Invisible String

Chapter 14

Iyaara

I walked through the not-so-empty streets, a strange feeling twisting in my stomach-like something was going to happen today.
Good or bad, I couldn't tell. But it made me oddly excited.

As I got closer to school, I spotted someone familiar up ahead.
"Ava!" I shouted.
She turned around, and when she saw me, a big smile spread across her face.
"Iyaara!" she yelled back.

I ran up to her. "Hey, gurlll!"
We laughed and started walking together, chatting about nothing and everything until we reached our class.

   We got into the class still laughing, talking, and gossiping — obviously no girl friendship is without gossiping, duhh, I thought to myself.
We had sports in the first period, so we changed into our sports uniforms and headed to the ground.

Me and Ava went and stood in line as our class assembled, and then the PT sir blew his whistle, his voice echoing across the field.
“Alright everyone, ten laps around the ground!” he yelled.

Ava groaned dramatically beside me. “Ten laps? Does he want us to die on a Monday morning?”
I laughed, stretching my arms. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”
She gave me a look. “Says the girl who actually likes running.”

We started jogging, the cold breeze brushing against my face. My legs started aching halfway through the third lap, but I pushed myself anyway. As we turned the corner, I saw Ryker a few meters ahead — calm, focused, running like it was the easiest thing ever.

“Of course he runs like he’s in a movie,” Ava muttered.
I chuckled, “That’s just Ryker being Ryker.”

After what felt like an eternity, the last lap ended. We both dropped to the ground, panting like we’d run a marathon.
“I swear,” Ava said between breaths, “next time, I’m faking an injury.”

Before I could reply, a familiar voice came from behind us.
“You two done gossiping or should I wait another lap?” Ryker said, smirking, barely out of breath.

“Ha ha, very funny,” Ava said, rolling her eyes.
I threw him a playful glare. “Show off.”

He just smirked and walked off toward the benches, towel slung over his shoulder like he’d won something.

He sat down, towel brushing through his hair, his hand running through it as the strands fell messily in every direction. His hair looked so soft that—
Wait—what am I thinking?
What is wrong with me these days?!

“Done staring, Ryker?” Ava’s voice pulled me back to reality, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“What? I wasn’t staring at him!” I said, waving my hands defensively. “My eyes just… zone out sometimes. You know me.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered, clearly not buying it.

Before I could say anything else, the PT sir blew his whistle.
“Get to jumping jacks!” he yelled.

Everyone groaned, still dying from the ten laps we’d just done.

We headed inside the basketball court since we cant do crunches outside. PT sir handed Ava the timer to count how many crunches I could do.

I started, following the rhythm, each one burning my abs a little more until I couldn’t anymore.
Ava took her turn but quit after barely ten seconds.
“I can’t do this. Let him scold me, but I can’t,” she said dramatically, collapsing on the mat.

I laughed, but then—
My eyes drifted to the other side of the room.

Ryker was doing crunches, his veins flexing, his movements calm and steady. His hands rested behind his neck, and for a second, everything around me slowed down again.

“Gurllll,” Ava shouted, making me jump. “See?! Again! You were staring at him, and you still won’t admit it!”

“I was just thinking about something, okay? Don’t make fake assumptions!” I said, glaring at her.

“Uh-huh, who’s making fake assumptions now?” she teased with a smirk.

We glared at each other before bursting into laughter. That’s just how we were — we could fight a hundred times a day, roast each other like it’s a sport, and still never stay apart. That’s our kind of friendship.