Friends or future girlfriends

Joan couldn't stop thinking about Henry. Ever since the incident, guilt had wrapped around his mind, haunting his every thought and distracting him from school. He knew he'd been out of line, acting impulsively toward Henry, and he didn't want to lose one of his closest friends over a misunderstanding. He resolved to fix things, to apologize honestly.

That morning, before the first bell rang, Joan saw Henry sitting alone on a bench by the field. Henry seemed calm, reading a book and occasionally brushing back his slightly messy hair. Joan took a deep breath and walked toward him, feeling his heart pounding with nerves but knowing it was time to make things right.

"Henry…" Joan began, his voice soft and somewhat shaky. Henry looked up, studying him before giving a slight smile.

"Hey, Joan," Henry greeted him. His tone was calm but held a bit of distance.

Joan sat next to him, taking a deep breath. "I… I wanted to apologize. About the other day. I know I acted harshly, and I lost control and didn't listen to you." Joan looked down, embarrassed by the memory.

Henry closed his book and sighed. "I understand, Joan. I know you were frustrated, but you need to be more patient if you want to approach someone like Karen." He met Joan's eyes, his gaze both gentle and serious. "Karen is a sensitive person. She's not someone who opens up easily. If you want to get close to her, you have to be careful not to pressure her."

Joan nodded earnestly. "I get that now. Thank you for still being willing to talk to me. I really am sorry, Henry."

Henry smiled a little and patted Joan's shoulder. "Let's just put it behind us. Besides, as your friend, it's my job to look out for you. But there's one more thing I want to say: if you really want to get to know Karen, we'll need to take it slow and let things unfold naturally. You need to give her space to feel comfortable without feeling rushed."

Joan felt a weight lift off his shoulders after hearing Henry's advice. They chatted briefly about Joan's plan to approach Karen more carefully until the bell rang for the first class. While things weren't completely back to normal, Joan felt that his friendship with Henry was slowly returning to how it used to be.

A few days later, Joan heard an announcement from the language teacher that made him smile. The school had assigned a new group project involving the entire class, and Joan found out that Karen was in his group. Along with them were Jessica and, of course, Henry. The project would last for several weeks, with the task of creating a short documentary film.

The theme of the project was engaging—"Life Behind School." They were asked to explore the lives of students and staff at the school and showcase unique sides that were rarely seen. Joan felt this was a perfect opportunity to get to know Karen better. After all, working on this project would require close collaboration, giving Joan a chance to slowly build a connection.

During their first group meeting, Joan felt a mix of nerves and excitement. Karen sat in the corner, slightly awkward but listening intently to the ideas being discussed. Henry took on a temporary leadership role, guiding the conversation in a gentle manner.

"I think we could start with some basic ideas," Henry suggested, glancing at everyone. "Maybe we could feature a few teachers with interesting stories? Or we could follow some students' daily routines at school."

Jessica agreed, adding, "I could handle the interviews. I love talking to people, and it might be fun to capture their expressions."

Joan glanced at Karen, hoping she would join the conversation. But Karen only nodded quietly, not offering any additional thoughts. Noticing Karen's hesitation, Joan gathered the courage to ask, "Karen, do you have any ideas? Maybe there's something you think would be interesting?"

Karen looked up briefly, appearing hesitant before answering. "I… I could help with editing. I feel comfortable working behind the scenes," she said softly, but with sincerity.

Joan smiled. "That's a great idea. I bet you'll make it look amazing."

Henry nodded in agreement. "Alright then, Karen's in editing, Jessica's handling the interviews, and I'll help with filming."

Not wanting to miss his chance, Joan added, "In that case, I can work on the script or put together the ideas."

With their roles assigned, they began to map out the early stages of their documentary. Over the next few days, they would start interviewing students and teachers and capturing the school's atmosphere from different angles. Joan felt thrilled that the project would give him more time with Karen.

The first day of filming began. Joan felt excited because he would be working alongside Karen directly. While they filmed scenes around the school, Joan frequently observed Karen, curious to understand how she thought, especially as she sat with her laptop, deeply focused on editing the clips they had filmed.

During the lunch break, Joan approached Karen, who was adjusting some footage on her screen. He sat beside her, careful not to disturb her.

"You're really good at this," Joan said, hoping to start a conversation without coming on too strong.

Karen smiled a little without taking her eyes off the screen. "Thanks, Joan. I prefer working behind the scenes; it feels more comfortable."

Joan nodded, happy to see her looking more relaxed. "I always thought editing is one of the most interesting parts. It's amazing how small details can make a film feel so alive."

They talked briefly about the editing process and how to organize the storyline in a documentary. Though their conversation was short, Joan felt a little closer to Karen. He began to realize how deeply Karen cared about this work, and it made him admire her even more.

However, the awkward moments remained. Every time they seemed to grow a bit too familiar, Karen would subtly show signs of keeping her distance. Even so, Joan began accepting that Karen simply needed time to feel comfortable.

On the third day of filming, their group got permission to film in the quiet garden behind the school. The calm, shaded atmosphere seemed to put everyone at ease. As they recorded some shots of students in the garden, Joan noticed Karen sitting on a bench, quietly observing their surroundings with a peaceful expression.

Joan sat down beside her. "It's really quiet here, isn't it?" he asked softly.

Karen looked over and nodded. "Yeah, I often come here during breaks. It just feels… comfortable."

Joan smiled, feeling like this was a good moment to get to know Karen a bit more. "If you don't mind me asking, why do you like being by yourself? I mean, you're rarely around other people."

Karen hesitated, as if debating whether or not to answer. "I… I just feel more comfortable alone. I'm not great at socializing, and sometimes, I worry that if I get too close to people, I might hurt them or end up feeling overwhelmed."

Her answer struck a chord with Joan. He hadn't expected that beneath her quiet demeanor, Karen carried fears and doubts of her own. He nodded, trying not to push her too far.

"Sometimes I feel like that too," Joan replied softly. "But I've learned that friends can help us work through those fears. They can support us even if we feel we're not enough."

Karen looked at Joan with a gentle expression. Though she didn't respond, Joan sensed he had touched on something meaningful.

They continued working with a newfound calm between them. The awkward moments that had once interrupted their interactions now felt warmer, less unsettling. Joan knew it would take time to truly understand Karen, but he felt that this small step was a good beginning.

In the weeks that followed, they continued working together to complete the documentary. Joan gradually began to understand Karen's unique qualities and respected her need for personal space. Meanwhile, Karen seemed to grow more comfortable around Joan, slowly developing a quiet trust.

Joan realized that his closeness to Karen was no longer just curiosity, but a genuine desire to protect and support her. By the end of the project, he felt proud of having discovered that friendship didn't always need to be forced. In fact, the connections built with patience and understanding often proved to be the most meaningful.