Travelling through worlds to heal hearts

The school hallways were alive with the usual afternoon buzz—students gathered in groups, chatting, laughing, and making their way to the next classes. Joey walked beside Rael, but there was a heaviness in the air that made everything feel a bit too quiet, a bit too still. It had started during lunch when Rael's expression had shifted the moment he spotted someone. Joey followed his gaze and found the cause of Rael's sudden change.

Rishi.

The original male lead, and by all accounts, Rael's past—though not in the way most people assumed. Rael and Rishi had once shared a closeness, an unspoken bond, something Joey couldn't fully grasp, not yet anyway. But whatever had transpired between them had left a scar, one that had never truly healed.

As they walked toward the courtyard, Joey couldn't help but notice how tense Rael had become. The usual easygoing demeanor that Rael wore like a second skin had been replaced with something darker, more guarded. Joey had seen Rael angry before, but this? This felt different. It was like a storm brewing beneath a calm surface.

Joey glanced over to where Rishi stood, talking to Maya, the heroine of the original plot. Maya's laughter floated across the courtyard, light and carefree, while Rishi's gaze lingered on her with a softness that seemed almost foreign to Joey. But it was Rael who truly caught his attention. The way Rael's eyes darted between Rishi and the ground, the way his shoulders tensed at Rishi's closeness—it was as if the very air between them had become electric.

"I think we need to talk," Joey whispered under his breath.

Rael didn't seem to hear him, lost in his thoughts as they passed the group. It wasn't until they reached the far end of the courtyard that Joey nudged him with his shoulder, trying to ease the tension that felt almost suffocating between them.

"Hey, you okay?" Joey asked lightly, his voice teasing yet tinged with concern. He had spent enough time with Rael to sense when something was off, even if Rael wasn't saying a word.

Rael blinked and met his gaze, his expression softening for a brief moment. "Yeah. Just… I'm fine."

But Joey wasn't buying it. Rael's voice was tight, as if he was forcing the words out. There was something deeper, something Joey felt he wasn't being told. It nagged at him. Joey had never been one to let things slide, especially not with someone like Rael.

"Don't lie to me," Joey teased, nudging Rael's shoulder playfully. "You were glaring at Rishi from across the courtyard. What's up?"

Rael's cheeks flushed, and for a fleeting moment, his eyes darted away, avoiding Joey's gaze. It was a small slip, but Joey noticed. Rael was hiding something—something significant.

"I wasn't glaring," Rael muttered defensively. "I was just… thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Joey asked, keeping his tone casual while pressing a little further.

Rael sighed heavily and leaned back against the stone wall, rubbing the back of his neck. "Rishi. He's… complicated."

Joey raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Complicated? How so?"

Rael hesitated, his lips pressed into a thin line. He clearly didn't want to delve into it, but Joey could sense the frustration simmering beneath the surface. After a moment, Rael exhaled sharply, his words tumbling out in a rush.

"He doesn't like me," Rael finally admitted, almost bitterly. "I know it. I've always known."

Joey blinked, taken aback. "Wait, you mean… Rishi? That Rishi?" He gestured back toward the courtyard where Rishi stood with Maya, oblivious to their conversation. "You think he doesn't like you?"

Rael let out a dark laugh, devoid of humor. "Of course not. I used to think he did. But now I know. He never did." His voice cracked slightly, revealing the hurt he had been concealing for so long.

Joey felt a pang of sympathy. He had never seen Rael so exposed, so vulnerable. This was a side of him that Joey wasn't accustomed to—this was the true Rael, not the facade he wore for the world. It was painful to witness.

"Rael…" Joey began, his voice gentle. "What happened between you two? You were close once, right?"

Rael's eyes dropped to the ground, and Joey could see the hurt there. He hesitated, clearly torn about whether to share, but Joey held back. He understood that Rael would speak when he was ready.

"He…" Rael's voice trailed off as he bit his lip. "He was everything I needed when I was younger. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could mean more to him. But…" His voice wavered, and Joey sensed this was the part Rael had been dreading. "He never felt the same. He never did."

Joey was at a loss for words. It felt wrong to offer Rael empty reassurances. Yet, he couldn't let Rael face this sadness alone.

"Rael," Joey said softly, moving closer, "it's okay. You don't have to act like everything's fine all the time."

Rael shook his head, a faint smile flickering on his lips. "It's not that simple, Joey. You just don't understand."

Before Joey could reply, a voice called out from behind them. "Hey, are you two discussing something important?"

Maya's cheerful tone contrasted with the observant look in her eyes as she approached. Her gaze lingered on Rael for a moment too long, and Joey felt a twinge of unease. Did Maya know? Had she picked up on the same things he had?

Rael quickly donned his usual mask, smiling in that way he did when he wanted to hide his pain. "No, nothing important," he replied easily, though his eyes remained distant.

Joey narrowed his gaze but chose not to press. Maya stood there now, clearly sensing the tension among the three of them.

"You know, Rael," Maya said, her tone light yet tinged with seriousness, "sometimes it's alright to let things go. You don't have to keep everything bottled up inside."

Rael didn't reply immediately, but Joey could tell that her words had struck a deeper chord than they realized. Rael simply nodded, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth, but Joey noticed the vulnerability beneath his facade.

As Joey observed the interaction, his thoughts raced. There was more to this than met the eye, more than just past wounds. Rael was clinging to something—something unresolved with Rishi—and it was evident that the old pain still gnawed at him.

While Maya and Rael continued their discussion, Joey stepped back, watching them intently. He sensed the tension in the air, the unspoken feelings lingering between them like a storm on the horizon. For some reason, Joey couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Rael's emotions for Rishi—his lingering jealousy and hurt—were merely the surface of a much larger issue. And Joey? He would need to tread carefully through this unspoken rivalry if he wanted to help Rael find healing.

But he wasn't sure he was prepared for what that might entail.