Rafa's POV:
By the next morning—
Everyone knew.
Of course they did.
Nothing stayed private at ISA.
Especially not when CJ was involved.
"I didn't say anything," CJ said immediately the second I looked at him.
"You literally told Sam," Angela said.
"I trusted Sam."
Sam raised his hand. "I told one person."
"ONE??" I repeated.
"It spread," he said defensively.
I closed my eyes for a second.
Great.
Just great.
"So," Angela said, way too casually, "you and Felix almost kissed. Again."
"We didn't."
"You did."
"We didn't."
"You paused."
"I hate all of you."
"Hey."
I froze.
I didn't even have to turn around.
Felix.
"Morning," he said, like nothing happened.
Like we didn't almost—
Like CJ didn't ruin everything—
"Hi," I said, trying to sound normal.
It didn't work.
His eyes lingered on me for a second longer than necessary.
And then—
That smirk.
"Stop," I muttered.
"No."
"Felix."
"Rafa."
I turned away before he could say anything else.
Because if I didn't?
Yeah.
Not happening in the hallway.
"Wow," CJ whispered. "Tension is worse today."
"Stop narrating," I said.
And then—
"Rafa."
I turned.
Livia.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
"I heard about yesterday," she said.
Of course she did.
"Oh," I said. "Yeah."
"Yeah?" she repeated.
There was something sharp under her voice now.
"You and Felix seem… close."
I crossed my arms slightly. "We are."
"How close?"
Before I could answer—
"Close enough."
I didn't even need to look.
Felix had already stepped next to me.
Livia's eyes flickered.
Just slightly.
"I didn't ask you," she said.
"I answered anyway," Felix replied.
Silence.
"Right," Livia said, forcing a small smile. "Makes sense."
But it didn't.
Not to her.
"You said you weren't a thing," she added, looking back at me.
I hesitated.
"…we're not."
Felix glanced at me.
Just for a second.
Something shifted.
"Then what is this?" Livia asked.
I opened my mouth—
And then—
Nothing came out.
Because honestly?
I didn't know.
The hallway felt louder.
People slowing down.
Watching.
Waiting.
And then—
Felix moved.
One second, he was standing next to me.
The next—
His hand was on my wrist.
Pulling me slightly closer.
My breath caught.
"Felix—"
He didn't stop.
He looked at me—
Really looked at me—
Like he was done waiting.
Done playing.
Done with almost.
"Still want me to stop?" he murmured.
My heart was racing too fast to think.
Too fast to speak.
"…no," I whispered.
That was all it took.
He closed the distance.
And kissed me.
Everything—
Stopped.
The hallway.
The noise.
The whispers.
Gone.
For a second—
It was just him.
And then—
"WHATTTTT???"
The hallway exploded.
CJ.
Of course.
"I KNEW IT—I ACTUALLY KNEW IT—" he was practically yelling.
I pulled back, my face burning, my brain completely gone.
Felix?
Completely calm.
Of course he was.
"Well," he said lightly, glancing at me, "that answers that."
I stared at him.
"…you're insane."
He smirked.
"I know."
Around us—
Everyone was talking.
Phones out.
Whispers everywhere.
"Oh my god they actually kissed—"
"Felix and Rafa??"
"I NEED THIS ON TIKTOK—"
I covered my face for a second.
"This is so embarrassing."
"You didn't seem embarrassed a second ago," Felix said.
I looked at him. "Don't."
Across the hallway—
Livia stood there.
Frozen.
Her expression had completely changed.
No smile.
No confidence.
Just—
Shock.
And something else.
She looked at me.
Then at Felix.
And without saying a word—
She turned and walked away.
Angela grabbed my arm.
"YOU JUST KISSED HIM."
"I KNOW."
"IN FRONT OF EVERYONE."
"I KNOW."
"ARE YOU OKAY??"
"I DON'T KNOW."
CJ was still losing it in the background.
"THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT—"
"CJ, stop screaming," Sam said.
"I CAN'T—"
I looked back at Felix.
He was already looking at me.
And somehow—
Even after all that—
That stupid smirk was still there.
"…don't," I said.
"Don't what?"
"That."
"Can't help it."
I shook my head, trying not to smile.
Failing.
Because this time?
It wasn't almost.
I still couldn't think straight.
Like at all.
"You're not even listening to me," Angela said.
"I am," I replied automatically.
"You're not."
"I am."
"What did I just say?"
"…something about me kissing Felix in front of the entire school."
She stared at me.
"Okay, fair."
My brain kept replaying it.
Over and over.
The way he looked at me.The way he didn't hesitate.The way—
"Stop smiling."
"I'm not smiling," I said quickly.
"You are," Sam said.
"I'm literally not."
"You are," CJ added. "It's annoying."
"I hate all of you," I muttered.
"Good to know."
I turned.
Felix.
Of course.
"You've been following me all day," I said.
"I haven't."
"You have."
"I've just been around."
"That's the same thing."
He stepped closer.
Not as dramatic as before.
But enough.
"You okay?" he asked.
That caught me off guard.
"…what?"
"The kiss," he said. "You looked like your brain stopped working."
"Because it did," I said.
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
"I'm serious," I added.
"So am I."
I looked at him.
"…why did you do that?"
For once—
He didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Because I wanted to."
My heart did that thing again.
Louder this time.
"In front of everyone?" I asked.
He shrugged slightly. "Didn't matter."
"It matters to me."
"Does it?"
I hesitated.
"…no."
His smirk came back.
"Thought so."
I rolled my eyes, looking away—but I could feel it.
That shift.
That something between us wasn't just tension anymore.
It was real.
"By the way," CJ suddenly appeared out of nowhere again (of course), "the video is already everywhere."
I froze.
"…what video?"
He slowly turned his phone toward me.
A TikTok.
The kiss.
Filmed from across the hallway.
Perfect angle.
Clear.
Very clear.
My soul left my body.
"CJ."
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to disappear."
"No you're not," he said. "You're going viral."
Angela grabbed the phone. "Oh my god—look at the comments."
I didn't want to.
I really didn't.
I looked anyway.
"THEY FINALLY KISSED???"
"THIS IS BETTER THAN ANY SHOW"
"Felix looked at her like THAT???"
"I've been waiting for this since day one 😭"
"RAFA WON."
My face burned.
"I can't do this," I muttered.
"Yes you can," Angela said. "You were made for this."
"I was not made to kiss someone in front of a live audience."
"Too late."
I glanced at Felix.
"…you're enjoying this."
"A little," he admitted.
"A little??"
He leaned slightly closer.
"Okay, a lot."
"Unbelievable," I said, shaking my head.
But I was smiling again.
Of course I was.
The rest of the day was chaos.
People staring.
Whispering.
Smiling.
Some even clapping when I walked by.
"I hate this school," I muttered.
"You love it," Sam said.
"I tolerate it."
By the time the final bell rang, I was exhausted.
Mentally.
Emotionally.
Socially.
I just wanted to go home.
"Rafa."
I turned.
Livia.
Oh.
Right.
She stood a few steps away, arms crossed.
Not smiling.
Not pretending.
"We need to talk."
Angela immediately grabbed CJ and dragged him away. "We're leaving."
"Wait—what—" CJ protested.
"Nope."
And just like that—
It was just me and her.
Silence.
"You said you weren't a thing," she said finally.
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it was sharp.
"I—" I started, then stopped.
Because yeah.
I did say that.
"That didn't look like 'nothing,'" she continued.
I met her gaze.
"…it wasn't."
She let out a quiet, humorless laugh.
"Of course."
"I didn't lie to you," I said. "I just—didn't know what it was yet."
"And now you do?"
I hesitated.
Then—
"…yeah."
Her jaw tightened slightly.
"I liked him," she said.
Simple.
Direct.
Guilt hit me for half a second.
But only half.
"I know," I said softly.
She looked at me.
Really looked at me.
"And he likes you."
Not a question.
I didn't respond.
I didn't need to.
She exhaled slowly, shaking her head.
"Right."
Another pause.
Then—
"This isn't over."
My stomach dropped slightly.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
She gave a small smile.
Not nice.
Not friendly.
"You'll see."
And then—
She walked away.
I stood there.
Heart racing again.
Because somehow—
Even after everything—
It still felt like something bigger was coming.
And this time?
It wasn't just about me...