"Dad, I'm home!" I called out, kicking off my shoes the second I stepped into the kitchen. Warm air wrapped around me instantly-thick with the smell of tomato sauce, garlic, and freshly baked bread.

My stomach growled like it hadn't seen food in days. Dad was at the stove, stirring something in a big silver pot, completely in his element, like he was conducting a symphony instead of cooking dinner.

"Smells amazing," I said, dropping my bag onto the floor with a dull thud.

He turned, face lighting up. "Hey, sweetheart! How was your first full day at school?" He pulled me into one of his bear hugs, the kind that smelled like aftershave and oregano. His hands were still warm from the steam curling up from the pot.

"It was great, actually!" I said, trying to sound casual even though I was still buzzing from everything that had happened. "I met this guy-Ronald. He's really funny, super chill, kinda sarcastic, but in a good way. We sat together in class."

Dad smiled knowingly, still stirring. "So, you made a friend. That's a good start."

"Yeah," I said, sliding onto one of the stools by the counter. "And honestly, I think I'm gonna like this school. Everyone seems nice. Well-almost everyone."

He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised. "Almost?"

I fiddled with the edge of a napkin, pretending to think. "You remember that story about the politician who died on his son's birthday?"

Dad froze mid-stir. "Yeah. Hard to forget something like that. Why?"

"His son goes to my school," I said, watching his reaction carefully. "Elian Collins. I actually saw him today-with this other guy, Kaelin. They're... kind of impossible to ignore."

Dad frowned slightly. "Impossible how?"

I laughed under my breath. "They just stand out. Kaelin's got this look-tall, dark, that quiet, arrogant vibe with a stare that makes you forget what you were saying.

And Elian..." I trailed off, the image of him flashing in my head-caught off guard in the hallway, hair falling slightly into his eyes, that soft, almost reluctant kind of beauty. "He's the calm, pretty kind. The kind who doesn't even try."

Dad gave me that teasing dad look-the one that made him look ten years younger.

"Should I be worried about this Elian kid?"

I groaned dramatically. "Dad, no! He's just... pretty, okay? And besides, from what I heard, he and Kaelin are probably a thing."

He blinked. "A thing?"

"Yeah." I lowered my voice like I was spilling some classified secret. "Ronald told me they're always together. And when I saw them earlier, let's just say... their body language was very close."

Dad chuckled, shaking his head. "High school drama already? You've been there one day."

"I know, right?" I said, laughing. "But it's not like I'm judging them or anything. I just didn't expect that to be the first thing I'd see. It was... surprising."

He scooped some sauce over the pasta, handed me a plate, and smiled softly.

"Well, don't go jumping to conclusions, Liv. People aren't always what they seem."

"I know," I said, twirling the noodles around my fork. "Still, they're interesting. Especially Kaelin. He's hard to read-like he's got a thousand thoughts running through his head, but he never says any of them."

Dad gave me that knowing half-smile again.

"And what about you? You planning on solving the mystery?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "No way. I'm just gonna mind my business and survive the semester."

"Good plan," he said, raising his fork like a toast. "To survival."

We clinked our forks together, laughing. The house felt warm again-alive in a way it hadn't in a long time.

Later that night, after dinner, while Dad hummed at the sink, washing the dishes, my mind drifted back to Elian again.

The way he'd looked at Kaelin in that hallway-like something had gone wrong, like he wasn't sure what to feel.

Maybe it wasn't any of my business. But it stuck with me anyway.

Something about those two felt tangled. Complicated.

And deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, I was going to get caught in the middle of it.

********

Elian's POV

I woke up with a headache that felt like someone was drumming inside my skull. My throat was dry, my head heavy, and even the silence felt too loud.

Groaning, I reached for my phone on instinct, squinting against the faint morning light bleeding through the curtains-

and froze.

Something warm and heavy was draped around my waist.

Kae's hand.

For a second, I just stared at it, my foggy brain trying to piece together how the hell this happened. I did not fall asleep on his bed last night. I was supposed to be on the couch-or at least on the other side of the room.

Slowly, I turned my head.

There he was.

Kaelin.

Fast asleep beside me, hair a mess, breathing slow and steady. He looked... peaceful. Which was weird. Normally, he had that sharp, guarded expression that screamed don't even try me. But right now, in the soft morning light, he looked different. Softer. Almost-human.

I carefully tried to lift his hand off me, but of course, my phone was right by his leg, mocking me.

"Hey," I whispered, giving his shoulder a small tap. "Get up. We're gonna be late for school."

He just hummed sleepily and buried his face in the pillow, ignoring me completely.

"Come on, Kae," I said again, nudging him. "You're not skipping school."

"Who cares?" he mumbled, voice muffled by the pillow.

I rolled my eyes. Classic Kae.

Fine. I gave up, heading for a cold shower, hoping it'd shock my system back to life.

When I came back out, towel around my shoulders, he was sitting up on the bed, looking like death warmed over.

His hand was pressed to his temple, eyes squinting like the light itself was personally attacking him.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked.

He blinked up at me, confusion flickering across his face before twisting into mock suspicion.

"Did you drug me?"

I stared. "What? Seriously?"

"I mean, I only had a few drinks last night," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "I never get this wasted. This feels weird."

I smacked his shoulder lightly. "Relax, dude. I didn't drug you. You probably just mixed your drinks. Come on, take a shower-you'll feel better."

He groaned. "No, seriously, this doesn't make sense. My head's killing me."

"Yeah, that's called a hangover, genius."

I went to grab him some aspirin and water. When I came back, he was still sitting there, staring blankly at the wall like he was questioning every life choice he'd ever made.

"You sure you can go to school?" I asked, handing him the pills. "You can stay home if you want. I'll drive myself."

He shook his head stubbornly. "Nope. I'm good. I'll come."

"Suit yourself," I said, smirking. "But if you're gonna move that slow, I'm taking your car."

That earned me a lazy glare. "Go ahead," he muttered. "Like I care."

He stood up with the enthusiasm of someone who deeply regretted existing and trudged toward the bathroom, towel in hand.

Then, right before stepping in, he turned, grin tugging at his lips.

"Won't you help me shower? I'm sick," he teased.

"You wish," I said, flipping him off.

He just chuckled and disappeared into the bathroom.

When he came out, hair damp, looking slightly more human, he reached for a cigarette on his nightstand and flicked his lighter.

I shot him the look-the one that said don't even start.

He caught my eye, exhaled smoke, and sighed. "Sorry, man," he said, half-heartedly.

"You're hopeless," I muttered.

"You're welcome to leave if it bothers you," he said lazily, smirk returning. "My house is big enough."

Big enough, yeah.

As he turned away, I glanced around-the soft glow of morning spilling across the wide room, tall ceilings, shadows dancing over the furniture. His place always felt like him:

quiet, complicated, and a little too easy to get lost in.

We got to school late. Again.

 And honestly? I'm blaming Kaelin for at least seventy percent of it.

 He took forever in the shower-like, I swear he was auditioning for a shampoo commercial and then we wasted another twenty minutes arguing about what he should wear. 

 I was trying to get him out of his "all-black or nothing" phase. The guy dresses like he's attending a funeral every day of his life, and while it's kind of his thing, it also makes people avoid him like he's cursed.

 "Just try something different for once," I told him as he stood there, towel wrapped around his waist, dripping water on the carpet.

 He gave me that unimpressed stare, the one that says 'you're wasting your breath.'

 "Color's not my thing, Elian," he said flatly.

 "Yeah, well, grief doesn't have to be your aesthetic forever," I muttered, tossing him a soft blue hoodie.

 To my surprise, he actually put it on. He still wore his black jeans, of course-baby steps-but seeing him in something brighter felt... different. 

 It softened him somehow. For the first time in a while, he didn't look like he was carrying the whole world on his shoulders.

 "You look human," I teased.

 "Shut up," he said, but the corner of his mouth twitched like he was trying not to smile.

 As for me, I ended up throwing on his oversized hoodie from last night. It smelled faintly of smoke and his cologne. but it was warm, so I didn't care.

 By the time we got to school, the halls were chaos-backpacks thudding, people shouting, teachers trying (and failing) to restore order. We pushed through the noise together, side by side.

 I nudged him lightly. "Hey, how's the baby?"

 He blinked, brows furrowing. "What baby?"

 I grinned. "The one you were having in the shower. You've been in there for ages."

 For a second, he just stared at me, confused-then he burst out laughing. Like, real laughter. Loud, carefree, head-thrown-back kind of laughter.

 Heads turned instantly. Everyone looked at him like they'd just seen a wild animal smile. It was so rare that even I froze for a second, not sure if I should join in or just enjoy the moment. 

 But then, as fast as it came, he caught himself. The laughter faded. His shoulders straightened, expression sliding back to his usual blank slate.

 "Guess that's over," I muttered under my breath, but I was smiling anyway.

 A few steps ahead, I noticed the new girl chatting with some guy I recognized from class. She was laughing too, that easy kind of laugh that made people want to keep talking just to hear it again. 

 There was something about her-she looked... warm. And without realizing it, I was staring.

 When she caught me looking, her eyes met mine for a split second before I quickly looked away, pretending to focus on literally anything else. My face burned.

 "Hey," Kaelin said, voice low but teasing. "You got a thing for the new girl?"

 I shrugged, trying to sound casual. "She's pretty, that's all. You don't think so?"

 He shook his head without hesitation. "I honestly don't see it that way."

 That made me laugh. "Right. Should've known better than to ask you for a normal opinion."

 He just smirked, like he was enjoying watching me fluster.

 Later, we found ourselves alone in the auditorium since we both had a free period. He suggested we hang out there, probably because it was quiet and out of sight. 

 The big, empty space smelled faintly of dust and stage curtains.

 He sat beside me on one of the chairs, stretching his legs out like he owned the place. I leaned back, scrolling through my phone, when I saw him fishing something out of his pocket.

 "Don't you dare take that out," I warned, catching sight of the cigarette between his fingers.

 "My bad," he said quickly, sliding it back into his pocket with an exaggerated sigh. "You're no fun, you know that?"

 "You're welcome," I said dryly.

 He chuckled and started fiddling with the hem of my hoodie instead, tugging at the fabric like a kid fidgeting with a toy. 

 The little things he did always threw me off-he could go from smug to oddly gentle without warning.

 "How's it going with your dad?" I asked quietly, breaking the silence. "You still planning on staying away from him forever?"

 He gave me a long look from the corner of his eye. Didn't say a word. Just that silence again-the kind that said don't push me.

 I sighed and looked away, trying to ease the tension.

 But then, I felt him shift closer. My body tensed immediately. "Kae," I said cautiously, leaning back a little. "What are you doing?"

 He didn't answer. He leaned in slowly, brushing a bit of dust out of my hair with his fingertips. His touch lingered for half a second too long.

 "Oh." My voice came out smaller than I wanted it to. "Thanks... but you didn't have to make it look like it was something else, you know?"

 He smirked-the kind of smirk that made it impossible to tell if he was joking or testing me. "Maybe it was," he murmured teasingly and I smirked.

*******

Olivia's POV 

The chapter will be written from Olivia's point of view, but similar to the previous chapter.

 I wasn't expecting to see Ronald waiting by the gate when I got to school. For a second, I thought maybe he was just standing there, but then he smiled and waved like he'd been waiting for me.

 "Hey," I said, trying not to sound too surprised. "You're waiting for me?"

 "Obviously," he grinned, pulling me into one of those warm hugs that makes you forget how early it is. He smelled like that clean, fresh cologne he always wears - the one that lingers longer than it should.

 We fell into easy conversation, laughing about random stuff that happened yesterday. Then, right in the middle of our chatter, Kaelin walked past - and I swear, I almost didn't recognize him.

 "Wow," I said before I could stop myself. "Kaelin is killing it today."

 Ronald followed my gaze and laughed. "You mean because he's not wearing his usual 'I'm-in-mourning' outfit?"

 Exactly. Kaelin had on a soft blue hoodie and these loose navy pants that made him look... lighter. Softer, almost. I'd never seen him look so approachable - or honestly, so good. 

 The way the morning light hit him didn't help either.

 Then my eyes drifted - not to him, but to Elian, who was walking beside him in something similar. And for the briefest second, our eyes met. 

 Elian looked away almost instantly, but I caught that flash of something in his expression before he did.

 Was he... looking at Ronald?

 I blinked, a little thrown off. I guess it was funny in a way - me watching Kaelin, him watching Ronald. Like a weird triangle that didn't make sense but kind of did.

 Trying to shake it off, I nudged Ronald. "Do they always wear matching clothes like that?"

 He frowned, thinking about it. "Now that you mention it... yeah. Guess I never noticed before."

 Then he laughed, shaking his head. "They've got something going on, I'm telling you. Friends don't just show up in matching fits."

 I rolled my eyes, pretending not to care, even though my brain was already overanalyzing everything he'd just said.

 When he checked his watch and said he had to get to class, I tried to act casual. "Yeah, sure. See you later," I said, even though I already knew my next class was going to feel way too long without him there.

 As I wandered toward my locker, I turned a corner - and that's when I saw Kaelin again. He had Elian by the wrist, tugging him gently toward the auditorium. 

 The movement was quick, but I caught something small falling from his pocket - a silver lighter.

 It clinked against the floor before rolling under the lockers.

 I hesitated for a second, then picked it up. It looked expensive. sleek, polished, with a faint engraving on the side. I almost called out to him, but they were already halfway into the auditorium.

 I sighed and walked over, thinking I'd just hand it to him real quick. But when I reached the door, everything was... weirdly quiet. Too quiet.

 I knocked softly. No response.

 I was about to turn away when I heard a familiar voice through the door - Elian's.

 "Don't you dare take that out," he said, his tone half-serious, half-playful.

 My curiosity got the better of me. I peeked through the small glass window.

 They were sitting close - really close - on the stage steps, just talking. Kaelin looked relaxed, like all his usual walls had slipped away. Elian was smiling in that subtle, cautious way he does when he's trying not to give something away. 

 I saw Kaelin leaning over towards Elian.

 And I... froze.

 Something about the air between them didn't feel like just friendship.

 I backed away before either of them could notice, clutching the lighter in my hand. My chest felt weirdly tight - not jealousy exactly, just... confusion.

 I decided right then that I'd return the lighter later. No way was I interrupting whatever that was.

 As I turned down the hall, I spotted Ronald coming out of his class, looking a bit tired with an armful of textbooks.

 "Hey," he said, spotting me. "Weren't you supposed to be in class by now?"

 I held up the lighter like it explained everything. "Found this. Kaelin dropped it."

 He raised an eyebrow. "So, you're running a lost and found now?"

 I grinned. "Only for people who wear blue hoodies for the first time in history."

 Ronald laughed, shaking his head. "Let's just give it back to him now, yeah?"

 I hesitated immediately. "Uh, maybe not right now. He's... busy."

 That got a knowing smirk out of him. "Busy, huh?"

 "Not like that!" I blurted, then instantly regretted sounding defensive. "Just-let's do it later. After class."

 He chuckled, clearly amused. "Fine, fine. You're the boss."

 We ended up walking to Mr. Bates' class together, arms brushing every now and then. People looked, of course - they always do. But honestly? I didn't care.

 For once, I felt like I was exactly where I wanted to be.

 Even if I couldn't stop wondering what was really going on behind those auditorium doors.

We slipped into class through the back door like we were sneaking into a movie halfway through. 

The room was quiet except for Mr. Bates's monotone voice, which could probably make caffeine yawn. We moved quietly to the back seats, trying not to draw attention.

To my surprise and a bit of my horror - Kaelin and Elian were sitting right in front of us. Of course.

"They'll ignore us anyway," Ronald muttered under his breath when I suggested we say hi. He wasn't wrong, but still... I wanted to try.

Mr. Bates was already deep into whatever boring topic he'd picked for the day, his words blending into a low hum. 

Meanwhile, Kaelin and Elian were in their own little world, whispering and laughing quietly like the rest of us didn't exist. 

Kaelin had one arm lazily slung around Elian's shoulder, pulling him close as they joked about something. 

The sight made my stomach twist - not with jealousy exactly, but something close enough that I didn't want to name it.

Ronald lasted all of five minutes before his head hit the desk. I swear, that man could fall asleep during a thunderstorm. 

With him out cold and Mr. Bates still droning on, I gave up on pretending to take notes and ended up watching Elian instead.

He looked... gentle and kind. His hair fell in soft brown waves that brushed just above his eyes - the kind of hair you want to touch without realizing it. 

There was a tiny necklace resting against his neck, catching the classroom light just enough to draw your eye. 

Everything about him looked gentle - warm, put-together, soft. Even his lips were this natural shade of pink-red that would've made any girl jealous. 

Ronald had once joked that Elian had "lipstick lips," and I'd laughed. but sitting here, I kind of saw what he meant. Not that I'd admit that out loud.

Then there was Kaelin - the complete opposite.

If Elian was sunlight, Kaelin was the storm.

His dark hair was buzzed clean on the sides, the top slightly tousled in a way that made it look effortlessly cool. 

A silver cross earring dangled from one ear, glinting every time he moved. Tattoos climbed along his arms, just visible beneath his rolled-up sleeves. 

Even sitting still, he had this untouchable energy - confident, sharp, almost dangerous. The kind of guy who could make a room go quiet just by walking in.

And yet... next to Elian, he was soft. His fingers brushed through Elian's hair as he fixed a messy strand, then ruffled it again just to mess it up. 

I couldn't help smiling. he looked so annoyingly charming when he did that.

For a split second, I imagined reaching out, running my fingers through that same soft hair - and immediately snapped myself out of it.

What the hell, Liv!.

My thoughts were cut short by Kaelin's voice, low but perfectly audible.

"So what's with the hard-on?"

I froze. My brain short-circuited.

Elian, without missing a beat, grinned. "I'm watching porn," he said, half-whisper, half-giggle.

My mouth literally fell open. I wanted to melt into the floor. Did they not care that they were in the middle of class?

They laughed quietly between themselves, totally unbothered.

"Oh my God," I muttered under my breath and quickly shoved my earbuds in, pretending to listen to music even though I didn't hit play. 

I told myself I wasn't eavesdropping... I was just stuck here. Yeah. That was it.

Kaelin leaned closer to Elian, his voice teasing, almost smug. 

"You want me to help you out? I give a mean hand job."

Elian said something I couldn't hear, but Kaelin chuckled, low and quiet - the kind of laugh that made my heart skip for reasons I didn't want to unpack.

After that, I started noticing every little thing - the way Kaelin's hand rested on Elian's back, how he traced lazy circles with his fingers, how Elian leaned into it like it was natural. 

I wasn't sure if I felt envious, awkward, or just fascinated. Probably all three.

I tried focusing on the board, but my eyes kept drifting back to them. My mind was a mess of thoughts - about Kaelin, about Elian, about how unfair it felt that people like them seemed to exist in a world completely separate from mine.

I shifted in my seat to shake the feeling off, but my chair creaked - loud enough for both of them to turn around.

Elian blinked in surprise and his initial shock melted into relief. Kaelin didn't even bother looking at first, just glanced back lazily after a second, his expression unreadable.

I gave them the world's most awkward smile and a tiny wave. They stared for a heartbeat too long then turned back around like I wasn't even there.

My smile dropped instantly. I could almost feel my blood pressure rise.

Seriously? Not even a hi?

I sank back into my chair with a huff. "Unbelievable," I whispered under my breath.

Ronald stirred beside me, half-awake. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I muttered, glaring at the back of Kaelin's stupid, perfect head.

"Just realized they really are snobbish jerks."

He grinned sleepily, "Told you."

I sighed, resting my chin on my palm as Mr. Bates kept rambling on.

Still... as much as I wanted to stay mad, I couldn't stop sneaking glances at the two of them.

Because even if they were jerks - they were interesting jerks.

And for some reason, that made me want to understand them even more.

**********

Elian's POV 

Rewrite the text to focus on Elian's perspective, maintaining the same events and themes as in the previous chapter.

As soon as I slipped into the classroom, my eyes automatically scanned the rows-yeah, I was looking for her. The new girl. 

I wasn't even sure why, but ever since she caught me staring earlier, I hadn't been able to shake her from my head. 

The way she looked back-half curious, half amused, had been burned into my memory.

A few people turned when Kaelin and I walked in, whispering and trying not to be obvious about it. Typical. 

But Kae didn't care; he just looked as unimpressed as ever, sliding into his seat beside me like the world owed him a nap.

Mr. Bates was already mid-lecture, droning in that flat, soul-sucking tone of his. I swear the man could make fireworks sound boring.

"It's kind of a talent," Kaelin muttered, his lips twitching. "Being able to talk for hours while no one gives a damn."

I snorted, biting back a laugh. Half the class was on their phones, the other half pretending to take notes. The "nerds," as I liked to call them, were the only ones actually paying attention.

Kaelin leaned closer. "Bet he practices this at home."

That did it-I lost it. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing out loud.

Then, out of nowhere, a chill ran through me. The air conditioner must've been cranked up too high again. 

Kaelin noticed instantly-he always did-and without a word, he shifted closer and wrapped his arm around me. Warmth flooded through my body, and I hated how much I liked it.

"Better?" he asked quietly, his voice low against my ear.

I just nodded, smiling despite myself.

Then he started playing with my hair-messing it up, smoothing it back, and then messing it up again. 

It was annoying, but also... not. Every little touch was familiar, comforting in a way that made my chest feel weirdly full. It felt good.

He could never just sit still. Every few minutes, he'd poke me, nudge me, or whisper something ridiculous just to get my attention. 

And then-of course-he said something completely out of pocket.

"What's with the hard-on?" he asked casually, like he was commenting on the weather.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm watching porn," I shot back, keeping a straight face just to mess with him.

He smirked. "Oh yeah? Want me to help out? I give great hand jobs."

I turned red instantly. "Fuck your uncle," I hissed, trying not to laugh, but he just grinned wider, clearly enjoying how flustered I was.

For a few minutes, we sat in a kind of easy silence. He scrolled through his phone, and I just... existed next to him, listening to the faint hum of the AC and the scratching of pens from the front row. 

Then, when he noticed I was zoning out, he reached out again-this time tracing lazy shapes down my neck and along my back.

It was stupidly ticklish, but also kind of nice.

"You really have nothing better to do, huh?" I teased, turning my head a little.

He smiled without looking at me. "You've got cute dimples."

I groaned and slapped his hand away. "You just noticed? You've known me forever, Kae."

He shrugged, unfazed. "Guess I was too distracted by your bad jokes."

Before I could come up with a comeback, I heard a quiet sound behind us-a groan, maybe? I twisted in my seat and froze.

The new girl.

She was sitting just a few desks back, earplugs in, eyes slightly narrowed like she was lost in thought. 

Her friend was slumped beside her, completely knocked out. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Thank God. If she'd heard any of that... I'd never live it down.

But still... there was this weird look on her face. A small, secret kind of smile.

I turned back around quickly, pretending to focus on my notes, but my head was spinning. Why did it suddenly feel like I wanted her to notice me?

 I couldn't help but wonder why she was smiling so. As I faced forward, my thoughts buzzed with curiosity.