JAHZARA'S VOICE TREMBLED with frustration as she let out a sigh. "i could cry right now, my head hurts so much," she whined, pushing her chromebook away from her. she really needed relief from the pounding ache that seemed to radiate from every corner of her skull.
zoey moved closer, a sense of tranquility enveloped her. her eyes wandered aimlessly, fixating on an nothing in the distance.
a dreamy smile played across her lips, as if she had been transported to a blissful reverie. it was as if she had been transported to a realm of pure bliss, where time stood still and worries melted away.
in her mind, thoughts of the lingering kiss she had shared with ddot swirled like vibrant strokes on an artist's canvas. the memory played like a vivid movie, each frame evoking a moment they shared that day.
jahzara, attuned to her friend's musing disposition, noticed the ethereal glow that layed on zoey's face. she could tell that zoey was mentally drifting away, journeying to a whole different world of emotions and thoughts.
curiosity piqued, jahzra lifted her head, her fingers gracefully sweeping through her hair to reveal her mischievous smile. "watchu you think about zozo?" she asked, her tone laced with a hint of jest. ahzara gently squished one of zoey's cheeks, eliciting a giggle from her friend.
"nothing really." she lied through her teeth, but her smile said something else. jahzara nods, staying silent knowing that zoey was gonna start rambling in less than 5 seconds.
"okay so on sunday—ddot called me over right so i was like okay, i'll come over and i was soooo happy jah—i took a whole shower to smell good and all. i smelled like roses, at least i hope so because it took a long time to shower. then—then i walked to his house, jah i was going crazy. i opened the door right? and he looks so like, good? i don't even know. and then after that he hugs me, he hugs me. like no he hugs me, omg he hugged me." zoey smiled, rolling her hands over her face.
jahzara's warm smile stretched across her face as she gazed at the girl with genuine kindness. sensing zoey's deep longing to befriend ddot. how had zoey managed to break down the impenetrable walls that shielded ddot's heart?
after all, ddot was notorious for his guarded nature, rarely letting anyone in or trusting them fully.
recalling the events of the previous summer, it became apparent that ddot's emotional journey had taken a tumultuous turn. just as school had come to an end, he received the news of his beloved grandmother's passing. strangely, the news arrived several days after her actual departure from this world, leaving ddot grappling with a confusing mix of emotions.
the weight of grief settled heavily upon ddot's young shoulders, threatening to consume his every waking moment. overwhelmed and unsure of how to navigate this newfound pain, he made a conscious decision to shut himself off from the world.
