Pressure from All Sides

By the middle of the week, the buzz around Mike and Emi had only grown louder. Everywhere they went, people were whispering. At first, it had been subtle—a few glances in the hallway, knowing smiles from classmates—but now, it felt like everyone had an opinion about their relationship.

Mike tried to ignore it, to brush off the teasing and the gossip, but it was harder than he thought. He wasn't used to people watching him so closely, waiting for him and Emi to declare themselves a couple. Normally, Mike would laugh off rumors, but this was different. This involved Emi.

The two of them had agreed to take things slow, to let their feelings unfold naturally, but the outside pressure was getting to him. And he couldn't help but wonder if it was affecting Emi, too.

As they walked to school that Wednesday morning, Mike could sense that Emi wasn't as relaxed as usual. She wasn't her usual talkative self, and her responses felt more like forced small talk than the playful banter they usually shared.

"You okay?" Mike finally asked, glancing over at her.

Emi smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, just tired. It's been a long week."

Mike frowned, sensing that there was more going on. "Are you sure? You've seemed... different lately."

Emi hesitated for a moment before sighing. "I don't know, Mike. It's just... everything feels so intense right now. I thought we could just be ourselves, take it slow, but everyone keeps pushing us. It's like they're all waiting for something, and I'm starting to feel like we're performing for them."

Mike's chest tightened. He had felt the same way. The pressure from their classmates was suffocating, and it was making something that should have been exciting and new feel heavy and complicated.

"I get it," Mike said softly. "I hate how everyone keeps watching us, like they're waiting for us to make some big announcement."

Emi nodded, her eyes clouded with frustration. "It's exhausting. I don't want to rush into something just because other people expect it. But at the same time... I don't want to disappoint them either. Does that make sense?"

Mike frowned, his heart sinking at her words. He didn't want Emi to feel like she had to live up to anyone's expectations. He wanted her to be happy, to feel comfortable with whatever they were becoming, without the weight of what everyone else thought.

"It makes sense," Mike said, his voice gentle. "But we don't have to worry about them. This is about us, right? What we want. Not what they think."

Emi gave him a small smile, but there was still uncertainty in her eyes. "I know. I'm just... I don't know. It feels like everything's happening so fast."

Mike swallowed hard. He had been excited about where their relationship was heading, but now, seeing Emi's doubt, he wondered if maybe they had moved too quickly. Maybe he had pushed her too far, too fast, without even realizing it.

"Do you think we're moving too fast?" Mike asked, his voice quiet.

Emi looked at him, her expression conflicted. "I don't know. I like being with you, Mike. I like us. But... everything feels so complicated now. I don't want to mess this up."

Mike's heart sank. He didn't want to mess things up either. But how were they supposed to figure out what they wanted when it felt like the whole school was watching their every move?

At school, the whispers felt louder than ever. As Mike and Emi walked through the halls, it seemed like everyone was watching them. Even Ryan, who had been mostly supportive, couldn't help but throw in his two cents.

"Dude," Ryan said, sliding into the seat next to Mike during class, "are you and Emi, like, official yet or what? People are talking."

Mike sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We're figuring things out. We're taking it slow."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Slow? Man, people think you two are already dating. I mean, you guys are basically attached at the hip."

Mike clenched his jaw, frustration building inside him. "Yeah, well, it's not that simple."

Ryan shrugged. "Whatever, dude. I'm just saying, people are waiting for you guys to make it official. You don't want to leave her hanging, do you?"

Mike shot him a look, irritation bubbling in his chest. "I'm not leaving her hanging. We're doing things our way."

Ryan held up his hands in defense. "Hey, I'm just looking out for you. But if you don't make a move soon, people are going to start asking questions."

Mike didn't respond. He was too angry, too frustrated with the constant pressure from everyone around them. He wanted to talk to Emi, to figure things out together, but every time he thought about bringing it up, he felt like he was just adding to the weight of everything she was already feeling.

Lunchtime wasn't much better. Mike and Emi sat at their usual spot in the cafeteria, but the air between them felt heavier than usual. Emi was picking at her food, clearly distracted, and Mike couldn't stop thinking about what Ryan had said. People were expecting them to define their relationship, and as much as he hated it, a part of him wondered if maybe they should.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mike couldn't take the silence any longer. "Emi, do you think we should just... make it official?"

Emi looked up at him, her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Mike shifted in his seat, feeling nervous. "I mean, maybe we should just say we're dating. It might make things easier, you know? People would stop asking questions, and we wouldn't have to worry about the rumors anymore."

Emi hesitated, her eyes clouding with uncertainty. "But... would that really solve anything? I don't want to say we're dating just because people expect it. I want it to be because we both feel ready."

Mike's heart sank. She was right. Saying they were dating just to make things easier wasn't the answer. He wanted their relationship to grow naturally, without the pressure from everyone else. But at the same time, he hated the uncertainty—hated not knowing where they stood.

"I don't want to rush you," Mike said softly. "I just... I guess I'm tired of all the questions."

Emi nodded, her expression softening. "I know. I'm tired of it too. But I don't want us to make decisions based on what other people think. We have to do what feels right for us."

Mike smiled, relief flooding through him. "Yeah. You're right."

They sat in silence for a moment, both of them processing the conversation. The pressure from their classmates was still there, but Mike felt a sense of calm knowing that he and Emi were on the same page. They didn't have to define their relationship right away. They could take their time, figure things out together.

But even as the tension eased between them, Mike couldn't shake the feeling that the pressure wasn't going away. Their classmates weren't going to stop watching, and as much as he wanted to ignore it, the rumors were only going to get worse the longer they stayed in this undefined space.

After school, Mike and Emi walked home together, as usual, but the weight of the day still lingered. They had talked about taking things slow, but Mike could tell that the pressure from their classmates was affecting Emi more than she let on.

When they reached Emi's house, Mike stopped at the gate, turning to face her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Emi smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Mike. Really. I'm just... tired of all the expectations."

Mike nodded, his chest tightening. "Me too."

For a moment, they stood there in silence, the cool evening breeze brushing past them. Mike could see the exhaustion in Emi's eyes, the weight of everything they had been dealing with over the past few weeks.

"Let's just forget about everyone else," Mike said softly. "It's just us, okay? We don't have to figure everything out right now."

Emi smiled, this time more genuinely, and she reached out to take his hand. "I like that idea."

For a moment, they stood there, holding hands, the pressure from the outside world fading into the background. It was just the two of them, in this quiet moment, figuring things out together.

And for now, that was enough.