Eliana slammed her bedroom door shut, her heart pounding in her chest. She paced the floor, her thoughts swirling like a storm cloud overhead. The sunlight streaming through her window felt more like a spotlight, amplifying her frustration and fury. How could Kenneth think dragging her to court would be fun? Fun! The very word made her scowl deeper. The anxiety of the impending trial weighed heavily on her, consuming her thoughts. She didn’t want to sit around and watch what felt like her life being dissected in front of strangers.

-“What's wrong with me. Why did I cry? It's ok if Milan teased me. She does it all the time. But why does it hurt so much when Kenneth cae along ?” 

Eli whispered to herself, feeling the familiar sting of tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. All she wanted was to feel safe, to stay hidden behind the walls of her room where the outside world couldn’t reach her. She silenced her phone, forcing herself to ignore the incessant pings, wishing she could block out the vibrant life Kenneth seemed to insist on pulling her into.

Meanwhile, across town, Kenneth was sitting on the edge of his bed, phone in hand, heart heavy with dread. He picked up his phone. The texts he had sent felt hollow now, lost in the mix of his own insecurities.

-" Let's go for some Milk Tea yeah? I sorry"

He glanced at the clock, anxiety twisting in his stomach. How had it come to this? Why had he thought it would be okay to tease Eli, but he did really want to help her fix her posture and grip in badminton. He wanted to use that excuse to meet her seperately. He had meant well; he just wanted to keep her close.

But as the minutes ticked by, uncertainty settled in. What if she didn’t want to see him? What if she was too upset to forgive him? The weight of his own mistakes pressed against his chest like a boulder.

- “I should have thought this through,”

he muttered to himself, fighting back the wave of despair that threatened to overpower him.

Each notification from his phone felt like a piercing reminder of his failed attempts to reach out to her. 

-“Please, Eli, I just want be with you,” 

he texted, feeling an ache in his heart with each passing moment of silence from her. Every unanswered text was a dagger, twisting deeper into his chest, making him question everything he thought he understood about their relationship.

-“Why can’t I just make her understand?”

he lamented, a mix of sadness and frustration welling up inside him. The thought of her hurting was unbearable. He wished he could take her pain away, give him the pain she is enduring, as double, as triple, he doesn't care. He wish to trade it for something light and carefree—anything to see her smile again.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kenneth mustered the courage to send one last hope.

- “I’ll buy you chocolate milk,” 

he typed, his fingers trembling over the keys. 

-“Extra chocolaty, just like you like it.”

The screen remained dark for what felt like ages. Kenneth bit his lip, staring at the glimmer of hope in the form of a simple text message that felt so inadequate. Just as he started to sink into despair, a small vibration lit up his phone.

-“Fine! But only if you promise to make it extra chocolaty!”

-"She's so cute"

Kenneth smiled

His heart soared, the relief washing over him like a gentle tide, but it was accompanied by a bittersweet ache. Eli was allowing him back into her world, but he couldn’t shake the worry that he might never fully mend the rift he had unintentionally created.

As he walked to her house, anticipation flooding his veins, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread lingering in the background. Would it be enough? Would chocolate milk and playful banter heal the sadness he felt had crept between them? He was willing to try.

When Eli finally opened the door, he caught a glimpse of the storm still brewing behind her eyes, but the smile that broke through was like sunshine after the darkest of nights. Maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other, one small stepb at a time.