Omniscient Pov:

The next few days felt like a blur for Fina. Every time she walked through the school halls, she saw Aiden with Sophia. Their conversations, laughter, and easy camaraderie seemed to make everything around Fina feel dimmer, quieter. She couldn't shake the feeling that the space between them had grown, and no matter how much she tried to ignore it, her jealousy consumed her. She had always been the one Aiden turned to, the one who understood him in a way no one else could, but now... now he had Sophia, and she couldn't help but feel like an outsider in her own life.

Fina had stopped talking to Aiden, her replies becoming short and distant. She was avoiding him, hoping that if she kept her distance, the hurt would lessen, but instead, it only seemed to grow.

It was lunchtime when it finally happened. Fina was sitting with Mia and Ethan, barely touching her food, when Aiden came over, his usual smile replaced by a look of confusion.

"Hey, Fina," he started, his voice hesitant. "Can we talk?"

Fina froze, glancing up at him, her heart pounding. She had been avoiding him for days now, and the last thing she wanted was a confrontation, especially not here, not in front of everyone.

She shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I don't know, Aiden. What's there to talk about?"

His face fell, and Fina could see the hurt in his eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The anger, the jealousy—it all felt too overwhelming.

"Fina," Aiden said quietly, leaning against the table. "You've been acting weird lately. You're not talking to me, you're not replying to my texts. What's going on?"

Fina took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She wanted to yell, to tell him how hurt she was, but instead, she forced a smile, even though it didn't reach her eyes. "I don't know, Aiden. I just don't feel like talking right now, okay?"

Aiden looked taken aback. "What does that mean? You've been pushing me away for days now. I don't get it."

Fina stood up abruptly, feeling the weight of his words press down on her chest. She couldn't do this here. Not now. She had to get out.

"I need some space," Fina muttered, before walking away, leaving Aiden standing there, confused and hurt.

The rest of the day felt like a blur to Fina. She spent it drifting between classes, trying to focus but feeling like she was suffocating. Every time she saw Aiden, he would look at her with confusion in his eyes, like he didn't understand what had changed. And in a way, Fina didn't either. The jealousy, the hurt—it all felt like too much to process.

By the time the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Fina was already out the door, heading for the parking lot where her mom was waiting to pick her up. Her mind was a storm of emotions, and she couldn't bring herself to look at Aiden or anyone else.

When she got into the car, Isabella didn't ask any questions. She could tell that something was wrong, but she didn't push. Instead, she let Fina sit in the silence, the hum of the engine the only sound filling the air.

Back home, Fina locked herself in her room, crawling into bed and wrapping herself in the comfort of her blankets. She wished she could just disappear, that the emotions swirling inside her would vanish and everything would go back to normal. But she knew it wouldn't. She knew that things between her and Aiden had changed.

A few hours later, Fina heard a knock on her door. It was her mom.

"Sweetheart?" Isabella's voice was soft, gentle. "Can we talk?"

Fina didn't answer at first. She didn't know what to say, how to explain the mess she was feeling. But after a moment, she sat up, wiping her eyes. "Yeah, Mamma. Come in."

Isabella entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Fina with concern. "I can see something's bothering you, honey. You've been quiet all day. What's going on?"

Fina hesitated, unsure how to put it into words. She had never been good at opening up about her feelings, but today... today it felt like everything had reached a breaking point.

"I don't know, Mamma," Fina whispered, her voice cracking. "I just... I don't know why I feel this way. I don't know what's wrong with me."

Isabella reached out, pulling Fina into a hug. "It's okay to feel confused, sweetheart. You don't have to have all the answers right now. But you can talk to me. I'm here for you, always."

Fina held onto her mom tightly, letting the tears flow freely. "I'm scared, Mamma. I'm scared of losing him. Aiden... I don't know what's happening between us, but it feels like he's slipping away, and I don't know how to stop it."

Isabella stroked her daughter's hair gently. "Fina, sometimes people change, and sometimes relationships change too. But that doesn't mean you're losing Aiden. It means that things are shifting, and you have to decide what you want. Do you want to talk to him? Do you want to tell him how you feel?"

Fina nodded slowly, her chest tightening. "I don't know. What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if I'm just... getting in the way?"

Her mom shook her head, holding Fina close. "Sweetheart, you're not in the way. You're not a burden. And Aiden... Aiden cares about you. But you have to talk to him. Don't let fear and doubt take over. You have to be honest, even if it's hard."

Fina took a deep breath, wiping her eyes. "I'll try, Mamma. I'll try to talk to him."

The next day, Fina stood outside the school, staring at the entrance. She could see Aiden talking to his friends, but he wasn't looking at her. She felt a lump form in her throat, but this time, she didn't run. This time, she walked toward him, her footsteps slow but determined.

When Aiden saw her approaching, he stood up straight, his eyes searching hers. "Fina..."

"I need to talk to you," she said, her voice firm but quiet.

Aiden nodded, his expression softening. "Of course. Let's go somewhere private."

They walked to the courtyard, a quiet place away from the hustle of students. Fina took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart.

"Aiden," she started, her voice shaky, "I've been feeling like something's wrong between us. And I know it's because of me. I've been pushing you away, and I'm sorry for that. But it's hard, Aiden. It's hard to see you with Sophia. I... I got jealous, and I didn't know how to deal with it. And now, I feel like I've lost you."

Aiden looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise. He reached out, gently taking her hands in his. "Fina, you're not losing me. I didn't know you felt like that. I never wanted to make you feel like I was pushing you away. You're important to me, and I don't want to lose you either."

Fina looked down, tears filling her eyes. "But it hurts, Aiden. It really hurts. I don't know how to fix this."

Aiden squeezed her hands, pulling her closer. "You don't have to fix everything. We just have to talk, Fina. Be honest with each other. I care about you. I always will."

For the first time in days, Fina felt like she could breathe again. Maybe everything wouldn't be perfect, but at least they were on the same page.

And maybe, just maybe, things would work out.

Fina felt her heart thudding as Aiden's warm hands enveloped hers. His words softened the jagged edges of her emotions, but the fear of letting herself be vulnerable lingered. The cool breeze of the courtyard brushed against her cheeks, grounding her in the moment. She looked up at Aiden, his piercing green eyes filled with concern, patience, and something she dared not name aloud.

"I care about you, Fina," he said again, his voice softer this time. "I don't want anything—or anyone—to make you feel like you're not important to me."

Her breath caught in her throat as his words settled over her like a comforting blanket. Slowly, she nodded, her fingers nervously fidgeting in his grasp. "I was just scared. Seeing you and Sophia laughing, talking... I thought maybe you didn't need me anymore."

Aiden's brow furrowed, and he let out a soft, incredulous laugh. "Sophia? Fina, you've got this all wrong. She's... I don't know, just someone who's trying too hard to be friends with everyone. I don't think about her like that—at all."

Fina's cheeks flushed, embarrassment and relief washing over her in equal measures. She dropped her gaze, staring at the pavement between them. "I was being stupid, wasn't I?"

"No," Aiden said firmly, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. "You're not stupid. You feel how you feel. And I'm glad you told me because I don't ever want there to be any doubts about us."

The word us echoed in her head, stirring a warmth in her chest that she hadn't felt in weeks. She let out a shaky breath, trying to make sense of the emotions bubbling inside her.

Before she could respond, Aiden closed the small gap between them. His movements were slow and deliberate, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wanted to—but she didn't. His lips brushed against hers, soft and tentative, and her world seemed to still for just a moment.

It was a kiss that wasn't rushed, wasn't dramatic; it was simply... them. Honest, warm, and full of unspoken feelings.

Fina melted into the moment, her hands instinctively clutching the front of his hoodie. For a second, she forgot everything: the jealousy, the hurt, the fear. All that mattered was the boy standing in front of her, grounding her in a way no one else ever had.

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads touched, and Aiden let out a quiet laugh. "Well, that was long overdue."

Fina giggled softly, her cheeks blazing. "You think?"

Before Aiden could respond, a sharp, exaggerated scoff echoed from a few feet away. Fina whipped her head around, her stomach sinking as her eyes landed on Sophia. The blonde stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, a look of clear irritation on her face.

"Well," Sophia drawled, her voice dripping with faux amusement, "don't let me interrupt your little love story."

Fina's heart raced, her embarrassment quickly morphing into frustration. Aiden, however, remained calm, stepping slightly in front of Fina as if shielding her from Sophia's sharp gaze.

"Do you need something, Sophia?" Aiden asked, his tone polite but firm.

Sophia raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smug smile. "Not really. I just didn't realize you two were... like that. Guess I'll just leave you to it."

Without waiting for a response, Sophia turned on her heel and sauntered off, her long hair swishing behind her. Fina let out a shaky breath, her fingers tightening in the fabric of Aiden's hoodie.

"Great," she muttered. "Now the entire school's probably going to know."

"Let them," Aiden said simply, turning back to her. His hands found hers again, his thumbs brushing soothing circles against her skin. "I don't care what anyone thinks. All I care about is you."

Fina looked up at him, her heart swelling at the sincerity in his voice. For once, she let herself believe it. Believe that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as alone as she thought.

"You're kind of amazing, you know that?" she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Aiden grinned, leaning closer. "I've been told. But it means more coming from you."

Fina rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't waver. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt like things were going to be okay. And maybe, just maybe, they'd be better than okay.

a/n this story needed some dramaa.