Chapter 9

Sera Calix 🌟

The stars were brighter than I expected.

When Kael said, “Let’s go out,” I didn’t think he meant actually out like past the gates, into the city, off school property. But here we were, walking side by side down a quiet, lamplit street that felt like a dream come true .

We didn’t speak much,that was his thing...silence and I was used to it.

But weirdly, with him, it didn’t feel uncomfortable,it was like he said a lot just by being there.

People passed us in little crowds,couples , friends. Laughter echoed from the cafés that were still open with soft music playing.

I shoved my hands in my hoodie pocket, glancing at Kael. His hands were in his coat and his shoulders were squared. He was calm, cold expression on his face as usual, but his eyes kept shifting, taking everything in.

I turned back when I saw a small ice cream truck parked by the curb. There was a line of kids in front of it, all bouncing on their heels waiting for their turns. Neon stickers on the sides of the truck. The whole thing was so normal, it punched me right in the chest.

My dad used to buy me ice cream after every doctor visit.

My feet slowed without realizing. I took a few steps closer to it ,the scent of vanilla and strawberry a hit me hard.

I dug into my pockets, trying to find any money I could find but it was empty.

I checked the front pockets,the back, even the inner fold where I sometimes crammed coins... nothing.

I stood there a second, then let out a loud sigh and turned back to Kael, trying to act casual. “Never mind,let’s keep walking.”

He didn’t ask, didn't comment either. He just started walking again, so I followed him with my head hung low feeling sad that I didn't get to buy ice cream.

We walked about another block when Kael suddenly stopped.

“Wait here.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Just stay here. I’ll be back.”

“Where are you...?”

But he was already walking off, his long coat fluttering behind him.

I stood awkwardly at the corner, watching him disappear around the corner. People passed by me. A group of girls laughed across the street, and I missed being myself once again.

Maybe he had to meet someone?

Maybe he ditched me?

No...Kael wasn’t like that.

I waited for like five minutes.. Just as I was starting to overthink everything and consider walking back to school, I saw him.

Kael, was striding down the street again, his hair was a little messier now from the wind,his expression was still unreadable.

But he was holding something... two ice cream cones,one vanilla and one strawberry.

He stopped in front of me and held both out and I just stared at them for a moment then at him,then back at the ice cream like it was some sort of illusion.

“You…” I blinked. “You bought me ice cream?”

He didn’t answer, just shoved both cones toward me again, silently demanding I take them.

My fingers closed around the waffle cones, and slightly sticky from melting edges.

“You… got two?” I said dumbly.

Kael looked away, his eyes fixed on a random spot across the road. “Didn’t know which one you’d want.”

Something warm spread in my chest.

I stood there like a fool, holding both ice creams, not even sure which one to eat first. My throat felt tight. I wasn’t going to cry. Obviously not. But…

“Thanks,” I said finally, my voice coming out a little smaller than I intended.

Kael didn’t reply, he just kept his hands in his coat pockets and looked off like this was no big deal, like he didn’t just break through his entire stone wall personality to do something genuinely kind.

For once, Kael has done something nice, something considerate to me.

I handed one back to him. “You should eat too.”

He hesitated, then slowly, he took the vanilla from my hand, his fingers brushing mine for half a second.

Was that a spark or was I just losing it? Maybe I was just going mad, maybe it because of what he did to me.

We sat on the low wall near the sidewalk, quietly eating ice cream. The world felt oddly still, like we were inside a bubble of time no one else could see.

“How much did this cost?” I asked quietly.

“ It doesn’t matter.”

“But I didn’t...”

“I said it doesn’t matter.”

“Okay, jeez. You don’t have to act like you didn’t just do something nice.”

He licked the side of his cone. “I didn’t.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You walked three blocks back to get me ice cream.”

“You looked like you were going to cry.”

My face heated. “I was not!”

Kael smirked a little.

It was rare, almost never happened. It was once in a while like an eclipse.

“Well, thanks,” I muttered again, this time biting into the strawberry scoop before I could say anything dumber.

“Do you miss it?” he asked suddenly.

I looked up. “Miss what?”

“Whoever she was.” He glanced at me. “The girl in your drawing.”

The ice cream suddenly felt too sweet.

Oh God! Did he somehow found out? Did he know I'm a girl?

I stared down at the cone,my heart thumping loudly in my chest that I was sure he was going to hear it. “Yeah. I guess I do.”

“Was she family?”

I hesitated. “Sort of.”

Kael nodded slowly, not pressing. “You don’t talk much about your past.”

“Neither do you.”

He gave a one shoulder shrug. “Touché.”

A gust of wind swept past and i shivered slightly which Kael noticed. Wordlessly, he shrugged off his coat and handed it to me.

“I’m not cold,” I lied.

“You’re always cold.”

I didn’t argue on that, because partly he was right.

The coat was big on me. It smelled like pine and something expensive probably his shampoo or cologne. I wrapped it tighter around myself, hiding the dumb smile threatening to form on my lips.

We sat there until both cones were gone. and for once, I wasn’t thinking about hiding.

I wasn’t thinking about what would happen if they found out.

I wasn’t thinking about tomorrow’s drills or pretending to be someone else.

Just Kael.

And how, without saying much, he had just made me feel more seen than anyone else ever had.

Kael sighed then muttered “You’re not like the others,” he says his voice turning low.

“You’re much better"