Erik was sitting by the window in his classroom, staring out at the bright sky, lost in thought.
"Hey, what's on your mind?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow at Erik.
"Nothing," Erik muttered, still not making eye contact, his gaze fixed on the view outside.
"Nothing, huh?" Leo smirked. "I don't buy it. Your brain's clearly somewhere else. Wait... don't tell me you're thinking about the girl from the next class?"
"NO!" Erik quickly protested, his face flushing slightly. "Just... shut up. Why would I even be thinking about her? And now that you've brought it up, I feel even worse."
Leo chuckled, giving Erik a playful nudge on the shoulder.. "Come on, man, relax. It was an accident, and she already said it was fine."
"Yeah, I guess..." Erik sighed, running a hand through his hair, his guilt still hanging in the air. "Still feels off, though."
In the next classroom, Flora turned to Lizz with a thoughtful expression. "You know, Blizz has seemed different lately. She doesn't seem to bother anyone anymore."
Lizz raised an eyebrow, considering this. "Hmm... well, isn't that good news then? I guess she's finally mellowing out."
Just then, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
Outside, laughter echoed across the courtyard as May relentlessly tickled Amy.
"Hahahaha, stop! It tickles!" Amy gasped, trying to wriggle free.
"Ugh, these girls..." Lizz rolled her eyes. "May, if you don't stop, Amy might lose her ability to laugh altogether."
"Fine, fine~" May relented, but as she pulled her hands back, she couldn't resist wiggling her fingers toward Amy again.
Amy's eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back, her hand raised in defense. "Nope, not again!" she warned, her voice laced with playful panic.
May pulled her hand back with a grin, and for a moment, there was a brief pause. Then, all of them burst out laughing together.
Amy, still catching her breath, shook her head, giggling. "You're impossible, May!"
"I know, I know," May said, still smiling mischievously.
The laughter lingered for a moment before they all began walking out of the school, the afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement as they left together, their spirits light and carefree.
"Hey, guys, let's go to this cafe I know. It just opened recently," Clara suggested, her eyes bright with excitement. "I went there with my family a few weeks ago, and it was so good. You'll all love it!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, the idea sounding appealing after a long day.
"Yes! Let's go! I've been craving my favorite chocolate muffin," Amy chimed in, her voice full of anticipation.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Lizz," Flora said, her face falling. "My dad just got back from his business trip, and my mom's calling me home now. I can't go to the library with you after all!"
"It's okay, I understand," Lizz said with a reassuring smile. "You don't have to apologize. I can go to the library and search for the book myself. You can go home and enjoy some time with your family."
Flora smiled gratefully, relieved by Lizz's understanding. "Thanks, Lizz. I'll make it up to you next time," she promised, giving her a quick hug before turning to head home.
Lizz waved her off, feeling a bit lonely but determined to make the best of it. She watched Flora disappear down the street before heading toward the library, already thinking about the book she needed to find.
As Lizz walked toward the library, she pulled out her phone and quickly texted her mom: "I'm going to be late, Mom. I need to find some books at the city library."
She tucked her phone back into her bag and continued on her way, the familiar streets of the city around her.
Lizz scanned through the shelves at the library and quickly found the book she needed. "That was easy... I got it so quickly, I didn't expect that," she said to herself, feeling a bit surprised.
She looked up, her gaze drifting through the library's windows, and noticed how beautiful the sky was. It was a deep, clear blue, with the sun setting, painting the clouds in shades of orange and pink. The stars were already beginning to twinkle, making the view even more breathtaking.
Feeling a sudden urge to enjoy the peaceful evening, Lizz decided to head to a nearby hill. Since she was already done with her task, she figured she could take her time and enjoy the view.