The morning sun streamed through Kai’s window, painting soft streaks of gold across his walls.

  Sitting on the edge of his bed, he tugged on his hoodie, a quiet determination in his eyes.

  “Today will be different.”

  The thought settled in his chest, a small smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

  Last night, in the deep stillness of his closet — beyond his body, beyond the world — he had focused on a single scene:

  The class laughing. Not at him — at Evan.

  He didn’t picture how.

  He didn’t imagine what would cause it.

  He simply held onto that image, clear as day—Evan, red-faced, the class around him laughing, and Kai sitting quietly, untouched.

  The feeling had been strong.

  A desire for balance.

  A need to push back without raising a finger.

  “Every cause has an effect.”

  Now, Kai stood, grabbing his bag, ready to see what kind of ripple he had set loose.

  The school hallways were their usual chaos — students moving in every direction, voices rising over lockers slamming shut.

  But as Kai stepped into class, there was a strange stillness in him.

  He didn’t feel like shrinking into his chair.

  He didn’t keep his head down.

  He took his seat calmly, setting his bag beside him.

  Across the room, Evan was already grinning like always, leaned back in his chair, surrounded by his usual crew.

  Kai watched him for a moment — but instead of dread, he felt a quiet anticipation.

  “Let’s see what happens.”

  The bell rang, and Mr. Andrews, their teacher, walked in, juggling a stack of papers and a steaming coffee cup.

  Evan, of course, was already whispering to his friends, throwing glances at Kai.

  “Hey, Kai,” Evan said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You get lost in that hoodie or what? You sure it’s not your mom’s?”

  A few of his friends chuckled — but less than usual.

  Kai didn’t react.

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  Instead, he leaned back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips.

  As Mr. Andrews started writing on the board, Evan leaned back in his chair again, propping it dangerously on two legs as he always did.

  But this time—

  CRACK!

  The chair’s back leg snapped clean off, and Evan went sprawling backward, arms flailing wildly.

  The entire class turned as he hit the floor with a loud thud.

  For a heartbeat, silence.

  Then—

  Laughter. Loud and real.

  Brandon let out a loud snort.

  Naomi was trying — and failing — to hide her grin.

  Even Sam covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

  “Smooth, Evan!” someone in the back called out.

  “Guess you finally tipped over from all that hot air!” another voice added.

  Kai sat perfectly still, watching as Evan scrambled to his feet, red-faced, trying to laugh it off like it was nothing.

  But the ripple was already in motion — the class was still chuckling, and for once, it wasn’t Kai who was the target.

  “I didn’t even have to imagine how it would happen.”

  “Just the feeling. The result.”

  Kai smiled to himself, leaning back in his chair, feeling lighter than he had in weeks.

  “Cause and effect.”

  “I set the cause. And the effect found its way here on its own.”

  As Mr. Andrews tried to bring the class back to focus, Kai sat quietly, his mind calm, but alert.

  “It doesn’t have to be about controlling every detail.”

  “Sometimes, I just have to trust the ripple.”

  And for the first time, Kai let himself relax into that truth.

  After class, as the last bell echoed down the halls, Kai didn’t head home right away.

  Instead, he found himself walking toward the theater room — his favorite escape from everything else.

  Inside, the usual group was already gathered.

  Brandon was sprawled on the couch, arguing with Naomi over music.

  Leo was throwing a crumpled piece of paper at Sam, who dodged and shot him a glare.

  Lila was leaning against the stage, scrolling on her phone, looking calm but sharp as always.

  “Look who finally shows up!” Brandon called with a grin when Kai stepped in.

  “Hey,” Kai said, giving a small nod — but this time, he didn’t feel out of place.

  “We thought you bailed on us,” Sam teased, crossing her arms playfully.

  “Nah,” Kai said, smirking slightly. “Just had a… good class.”

  “Good class?” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Since when is class ever good?”

  Kai just shrugged, and Brandon grinned.

  “Guess our boy’s full of surprises.”

  Kai couldn’t help but smile.

  “Maybe I am.”

  Mr. Alder clapped his hands as he walked in, calling everyone to attention.

  “Alright, folks! Grab your spots. Today we start assigning scenes!”

  Everyone perked up at that.

  “Finally,” Naomi muttered.

  “I’ll be sending you each a role today, so listen up. You’ll be working in pairs. And yes—” he smirked, glancing around, “—some of you are doing the romantic scenes. Deal with it.”

  Kai blinked, suddenly feeling less relaxed.

  “Please not me. Please not me.”

  But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

  “Kai, Lila — you’re up. Scene nine. Romantic.”

  Kai’s head snapped up.

  “Wait, what?” he blurted before he could stop himself.

  The others snickered.

  “Ooooh,” Brandon grinned. “Kai, got yourself a love story.”

  Lila just smirked, totally unfazed.

  “Don’t get nervous on me, Romeo.”

  Kai rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Great.”

  Sitting side by side, Lila flipped open her script casually, handing Kai his copy.

  “Come on, we’re not gonna bite. Just read it.”

  Kai glanced down at the page. His heart pounded as he read the lines:

  “You don’t see it, do you? I’ve been right here, all along… waiting for you to notice me.”

  He cleared his throat and mumbled the line.

  Lila blinked at him.

  “Okay… well, say it like you mean it, maybe?”

  Kai sighed.

  “I can’t do this.”

  But then — a thought hit him.

  “Wait. What if I try… what I’ve been practicing?”

  Kai took a deep breath, closing his eyes for just a second.

  “Alright. Feel the emotion. Like Brandon said — don’t think about the memory, just the feeling.”

  He searched inside for that raw, open feeling—the one he felt when he wanted to be seen, to be understood.

  Not about time-travel, not about powers — just the simple human feeling of wanting someone to notice you.

  His chest ached a little, but he held onto that feeling.

  When he opened his eyes, his gaze met Lila’s, and for a moment, the room felt quiet.

  “You don’t see it, do you?” Kai said again — this time, his voice steady, soft, but filled with something real.

  “I’ve been right here, all along… waiting for you to notice me.”

  The room was silent.

  Even Brandon, who had been whispering to Naomi, stopped.

  Lila raised her eyebrows slightly — a rare crack in her usual cool expression.

  “Okay,” she said, smiling just a little. “That was actually… good.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Whoa,” Brandon said loudly. “Where did that come from, man?”

  Naomi was staring, blinking as if seeing Kai for the first time.

  “Okay, I’ll admit it. That was kind of amazing.”

  Kai felt his cheeks warm slightly.

  “Did I just do that?”

  As they went over the scene a few more times, Kai found it easier to connect—easier to say the lines and actually mean them.

  And as the class went on, a small part of him felt proud.

  When class ended and they packed up, Lila glanced at him as they walked out together.

  “Guess you’ve got some hidden talents, huh?”

  “Guess so,” Kai said, smiling softly.

  Lila gave him a sideways glance, an amused glint in her eyes.

  “Just don’t let it go to your head, Romeo.”

  Kai chuckled, feeling lighter than he had in days.

  “Maybe life isn’t so bad after all.”

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