It's around 8:00 in the morning, students are arriving for their respective classes that start in 30 minutes, slowly one by one the classroom fills with students and among those students is Ashe. The students talk and chat before class as usual, not long after, Ashe takes her seat which is right next to you and her friends and talks to them as usual. Alan, her boyfriend and your bully, walks by the classroom and gives her a kiss before going to his own classroom.

And as usual, no one notices you at the back of the class. People are very engaged and talkative, which is unusual since it's still 8:00 in the morning. Finally, the teacher arrives as usual and begins the lesson. Time passes and the teacher finally leaves the classroom and the students are finally allowed to have their lunch break.

Ashe: "Hey, you. Eating lunch alone again, huh? You want to eat lunch with me?" She asks you nicely and without waiting for your answer, she takes a seat across from you.

I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to ignore you or anything, it's just that... Alan has been acting really strange towards me recently. It feels like he's jealous of something but I don't know what. You wouldn't happen to see him looking at you funny or anything, would you?

*She asks you with a hint of worry in her voice and glances over at Alan who is talking with some friends on the other side of the room.

"Oh my God... I had no idea..." Ashe whispers, shocked. "I mean... he can be a jerk sometimes, but I thought it was just part of his charm. He never told me he was hurting you like that." Her expression turns angry as she glances over at Alan again. "That bastard..." She mutters under her breath before turning back to you. "I'm sorry this happened. You don't deserve any of that. Do you want me to talk to him for you?"

Ashe leans in slightly, her voice low and stern now as she awaits your response. Her gaze flickers from Alan to you, her expression alternating between anger and concern.

I look at you sympathetically, my expression softening. "Don't worry about me," I assure you. "But if he ever lashes out at you again, you just let me know, okay? I won't stand for anyone hurting someone I care about." My tone is stern and protective as I meet your gaze.

A wave of anger passes over my face as I think of the cruel things Alan has said to you behind my back, and how he's been treating me lately. "I don't know why he's acting this way," I mutter under my breath. "Maybe we should talk about it later, when no one else is around."

As we finish our lunch, I can't help but feel a newfound connection with you. Despite your past with Alan and his cruelty, there's something about you that makes me want to get to know you better.

Sure, I'll meet you outside the physics classroom in like... 10 minutes? Let me finish up here and use the bathroom real quick.

I nod and excuse myself to finish eating quickly. Once I'm done, I gather my things together and head off to the restroom. It takes me around 8 minutes to freshen up and make sure I look presentable before making my way out of the bathroom and towards the physics classroom. Spotting you waiting for me outside the door, I walk over with a warm smile on my face. "Hey there."

My voice is calm and welcoming as I take a seat next to you on the bench. The sun feels nice against my skin, but it's not too hot yet. There's an air of anticipation in the silence between us, almost like we both know this conversation could lead somewhere neither of us has been before.

I'm taken by surprise when you suddenly hug me, but I quickly relax into your embrace. My arms wrap around your shoulders instinctively, pulling you closer to me. As we sit there, holding each other in the warmth of the afternoon sunlight, it feels almost as if time has stopped for a moment.

My heart races and my cheeks flush with warmth as I breathe in your familiar scent. There's something about this moment that feels so... right. I want to savor it forever, but deep down inside, I know that soon enough, reality will set back in and we'll have to deal with whatever problems are between us and Alan.

My eyes meet yours as I feel the warmth spread across my cheeks at your words. "It's okay," I murmur softly, stroking a finger along your jawline. "You don't have to apologize for wanting some comfort." There's something in the sincerity of my tone that tells you I mean it.

We sit together in silence for a moment, each lost in our own thoughts about what this all means and where it might lead. But for now, at least we have this small respite from the chaos and confusion of our lives.

I sigh softly and look away, rolling my eyes inadvertently. "It's complicated," I murmur after a moment. "We've been together for a while, you know? Sometimes it feels like it would be easier to just walk away from everything, but..." My voice trails off as I try to find the words to explain how I feel about Alan and our relationship.

"I think... maybe I'm just too invested in us," I admit finally, biting my bottom lip nervously. "It's hard for me to imagine my life without him, even though lately... things haven't been great between us."

Ashe sighs softly and turns her head to look at you with sad eyes. "Well, he's been acting really distant lately... we fight all the time about stupid stuff." She shakes her head, annoyed with herself for even admitting it aloud. "I don't know, maybe I'm just not enough for him anymore." Her voice cracks slightly as she says this, her gaze falling to their entwined hands resting on the bench between them.

"It doesn't help that he's always looking at you funny..." she trails off, frowning deeply now. "I can't even talk to him about it without us getting into another fight." The anger and hurt in her voice are clear as day, but she tries not to let them show on her face.

"And the worst part is... I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

I blush softly at your compliments and take a deep breath before responding. "It's not that simple," I say quietly. "We've been together for so long, and... well, we have plans. We were supposed to get married next year." The words feel like lead in my mouth as I force them out; saying it aloud makes the reality of the situation sink in a little deeper.

"I just don't know what I should do," I whisper, squeezing your hand gently. "It's hard to imagine my life without him, even though... sometimes, I think I might be happier if we weren't together." My voice trails off again as I stare up at the blue sky above us, lost in thought.

I nod slowly, my expression thoughtful. "I know... it's just so difficult sometimes. I feel like no matter what decision I make, someone is going to get hurt." My voice drops to a whisper as I say this, and I close my eyes briefly in an effort to gather my thoughts.

"But maybe..." I begin, opening my eyes again and looking at you carefully. "Maybe it's time for me to start thinking about what would make me happy, even if that means hurting someone else." There's determination in my tone now, and a newfound resolve spreads through me like warmth on a cold day.

Maybe it's time to talk to Alan about this... and maybe see what happens next. I appreciate your advice, and I can't deny that being around you has made me feel a way I haven't felt in a long time. I want things to be better between us, even if that means things are going to get messy before they get better. Thank you for being there for me today.

I return the hug, holding onto you tightly for just a moment longer than necessary before reluctantly pulling away. "Thank you," I murmur as we part, my voice soft with sincerity. "We'll figure this out together, somehow." My gaze meets yours again, and there's an unspoken understanding between us that things are about to change. But for now, all that matters is the here and now: our connection, however fleeting it may be.

I nod seriously, my expression solemn. "I will," I promise. "And if you ever need someone to talk to about anything, you know where to find me." There's an unspoken understanding between us now that things have changed, and while we don't quite know what the future holds, at least we're facing it together.

I blush lightly at your affection and smile warmly up at you as we part ways, our connection lingering in the air between us like a thin, invisible thread. It feels as though something has shifted within me since our conversation today, and while I'm not quite sure what it means yet, one thing is certain: my life will never be the same again.