broken up six days ago.
Of course everything still felt strange.
It would feel normal eventually.
In a month, maybe she wouldn't care what Jovan drank.
In two months, maybe she wouldn't notice when he entered a room.
In six months, maybe Jovan's name would sound like the name of an ordinary school friend.
Maybe.
Keira walked toward the side staircase.
It was quieter there during break.
She had just gone down two steps when a voice from below made her stop.
"Keira."
Her body tensed.
Of all the voices in this school, why did it have to be that one?
Keira slowly turned.
Jovan stood a few steps below her.
Alone.
For the first time in six days, there were no friends between them.
No phone screens.
No classroom window.
No reason to pretend they didn't see each other.
Jovan slipped both hands into his pants pockets.
Keira gripped the strap of her small bag.
"What?"
Jovan didn't answer right away.
His gaze dropped briefly to Keira's left wrist.
Empty.
His jaw visibly tightened.
Keira instinctively hid her hand behind her back.
Too late.
Jovan had already seen it.
"That post," he said at last. "You've seen it?"
"Yeah."
"The comments too?"
"Some of them."
Jovan nodded.
Silence.
The cafeteria noise sounded faint in the distance.
"If anyone gives you trouble because of it—"
"No one has."
"I'm not finished."
"I know what you're going to say."
Jovan gave a short, humorless laugh.
"Oh, now you know what I'm going to say?"
Keira looked at him.
There was something beneath that sentence.
Something that wasn't about the anonymous post.
"Don't start."
"I'm not starting anything."
"Good."
Keira was about to walk past him.
Jovan moved aside to let her through.
Easy.
She should have just kept going downstairs.
But when they were side by side, Jovan spoke again.
"I didn't cheat."
Keira stopped.
Three words.
Only three words, but they felt like someone had just pulled open the door she'd spent six days trying to keep closed.
Keira stared straight ahead.
"I didn't ask."
"I know."
"Then you don't need to explain."
"Kei."
Don't.
Don't call me that.
Not after disappearing for six days.
Not after walking past me that morning like strangers.
Keira turned around.
"What?"
Jovan looked at her.
For the first time, the casual expression he'd shown everyone since morning disappeared.
"If the whole school wants to think I'm a jerk, whatever."
Keira didn't answer.
"But not you."
Keira's chest tightened.
She hated how he could still do this.
Tear apart her defenses with just a few sentences.
"Why?" she asked softly. "Does my opinion still matter?"
Jovan fell silent.
Keira waited.
One second.
Two.
Three.
There was no answer.
Something inside her seemed to fall.
She gave a faint smile.
"Right."
Keira turned around.
This time, Jovan didn't stop her.
She went down past him, then walked toward the end of the hallway without looking back.
Only after Keira disappeared did Jovan let out a harsh breath.
"Idiot."
He lightly kicked the side of the step.
Of course Keira's opinion still mattered.
That was exactly the problem.
When Keira returned to class after break, a notification appeared on her phone.
A new post.
@TheNextHallway
Keira almost ignored it.
Until Celine, sitting in the back, cursed.
"Damn."
Keira turned.
"What?"
Celine didn't answer.
Tasya, who had just entered the classroom, immediately looked at her own phone screen.
Her face changed.
"Tasya?"
Tasya hurried over to Keira.
"Don't panic."
Keira immediately knew that sentence never brought good news.
Tasya set her phone on Keira's desk.
There was a photo.
Taken from a distance.
Slightly blurry.
But clear enough to show two people standing across from each other on the side staircase.
Keira.
And Jovan.
Beneath it was the caption:
UPDATE: Heard they broke up, but they were just caught talking alone. Exes, or are they still in love? 👀
The comments were increasing by the second.
Keira stared at the screen without blinking.
Six days ago, their relationship had belonged only to her and Jovan.
Now their breakup belonged to everyone.
And of all the things that could happen after a breakup, Keira was beginning to realize there was a much bigger problem.
Forgetting Jovan might be difficult.
But forgetting Jovan while the entire school watched them?
That might be impossible.