The tension between them was loud—too loud. Their eyes locked in a burning gaze, silence stretching with the weight of unspoken thoughts. Elsa's almond eyes shimmered, not just with light, but with a thousand unsaid emotions. Her breath hitched, and her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her dress. Her heart was beating too fast, too loud.
After a moment, Elsa tore her eyes away and cleared her throat awkwardly as she adjusted her dress. Adrian sighed heavily, the sound more like an attempt to dispel the charged air between them.
"So, um..." Adrian stuttered.
Elsa jumped in quickly, her voice sharper than she intended. "Do you have something to say?"
"Huh? Oh—yeah. I heard what happened to Mira. I hope she's doing okay... mentally, I mean."
"Yes... she's okay. You know, you could've just asked her yourself, since you guys are paired together for the PE assignment." Her voice held a soft edge of challenge.
Adrian went silent, searching for the right words. "Oh, yeah... I just thought I should ask you. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable."
Elsa gave a small nod, lips pressed together.
The silence stretched again. Then, a sleek black car pulled up nearby.
"Oh... my driver's here. I have to go," Adrian said.
Elsa glanced at him. "Okay. Get home safe."
He smiled and nodded, giving her a small wave before getting into the car. Elsa smiled faintly and waved back, watching as the car drove off.
She stood alone, the evening breeze brushing against her skin. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she turned and slowly walked ahead, raising her hand to hail a cab. As she got in and leaned back, the loneliness sank deeper.
She had hoped the outing with Adrian would lift the weight pressing down on her. But as the cab drove in silence and the city blurred past, Elsa realized that wasn't what she needed. Her thoughts, as always, drifted to Mira. She tried desperately to piece together the puzzle that haunted her, but everything remained murky, incomplete.
Her eyelids grew heavy. Exhaustion seeped into her bones. Lately, sleep had become a luxury she couldn't afford—endless nights of restlessness, of spiraling thoughts.
"Miss... Miss!" a deep voice called.
Elsa's almond eyes fluttered open. Disoriented, she looked around and realized she had dozed off in the cab. She sat up quickly, blinking. "Oh—I'm so sorry," she said to the driver as he tapped her shoulder gently.
She paid the fare and stepped out, dragging herself toward the house. As she entered, she slipped off her shoes and slid into her slippers.
"I'm home..." she murmured tiredly.
Her dad was in the living room, reading something on his phone. He looked up and smiled softly. "You're back."
Elsa sighed and walked over to him, sinking onto the couch beside him. She buried her face into his chest like she used to when she was younger. "I'm so tired, Dad."
He chuckled gently and wrapped an arm around her, patting her back. "How was your outing?"
"It was... pretty fun," she replied, her voice faint.
He nodded with a knowing smile.
After a moment, Elsa stood. "I guess that's goodnight, then. I'm exhausted."
Just then, her mother walked in from the kitchen, wearing cooking gloves.
"Oh, you're home, sweetheart? Eat dinner before bed—I made your favorite," she said with a hopeful smile.
Elsa shook her head gently. "No, it's fine, Mom. I'm not hungry. I'm just really sleepy. Maybe I'll eat tomorrow."
Her mother frowned but relented. "Alright, dear. Goodnight."
Elsa kissed her mom's cheek and headed to her room. She dropped her bag, peeled off her clothes, and stepped into the bathroom. The warm water from her shower was a momentary comfort. After drying off, she changed into her soft, cozy nightwear and turned off the lights.
She flung herself onto the bed, sinking into the mattress as she let out another heavy sigh. Her eyes closed, and this time, sleep took her quickly.
For the first time in weeks, Elsa slept deeply.
♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎
Sunlight spilled across her face, gently rousing her. Elsa yawned and stretched, blinking toward the window.
"What a beautiful Sunday morning," she mumbled.
Then she glanced at her clock. Her eyes widened. "Did I just sleep till 11 a.m.?"
She rolled out of bed and padded to the bathroom. As she applied toothpaste to her toothbrush, she muttered, "At least I slept well last night." She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and headed out.
Her stomach growled. She wandered into the kitchen, holding her belly lightly.
Her mother turned around and smiled warmly. "Morning, sunshine."
"Morning, Mama. Why didn't you wake me up? I slept in."
Her mother chuckled. "You were clearly exhausted. I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, it's Sunday—no school."
Elsa nodded. "Good point. Where's Dad, though? I haven't seen him."
"He left early. Something urgent at work. He'll be back this evening."
Elsa nodded again.
Her mother smiled knowingly. "Go set the table. The food's almost ready. I know you're starving."
Elsa grinned and began setting the table. Just then, the doorbell rang. She paused.
"Mom? Are we expecting anyone?"
"Nope," her mom replied.
Elsa tilted her head. "That must be Dad, then."
But when she opened the door, she gasped and immediately shut it back, leaning against it in shock.
"What the hell... Am I hallucinating? Why is Liam at my door?!"
She shook her head, laughing nervously. "No, I'm probably seeing things. Liam doesn't even know where I live."
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door again. There he stood—Liam. The sunlight danced on his glittering brown eyes and tousled black hair. His clothes, stylish and tailored, matched his smooth skin perfectly.
Her hand flew to her mouth. "Hey," he said with a charming smile, waving.
"Why are you here? No—how do you know my house?" she asked, stunned.
He shrugged. "I asked Susan."
"Susan told you?!"
"She didn't want to at first, but I mentioned we're paired for the PE assignment, and she gave in."
Elsa groaned and rubbed her temples.
"Can I come in?" he asked politely.
She hesitated, then stepped aside. Liam entered, calm and smiling.
Her mom walked in, drying her hands. "Who..."
"Hello, ma'am. I'm Liam," he greeted with a slight bow.
Her mom smiled brightly. "Oh! Nice to meet you, Liam."
"Mom, this is Liam—my classmate," Elsa added quickly.
"Classmate, huh?" her mom said, sounding a bit disappointed. Then she looked Liam up and down. "You're so handsome—you look like a prince or something."
Liam laughed. "Thank you, ma'am. That's very sweet."
Her mom giggled. "Come, come—we're about to eat. Join us!"
Liam beamed and followed her to the dining table. Elsa trailed behind, muttering, "What's going on with her?"
They sat down as Elizabeth served the food.
"Liam, any allergies?"
Elsa quickly answered, "Shrimps! He's allergic to shrimps."
Both Liam and her mom turned to her, shocked.
Liam stared at her. "How did you know that?"
Elsa froze. "Uh... I just guessed. You kinda look like someone who doesn't eat shrimps."
Liam chuckled, a bit confused. "Oh yeah? That's... reasonable, I guess?"
"Right?" Elsa forced a laugh. As the tension faded, she turned and mumbled to herself, "This mouth of mine... stay shut."
The truth was, Elsa remembered from the future—a work dinner where Liam declined his shrimp soup, revealing his allergy. She hadn't meant to speak so fast.
Her mom placed the food in front of Liam. "Eat a lot, Liam."
"Yes, ma'am," he replied gratefully.
They all ate. Her mother kept sneaking glances at Liam, clearly smitten by his good looks.
When they finished, Liam thanked her mom. Elsa offered to do the dishes, but her mom refused. "You can't leave your visitor alone."
Elsa and Liam sat in the living room. The silence grew awkward.
Her mom peeked from the dining area, smiling too much.
Feeling the tension, Elsa said, "Mom, we'll be in my room if you need me."
Her mom nodded quickly. "Okay, go on."
Liam followed Elsa to her room. He stepped in and looked around.
"So, this is my room," Elsa said, hopping slightly on her toes.
Liam nodded. "It's cute! Look at all these Eclipse posters. I only have one of my bias."
Elsa laughed. "Yeah... I guess I can't be saved from them."
They both laughed, but Elsa's smile faded.
"So, why are you really here?" she asked.
"We need to brainstorm for the PE assignment, remember?"
"Right... ideas. You could've called first."
"I did call," he teased. "I even texted. You didn't answer, so I figured maybe you wanted me to come."
Elsa picked up her phone. "Wow, I didn't even check. I put it on silent when I got back yesterday. Still... you shouldn't just show up."
Liam smiled quietly.
"Anyway, wait in the living room. I need to shower before we start."
He nodded and stepped out politely.
Elsa flopped onto her bed and groaned. She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. "What the hell is he doing here?! Doesn't he know I've been trying to avoid him ever since our argument?!"
She sighed deeply, her heart pounding again—but this time, it wasn't just exhaustion. It was something else entirely.
After a while, Elsa was done taking her bath. She wore a black pair of shorts with a tight-fitting top, and she packed her hair up into a bun.
Liam returned to her room once she was done. They both sat before her study table. Elsa brought out her book and pen, and Liam did the same.
But Elsa was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She couldn't understand why Liam was acting like nothing ever happened.
"Is he trying to mess with me?" she thought anxiously, her mind spiraling as she tried to make sense of his behavior. "Should I apologize? Is that what he's waiting for?"
"So... I already drafted some ideas on my path," Liam began, his voice calm. "I sorted them out so it'll be easier for us. You can go over them and see which ones make sense. If not, you can add your ideas too."
He looked at her as he spoke, but Elsa avoided his gaze, guilt tightening her chest. She still remembered how she had spoken to him that day—and here he was, acting like everything was perfectly fine.
"Why isn't he talking about that day?" her thoughts raced again.
"Are you listening?" Liam asked, tapping the table to snap her out of her thoughts.
"Oh—yeah… yes, I was," Elsa replied quickly, flinching slightly.
Liam gave a small smile and nodded, then continued explaining his ideas. But Elsa's mind was drifting. She was growing more restless by the second. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Okay… that's enough," she said suddenly, her expression turning serious. "Just stop."
Liam slowly put down his pen, confused. "What do you mean?"
Elsa sighed deeply, then finally looked at him. "Why are you acting like everything is okay? Are you trying to punish me or something?" Her tone was direct, even a little sharp.
Liam let out a long breath, forcing a tight smile. "I don't understand, Elsa. Of course everything is fi—"
"Of course you know everything isn't fine!" she cut him off. "Why aren't you angry at me? Why are you talking to me like nothing happened? I was mean to you. Aren't you supposed to… I don't know… be mean to me too?"
There was a long pause before Liam finally spoke again. "Look, Elsa… I know the kind of person you are. I know you didn't mean what you said that day. Yes, I was mad at first. But after we talked that day after PE, I realized you weren't really angry—you were just avoiding me. Probably because you felt bad, right? That's why you've been avoiding my gaze."
His voice was calm and understanding. Elsa exhaled and turned her head away.
"Well… that doesn't mean you should've just stood there like a statue. You could've at least gotten mad at me. Instead, you just stood there and let me talk to you like that."
Liam let out a chuckle. "I don't argue with girls, Els. What would that make me?"
A small smile tugged at Elsa's lips, but she still avoided looking at him directly.
"I'm really sorry for how I talked to you that day. The truth is… I was already frustrated. So many things were going wrong, and it was like the weight of everything just collapsed on me. I ended up taking it out on you. I didn't mean any of those words," she said softly, finally looking up at him.
Liam smiled gently. "It's fine, Els. I wasn't mad anyway."
They both shared a quiet laugh and continued with their work.
What Liam didn't tell her was that he hadn't come over just for the assignment. He hoped that by using it as an excuse, he could finally fix whatever was going wrong between them. Since she had started avoiding him, he'd been hoping for a chance to talk to her like this. And now that they were good again, he felt a calmness he didn't realize he needed.
Elsa, too, felt a wave of relief. The guilt had been weighing her down ever since that day. Now that they'd talked things through, it felt like a knot inside her had been untangled.
They went back to discussing ideas, laughing and talking. After a while, they decided to take a break.
"I'm getting bored," Elsa blurted out. "I can't believe I've been glued to this chair for hours."
Liam smirked. "I figured you're not the kind of person who loves to stay in one place for too long," he teased.
Elsa scoffed. "That's not true. I'm more composed than I seem."
"Yeah… right," Liam replied with a teasing grin.
Elsa didn't even know why, but she suddenly burst into laughter. Liam joined in, and for a moment the room was filled with the sound of their laughter. Then, silence settled in again—calm, comfortable.
A knock came at the door, and Elsa's mom entered, holding a tray of sliced fruits.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said with a smile.
"Mom…" Elsa whined in protest.
"What?" her mom said playfully.
Liam stood up immediately and collected the tray from her hands. "Oh… thank you," he said politely.
Her mom smiled at him warmly. "You're so polite. Your mom is really lucky to have such a son like you." She reached out to gently pat his head.
But Liam's smile faltered the moment she mentioned his mom. Elsa's brows furrowed slightly as she looked at him, picking up on the subtle change in his expression.
Her mom chuckled awkwardly, realizing she might've said something she shouldn't have. "Well… I'll leave you two now," she said as she gently closed the door behind her.
Liam let out a long sigh and sat back down, placing the tray carefully on the table.
Elsa watched him, concern growing in her chest. She noticed the way his mood shifted, how the mention of his mom seemed to drain all the light from his face.
She wanted to ask what it meant, but she held back. They weren't that close—not enough for her to pry into something so personal. So she stayed quiet, curiosity eating at her.
Suddenly, Liam turned toward her. "You're curious, right?"
Elsa let out a heavy sigh. "Look… I'm in no position to ask something that personal. So I'd rather not."
Liam put his fork down and cleared his throat. "It's okay. I wouldn't have found it offensive. I mean, anyone would be curious."
Elsa pressed her lips together and nodded silently.
"My mom," he started. Elsa instinctively set her fork down and gave him her full attention.
"She's not dead or anything. But sometimes… sometimes I forget I even have a mom. It's just been me and my dad for as long as I can remember. My mom used to be my favorite person in the whole world—until I turned ten. I loved her so much I couldn't even sleep unless I was beside her. And she loved me back just as much… or at least I thought she did."
He paused and swallowed hard before continuing.
"But on my tenth birthday… she just packed her things and left. Just like that. I still have nightmares about that day. I remember crying, holding her bag, begging her not to go. I ran to my dad, begging him to stop her, and he just stood there. Like he couldn't move. Like none of it concerned him."
Liam's voice broke slightly.
"I ran after the car barefoot, screaming for her. My legs went numb and I collapsed. I didn't understand how someone could just change like that. How she could leave me. Birthdays are supposed to be happy… but ever since that day, they only remind me of that pain."
He paused again, a tear sliding down his cheek.
"At first, I missed her. I waited for her. I hoped. But she never came back. And eventually… what started as love turned into hate. I hated her for what she did. For how she left. I haven't felt more betrayed by anyone in my life."
Tears welled up in Elsa's eyes. Her heart ached for him.
"I… I'm so sorry," she whispered.
Liam shook his head and quickly wiped his eyes. "It's fine. I guess thanks to her, I've become someone who's terrified of losing the people they love."
Elsa was quiet for a moment, overwhelmed by the raw emotion in his voice. Then, gently, she reached out and took his hand.
Liam was surprised—but he didn't pull away.
"You know… I've lost someone I love, too," she said softly. "Those were the darkest years of my life. I became depressed… completely detached. There were days I didn't even want to keep living. And for a long time, I blamed myself. I know exactly how it feels—to be left behind. To feel like someone just… abandoned you."
Her voice trembled a little, but she kept going.
"But Liam… please know this: you are lovable. No matter what you think, no matter what happened. You didn't deserve that. No one does. And what she did says nothing about your worth."
She looked into his eyes.
"You are important. You are enough—just as you are."
Elsa had always had a way of comforting people. The words just flowed from her, gentle and true. And in that moment, Liam felt something he hadn't felt in years—he felt safe.
Tears streamed down his cheeks before he even realized it.
"Elsa… thank you. No one has ever said anything like that to me before. No one has ever consoled me like that."
His voice was shaky.
"If I may ask," he added after a moment, "who was the person you lost?"
Elsa hesitated. She couldn't tell him the truth—that she was from the future, and the person she lost was Mira.
"Just someone important to me," she said quietly. "More like a sister."
She smiled softly and slowly withdrew her hand. "No problem, Liam. In fact, if you ever need someone to console you, just come to me. I always know the sweetest words to say."
Liam chuckled through his tears.
The air lightened after a while. They ate their fruit and went back to their assignment. Time passed quickly—they didn't even realize how late it had gotten. They laughed, talked, and worked together like everything had finally clicked back into place.
Eventually, it was time for Liam to leave.
"Oh, you're heading out already?" Elsa's mom said, walking toward them in the living room.
Liam smiled. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much for having me today."
Elsa's mom smiled warmly, then walked over and gave him a soft hug.
Liam's eyes widened. Elsa, too, was surprised.
"Take care of yourself," her mom said gently. "You can always come over for a meal. I'll make it for you."
For a moment, Liam stood there, stunned. He hadn't felt this kind of love in a very long time. He smiled softly and nodded.
As he headed toward the door, Elsa followed him outside.
"Well… thanks for having me today, Elsa," Liam said as they stopped by the gate. "We didn't finish the work, but I feel a lot better now. Like… really better."
Elsa smiled. "No problem."
"Right… I'll see you at school tomorrow. Bye, Elsa."
"Bye," she said with a wide smile, waving as he got into the car his driver had brought.
She stayed there, watching the car until it disappeared from view. Then she smiled to herself and went back inside.
Her mom met her almost immediately.
"Liam, huh? I like him," her mom teased, wiggling her brows.
"Mom, stop it. He's just a friend. And now he probably thinks you were giving him special treatment."
Her mom laughed. "Well, he deserved it. He's so polite."
Elsa just shook her head as she headed to her room.
"I know you like him!" her mom called after her.
"No, I don't!" Elsa yelled back with a laugh.
Back in her room, Elsa threw herself onto her bed and let out a long sigh.
Maybe Liam isn't as bad as I thought, she mused to herself. He's actually really… cool.