Before, Kian had been like a ghost—neither seen nor heard, someone people only whispered about. Now, no matter where Riya went, Kian was always there. Lurking just out of reach. Hovering near her with a textbook to hide his face behind, like some kind of cartoon character in a bad disguise. Calling out, “Daaamn, some pretty girl here smellslike jasmine!?” just as she passed.
Riya had resorted to borrowing Mr. Petrov the janitor’s master key set, inventing an excuse about securing supplies for an upcoming council event, just so she could slip through the maintenance halls to avoid him.
Just a few more weeks, that’s all she needed. A few more weeks until the next full moon, and Kian’s feelings would fade like nothing ever happened.
But every glance prodded. Every whisper, a warning. And Riya was already starting to crack.
As she neared her locker, silently cursing Sirah khala for still being MIA, the intercom suddenly crackled to life.
“Gooooodmorning and happy Friday,Abbersett!”
Riya’s breath hitched.That voice.
Other students stalled, too, heads tilting toward the speakers.
Kian, his voice amplified, chuckled.“I know you’re expecting your usual hosts, but Eric and Amandi and the rest of the AV Club have been so generous in letting me hop on here to give a quick shoutout to a very special person in my life.”
There was another muffled, panicked voice—Eric, the friendliest junior in existence—stammering weakly in the background.“A-actually, K-Kian, you don’t have permission to be—”
“Anyway,” Kian barreled on, “there’s someone very special I want to acknowledge today, before we all leave for the weekend. She’s the most incredible person I’ve ever met. Hardworking. Gorgeous. A little intimidating, but, like, in a sexy way—”
A strangled wheeze from Eric.“P-please, Kian—”
“—and I think it’s time the world sees her the way I do.Soplease enjoy a little something I wrote for her... straight from my heart.”
The hallway went dead silent.
Then, over the intercom, in a voice that was far too soft, far too earnest:“Riya Khan, if you’re listening—this one’s for you.”
Riya’s entire body went rigid at the mention of her name. She begged the universe to smite her where she stood—before she had to hear anything else.
Kian began to read:“Did I wake you, my morning star? Pulling you from a dream where we were one? But I can only remain—a lonely moon caught in your orbit.”
Laughter rippled down the hallway. A few students turned, not even pretending to hide their stares
Riya’s gaze remained glued to the floor. Space imagery. He was using space imagery. But how—how would Kian Kho even know that about her?
“I call for you across the night—” Kian intoned dramatically.“But my voice is lost in the void. A ghost. A whisper. A love that burns but never touches the sun.”
More laughter. And Riya—she barely heard it. Her face burned. Her mind raced.
Riya, I really like you. I mean it. And if you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it.
Wasthis nightmare his idea of proof?
Finally, she forced her legs into motion—out of purespite—pushing blindly toward her locker.
Just get your planner,she told herself.Duck into homeroom. Disappear for the rest of the day—or maybe, preferably, forever.
Except she couldn’t go to homeroom. They’d all heard it. Mel would have questions. Everyone would have questions.
“These borders are all I know—ow, stop, I’m almost done, Jesus!—but what if your love could pull me through?”
Riya was power-walking now, her ears roaring with secondhand humiliation—and then she turned the corner.
And her brain short-circuited.
Her locker. Buried in black petunias.
