Invisible String

Chapter 13

Iyaara

I felt a wave of motivation rush through me as we started the project, and for once, I was really focused.

“Let’s ace this!” Kairo said, raising one hand dramatically toward the ceiling.

We all laughed and got back to work. Honestly, it took way more time and effort than I expected.

When I reached for the glue gun, my hand brushed against Ryker’s. Just for a second.
But that second felt way too long — a jolt of heat shot up my arm, and my heart decided to act like it was running a marathon.

“Oh—sorry,” I blurted, pulling my hand back. “You can have it.”

He shook his head slightly. “No, it’s okay. You take it.”

“Okay, then you said it,” I said, trying not to sound like my voice cracked as I sat down again.

I focused on sticking the solar panels in place, pretending that my hands weren’t still tingling.

Time flew without me even realizing it until my phone buzzed — it was my aunt.

“Hey Yaara! Where are you? How much longer will it take for you to come?” she asked.

“Yeah, today’s work is done. I’m coming,” I said before hanging up.

“Okay guys, I’ve gotta go now,” I told everyone, packing my things.

“Ohh okayyy, see you tomorrow!” Ava said, waving dramatically.

I headed toward the door, but before I could step out, I heard a voice behind me.

“Wait,” someone said. I turned around — it was Ryker.

I frowned a little. “What?”

“I should also go, I have to head back home too,” he said, grabbing his bag.

“Oh, okay,” I said, watching as he slung his bag over his shoulder and walked beside me toward the door.

We started walking toward the bus station.
The cold breeze sent a light shiver down my spine as it brushed against my face.

Neither of us said anything for a while. But the silence wasn’t awkward — it was… different. Calm in a weird, comforting way.
The road was almost empty, just a few cars passing by every now and then, and the sound of our footsteps echoed softly on the pavement.

“So… it was great work today,” I said, finally breaking the silence.

“Yeah,” he replied, glancing ahead. “It was kind of productive.”

He paused for a moment before saying, “You did great today.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling — and for some reason, that simple compliment made my heart feel a little warmer against the cold air.

We reached the bus stop, and the streetlight flickered above us, glowing faintly yellow against the evening sky. The bus hadn’t arrived yet, so we stood there — not too close, not too far — just standing in the kind of silence that didn’t really need words.

After a few seconds, Ryker said quietly, “You really like doing hands-on stuff, don’t you? I could tell from how focused you were today.”

I looked at him, a little surprised. “You noticed?”

He gave a small shrug, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Hard not to. You were so into it, I thought you might actually glue your hand to the backpack.”

I blinked, trying not to smile. “Is that a compliment or an insult?”

He chuckled softly, shaking his head.

The bus finally arrived with its usual screech, and we climbed in. The seats were half empty, filled with a few people chatting quietly. I took the window seat, and Ryker sat next to me, as usual — calm, quiet, eyes fixed on the passing streets.

The city lights reflected faintly on his face, and for some reason, I found myself thinking, silence isn’t always awkward — sometimes it’s just... peaceful, especially with some people.

I reached home, the familiar smell of dinner already filling the air. My aunt looked up from the kitchen as I stepped in.

“Had fun today?” she asked, a knowing smile on her face.

“Yeah,” I said, kicking my shoes off. “It was… fun.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly curious, but didn’t ask further. “I see. Come have your dinner, it’s getting cold.”

“Okay, give me a minute,” I said, heading toward my room. “I’ll just freshen up and be right back.”

The next morning, my alarm decided to betray me again.
It blared so loudly that I almost threw it across the room.
Ughhh, why does morning even exist?

I dragged myself out of bed, my hair a complete mess, and stared at my reflection.
Great. I looked like someone who fought a hurricane and lost.

After freshening up, I grabbed my toast and got ready for another day at school.
My aunt called from the kitchen, “Don’t forget your lunch this time!”
“I won’t!” I yelled back with a mouth full of bread—totally lying.

As I stepped out, the morning breeze hit me.
The streets were calm, just a few kids rushing to school and the smell of freshly baked bread from the bakery down the lane.