The day passed in a blur of notes, half-understood lectures, and the occasional spark of magic Adrian had to quietly smother under his desk. By the time the final bell rang, his nerves were fried—but his heart was buzzing.
He found Elias waiting outside the school gates, leaning against the fence as if he’d been there for hours. The late sunlight turned his silver hair golden, and Adrian had to remind himself to breathe before walking over.
“You showed up,” Elias said, that quiet smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Of course I did,” Adrian said, trying not to sound too eager. “You said you’d… explain things.”
Elias tilted his head. “I did. But explanations can wait. Sometimes you learn more just by being still. Come on.”
He led Adrian down the narrow path behind the school, where the field met a cluster of trees. The world felt softer there—muted sounds, leaves whispering, the golden hour stretching shadows across the ground.
They sat under a tree, close enough that Adrian could hear Elias’s steady breathing.
“So,” Adrian said, pulling his knees up. “You’re just going to… make me sit here and be calm?”
“Exactly,” Elias said, closing his eyes. “Try it. Feel the quiet.”
Adrian tried. He really did. But the quiet was filled with too much—his heartbeat, the memory of Elias’s hand on his wrist, the faint smell of rain that always clung to him.
His fingers twitched, and a tiny spark flickered above his palm before fading.
Elias’s voice was soft. “You’re thinking too loud.”
“Sorry,” Adrian murmured.
“Don’t be. Just… listen.” Elias turned his head slightly, eyes still closed. “Magic isn’t only about what you feel. It’s about what you allow yourself to feel.”
Adrian blinked. “That sounds like something out of a fantasy novel.”
Elias smirked. “Maybe your life’s starting to sound like one.”
They both laughed quietly, and the air between them grew warm—not from the sun, but from something unspoken.
Adrian wanted to say something—anything—but words felt too clumsy for the moment. So he just sat there, watching the light shift through the branches.
Elias finally opened his eyes, meeting Adrian’s. “You’re getting better. The energy around you feels steadier.”
“I don’t feel steady,” Adrian said honestly. “I feel like everything’s changing.”
“Maybe that’s what steady is,” Elias replied. “Not fighting it.”
For a long moment, neither of them moved. The breeze carried soft bits of laughter from somewhere far away, but here, under the tree, time seemed to slow.
Adrian thought—just maybe—that the world wasn’t so scary when Elias was around.
And then—unnoticed by them both—someone stood at the edge of the field, watching.
It was Noah, Adrian’s lab partner. His expression was unreadable, but his hands were shoved deep in his pockets. He had seen them—seen the easy way Adrian smiled now, the quiet connection in their posture—and something in his chest tightened.
He didn’t say anything. Just turned away before either of them noticed.
The wind rustled the leaves as if carrying a secret neither boy under the tree could hear.
For now, Adrian only felt peace. But behind it, something new was beginning to stir—something that could change everything
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