INVISIBLE STRING

I - Before the String

It wasn't from a paper. Not a ribbon.

A string.

It blinked out the moment I focused.

Gone. Like it had never been there.

My chest tightened.

No way. Not yet.

I shook my head. Maybe I imagined it. Maybe the sunlight hit someone's lanyard weirdly. Maybe..

But my heart?

My heart was racing.

Because what if I hadn't imagined it?

What if something had just begun?

We made our way through the halls, dodging students with project boxes, athletes carrying their duffel bags, and one poor guy trying to balance three iced coffees on a folder.

"Karylle," Candice said suddenly, clutching my arm, "emergency detour."

"Why?"

She pointed. "Avoid zone of heartbreak. Thirdie is exactly fifteen feet ahead, still with the new girl. I can't risk you short-circuiting in public."

I tried to roll my eyes but found myself glancing anyway.

He was there. Of course.

Leaning casually against the stair rail, laughing at something the new girl said. His laugh reached us even through the morning noise. It always did.

He looked completely unaware that I existed today. Like usual.

And yet, I still checked.

My gaze dropped to his hand. His pinky.

Nothing.

I exhaled, slow. Expected.

Candice tugged me toward the side hallway, the one that passed behind the clinic.

"New girl's name is Savanna, by the way," she whispered, as if we were spies. "Transfered from Cebu. Rumor says she's part of some youth orchestra. Imagine? May talent na, may Thirdie pa."

"She can have him," I lied, trying to sound bored. "I'm too busy waiting for my imaginary thread, remember?"

Candice smirked. "Delulu is the solulu."

By the time we reached the classroom, it was half-full and fully noisy. Chairs screeched, people swapped snacks like currency, and the air smelled faintly of menthol candy and ballpen ink.

"Karylle!" called JM, one of my classmates from the back. "Tapos ka na sa assignment? Anong sagot sa number three sa Math?"

"I don't know, bro," I replied. "I gave up after number two. Kumopya lang ako kay Jill"

Candice slipped into the seat beside mine and immediately began unzipping her makeup kit. "If I look tired, it's because I only slept three hours reviewing for Mr. Villar's possible quiz."

I raised an eyebrow. "You didn't review. You were scrolling for new crush content on TikTok."

"NO I WASN'T."

Our adviser walked in just then, prompting my classmates to rush on their seats. He carried a bunch of papers and looked extra annoyed, which meant only one thing.

"Pop quiz," someone muttered. Panic rippled through the room.

Great. Just another ordinary day.

Later that morning, during Filipino class, we were asked to pair up for a short script reading.

Before Candice could snag me, our teacher smiled like she was about to ruin our live. "Let's mix things up. New partners today."

I froze.

And of course, because the universe is a chaotic neutral entity—

"Thirdie, Karylle, you'll work together."

I turned slowly in my seat. He was already looking at me.

He smiled, polite. Friendly.

And walked over with his usual effortless confidence. "Hey," he said, lowering his voice. "Looks like we're stuck together."

I nodded, trying not to die. "Guess so."

We read through the dialogue quietly. He had a surprisingly good dramatic voice, the kind that made simple lines sound poetic.

"You read like you actually care about the characters," he said after a pause.

"Maybe I do," I replied. "Maybe I just want them to find their ending."

He tilted his head, studying me for a moment. "You believe in that? Soulmates and all?"

I blinked. A loaded question.

"I believe... in red strings," I said before I could stop myself.

He laughed softly. "Wow. You're one of those."

My cheeks burned. "I mean—just a metaphor. Not literal."

"Right." He grinned. "Metaphor. Sure."

He turned back to the paper. I turned back to pretending I wasn't spiraling internally.

After Filipino class, I lingered by the window while most of the others shuffled out. Candice mouthed something from the door—Don't fall in love!

I glared at her playfully.

Thirdie passed by me on his way out, but paused for a second.

"You were right, by the way," he said. "About them finding their ending."

And then he was gone.

I stared at his retreating figure.

Then my pinky.

Still nothing.

- arjynx02