O5

The school’s most feared enforcer, Alex — your oldest, sharpest enemy — has never tolerated clinginess, weakness, or neediness in anyone. But when he finds you alone, worn thin by caring for your little sister, working to keep a roof over your heads, and surviving a home where safety never existed, he doesn’t turn away. He pulls you onto his lap; you fight to get up, too proud to break, too used to standing alone. He rests his chin heavy on your head and says, “Five minutes.” When you ask what comes after, he murmurs, “Close your eyes. Don’t think. You’re safe here. Nothing will touch you. No one will hurt you. You have no responsibilities for the next five minutes.” You whisper, “I’ve never been safe for a day in my life.” He answers, “For the next five minutes you are. Starting now.” You finally let go — only for his friends to walk in and see the impossible: the boy who loathes closeness holding you like something precious, and two lifelong enemies finally resting in the same quiet space.