Invisible String

Chapter 3

Iyaara

The shrill ring of my phone yanked me out of my sleep.
Half-awake, I grabbed it from my bedside table and pressed it to my ear.

"Iyaara!!! Where are you? Are you not coming today!?" Ava's voice practically screamed through the speaker.

I blinked, groggy and confused. "Huh? What-wait..." My eyes darted toward the clock. 8:00.

My heart dropped.

"What the-how did I even sleep this long?! And why didn't the stupid alarm go off!?" I muttered, jumping out of bed. "I'm coming!" I shouted into the phone before hanging up.

I dashed to the bathroom, stubbed my toe against the door, hissed in pain, but ignored it-because the school bell rang at nine, and I was officially doomed.

I took the quickest shower of my life, threw on my hoodie and jeans, grabbed my bag, and stuffed two slices of bread in my mouth as I bolted for the door. My shoes were barely tied, hair still dripping, and I was already running down the street like my life depended on it.

By the time the school gates came into sight, I was breathless. I kept running, weaving through students, when a tall, statue-like figure suddenly appeared right in my path.

"Move!" I shouted, but he just stared at me, eyes widening.

Too late.

I crashed straight into him.

The impact sent both of us tumbling to the ground. Gasps echoed from nearby students. My face ended up just a few inches away from his, and my heart skipped. I scrambled up, mortified.

"I-I'm so sorry!" I blurted out.

He groaned, brushing dust off his hoodie. "Is your hobby bumping into people?"

I frowned. Seriously?

"I told you to move! My class was about to start-you could've just stepped aside instead of acting deaf!" I snapped, my embarrassment quickly turning into irritation.

"Whatever," he said flatly.

"Excuse me? I said I was sorry! You don't have to be so rude!"

He just stared, unimpressed. The bell rang, breaking the tension. I huffed, grabbed my bag, and stormed past him toward my classroom.

---

Ava was already at her desk when I slid into mine.
"Where were you?" she demanded. "You texted me ten minutes ago saying you were here!"

"Just... a minor encounter with someone so rude," I muttered.

Before she could respond, the door opened-and in walked the "rude someone."

Ryker

Our eyes met, and we both glared like it was some sort of silent battle.

"Bro," Ava whispered, leaning close. "Why is Ryker looking at you like you killed his pet?"

"Because he's annoying," I hissed back.

"Wait-that was Ryker Karlingson?" she asked, her jaw dropping.

"Yeah. So?"

"So?? He's like, the most popular guy in our grade! Every girl is obsessed with him!"

"That's every other girl," I said, rolling my eyes. "Not me. He's rude, arrogant, and definitely not my type."

Before Ava could argue, the teacher walked in, silencing the class as attendance began. I sank into my seat, hoping the day would end fast.

---

By lunch, I'd almost forgotten about the morning chaos. Ava and I grabbed our usual potato tacos and sat in the cafeteria. I had just lifted my taco to my mouth when she stopped my hand midair.

"So," she said, "what exactly was this 'minor inconvenience' you mentioned?"

"Seriously? Now?"

"Yep." She snatched the taco away.

"Nooo! Okay, fine!" I sighed and told her everything-from the sprint to the crash and the rude comment that followed.

When I finished, Ava's eyes were wide. "What in the world-"

"Yeah, yeah. Can I have my taco back now?"

She handed the taco over.

Classes dragged on, and by the end of the day, I was beyond exhausted so I took the bus home, dropped into a seat, and started scrolling through my phone.

Ava's words echoed in my mind. 'Every girl likes him.'

It wouldn't hurt to just... check his profile, right?

I opened the search bar. "Ryker..." I murmured. "Wait, what was his last name again?"

"Karlingson," a voice said beside me.

"Thanks," I said automatically-then froze.

I turned. "Wait-Ryker!?"

He sat there, arms crossed, looking entirely too amused.

"Why are you here?" I demanded.

He raised an eyebrow. "Can I not take the bus? And I'd appreciate it if you stopped stalking me."

"I was not stalking you!" I protested. "I just heard people say you're, like, this super good-looking guy, so I checked-and honestly? You're not worth the hype."

His lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Ohhh, I see."

My stop arrived before I could think of a comeback. I practically bolted off the bus, face burning.

At home, I made some pasta, watched a movie, and tried to unwind. But when I finally went to bed, sleep refused to come.

I stared at the ceiling, sighing.

Was it because of the embarrassing bus thing?
...Or something else entirely?