Complications, Secrets, and Cold Truths

The days that followed were tense. Felix had finally returned home, but he was the same as ever—cold, distant, and unreadable. Grace had been hoping that with time, he would calm down, but his presence only made the house feel heavier.

Meanwhile, things between Lisa, Baskhar, and Iris had taken an unexpected turn.

Lisa sat on the bleachers, staring at the empty basketball court. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the school grounds. She was waiting for Iris, but her mind was elsewhere—stuck on Baskhar's confession.

Just then, she heard footsteps. Turning, she saw Iris walking toward her, looking nervous.

"Lisa, I… I need to tell you something," Iris said, hesitating.

Lisa swallowed hard. "What is it?"

Iris took a deep breath. "I told Baskhar how I feel."

Lisa's heart skipped a beat. "And?"

Iris gave a small, almost sad smile. "He said… he wants to give it a try."

Lisa's stomach twisted.

"Oh," was all she could manage.

Iris sat beside her. "I know you and Baskhar are close, but… I really like him, Lisa."

Lisa forced a smile. "That's great, Iris. I'm happy for you."

But inside, she felt like something had cracked.

---

Felix's Return

It was late evening when Felix finally returned home. The sound of the front door opening made everyone freeze.

Juan looked up from where she was folding clothes. Joseph, who had been playing a game on his phone, paused. Lisa, sitting at the dining table, tensed.

Felix walked in like nothing had happened.

He dropped his jacket on the chair, ignoring the way everyone was staring at him.

Grace hesitated before standing up. "Felix, can we talk?"

Felix shot her a glare. "No."

"Please—"

"Shut up, Grace," he snapped, his voice sharp and cold.

Grace flinched.

Felix exhaled harshly and ran a hand through his hair. His anger, the frustration he had been holding in, finally spilled over.

"What do you even do, Grace?!" he shouted. "I pay the house rent, I pay for electricity, I pay for the water running in this house, I pay for the food you eat and the water you drink, the clothes you wear. I pay for Huahua and Joseph's school fees, Mom's medication, and everything else while you run around making stupid decisions!"

Grace's eyes filled with tears.

"Felix, I—"

"Don't," he cut her off. "Just don't."

Silence filled the house.

Juan finally stood up, her expression unreadable. "Felix, you should rest."

Felix scoffed, grabbed a bottle of water, and went to his room without another word.

---

A Hidden Talent

Lisa sat in her room, unable to shake the feeling of unease.

Her mind drifted to Felix. He had been gone for days, yet no one knew where he went. What had he been doing?

She got up and quietly walked to his room. The door was slightly open. Peeking inside, she saw Felix at his desk, headphones on, staring at his laptop.

The screen was filled with colorful images—characters moving smoothly, backgrounds shifting. Lisa's eyes widened.

Animation?

Felix had never shown interest in anything like this before.

She knocked lightly.

Felix didn't turn. "What?"

"What are you doing?" Lisa asked.

"None of your business."

Lisa frowned. "Is this what you were doing while you were gone?"

Felix finally looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. So?"

Lisa hesitated. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Felix scoffed. "Because no one cares."

Lisa wanted to argue, but she could see the exhaustion in his face. Instead, she just nodded.

"It looks cool," she said before leaving.

For the first time in days, Felix didn't snap.

The next day at school, Lisa spotted Baskhar and Iris together.

Iris was laughing at something he said, her eyes bright. Baskhar, usually so laid-back, actually looked… happy.

Lisa felt something heavy settle in her chest.

She turned away before they could see her.

"Iris deserves this," she told herself. "It's fine. I'm fine."

But deep down, she wasn't so sure.