Aching regret.

In the classroom, the princess took her seat beside Kael, still a little flustered from the incident outside. Her mind flashed to the crushed apples that had been scattered across the ground earlier, and she frowned.

"I'm sorry about the apples," she said, her voice gentle but sincere. "If you'd like, I can order more for you. I know where to get the best ones."

Kael, still feeling a bit awkward, shook his head and gave her a small smile. "It's fine. The apples were meant to be a gift, not for me."

The princess blinked in confusion, her brow furrowing slightly. "A gift?" she asked, surprised. "But... they're your apples, right? I can still get you more if you want them. It could still be a gift."

Kael chuckled softly, shaking his head at her misunderstanding. He hadn't meant to make things complicated, but he couldn't help but smile at the fact that she'd actually cared enough to offer.

He looked at her, trying to hide the hint of amusement in his eyes. "It'll mean nothing, though," he said, almost under his breath.

The princess's expression faltered for a moment. Kael didn't realize how his words might be taken. She quickly turned away, her face hardening slightly. Though she didn't show it, Kael could sense a shift in her mood. She seemed upset, but she masked it very well, not letting kael see the depth of her feelings.

Kael immediately regretted his choice of words. He hadn't meant to make her feel unwelcome or unimportant. His intention had been to brush off the situation, to avoid making a bigger deal out of it.

But now he was unsure if he had upset her.

The princess, now silent, focused on the lesson in front of them, but Kael couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them, and that bothered him.

As break time came to an end, Kael sat in silence, staring at his untouched food. The atmosphere in the room felt heavy, and the usual sense of isolation crept back into his chest. He watched the princess as she moved to join Lira and Edrick, her back turned to him, her posture rigid and distant. Kael didn't make an effort to follow, his mind racing with thoughts of what he could have said, how he could have avoided the awkwardness. But his feet remained glued to the floor, as if fear had rooted on it's place.

Alone once more, Kael absentmindedly picked at his food, hardly tasting it, his thoughts consumed by his conversation with the princess.

He felt a deep ache, a gnawing loneliness that had surrounded him as snarled bodies of snakes. He had tried so hard to change, to be someone who could have friends, but somehow it always felt like he was the one pushing people away.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the break. Kael absentmindedly walked back to class, finding his desk and slumping into it. His eyelids grew heavy, and he let himself drift into an uncomfortable sleep, trying to forget the weight of his failure.

When the bell rang again, signaling the end of the day, Kael groggily awoke. He rubbed his eyes, scanning the classroom and immediately noticing the absence of the princess beside him. His heart sank as he realized she had already left. And he had missed the chance to make things right.

Without thinking, Kael grabbed his bag and rushed out of the classroom. He hurried through the hallways, pushing past other students, determined to catch her. His steps quickened as he neared the entrance to the school, only to see her carriage moving slowly down the path, already far away.

He stood there, frozen, as the carriage disappeared into the distance. The guilt washed over him like a tidal wave. He blamed himself for not speaking up, for not explaining himself to her, for letting her walk away thinking that he had meant to hurt her. The realization hit him hard like a punch to the gut. He had let the moment slip, and now he would have to wait until tomorrow.

Kael stood there for a long moment, feeling the weight of his regret settling heavily in his chest. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, he hadn't wanted to be misunderstood. But now, he wasn't sure what to do. All he could do was to wait for another chance, hope for another opportunity to make things right.

"Tomorrow," Kael whispered to himself, his voice quiet and shaky. 

The day passed as it started, the usual gloomy around Kael which never left him. As periods end, it was time for everyone to go home.

As Kael walked back into their small home, his shoulders slumped under the weight of his thoughts. His mother, always attentive, immediately noticed the change in his demeanor. The usual lightness in his step was gone, replaced by the heavy shuffle of someone carrying a burden they couldn't shake off.

Amara, noticing the sadness on his face, asked softly, "What is it, Kael? What's bothering you this time?"

Kael gave a half-hearted shrug, trying to hide his turmoil. "Nothing, Mom. Don't worry. I'm fine." His words felt hollow, even to himself. He didn't want to burden her with his insecurities, but deep down, he knew he was far from fine.

He turned away from her, trying to keep his emotions in check. Without another word, he made his way to his room, shutting the door behind him. The familiar quiet of his room felt suffocating now, as if it mirrored the chaos in his mind. He sank onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

His thoughts swirled around the events of the day—the princess, the pain of watching her walk away. Her back turned to him. 

He should've said something, he thought. He should've explained that it wasn't what she thought. But now it was too late. She had already gone, and he was left with the ache of regret.

Kael pulled the blanket over his head, hoping that sleep would offer an escape. But all he could hear was the distant sound of her laughter and the brief glance they shared in the hallway. It haunted him.

His thoughts circled back to the boys at school, to the rumors they had spread about him, to the isolation he felt because of them. And then there was the princess, someone who had actually shown him kindness, only for him to mess it up.

"I'll try again tomorrow," he whispered to himself. "Tomorrow" , though the words felt weak, even to his own ears. Tomorrow seemed to be far away from his thoughts.