Kalin walked along his usual path until he reached school.
He entered the classroom quietly, took his seat, and listened to the teacher's explanation.
Something caught his attention.
A few students at the front were whispering, glancing back at him from time to time, then laughing in a way that felt off.
Kalin didn't want to know what they were saying…
and yet, he had the unsettling feeling they were planning something.
He stayed calm.
Mira remained by his side.
Hours passed slowly until the final bell rang.
They left school together and walked down the street.
Before they could get far…
a group stepped in front of them.
The same students from class.
As if his suspicion had been right.
One of them spoke with a smug tone.
"Hey. Where do you think you're going? Tell us."
Kalin looked at him coolly.
"Where else? Home."
He tried to walk past, but they blocked the way again.
He exhaled slowly.
"What do you want from us? Don't waste my time."
A boy who seemed to be their leader stepped forward, smirking.
"I'm the one in charge here. I should know where everyone goes… where they come back… and what they're doing."
Kalin said nothing.
Mira stayed silent too.
One of the others laughed.
"Looks like they're dating and don't want anyone to know."
The leader raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Is that true?"
They all burst into mocking laughter.
Mira lifted her chin, her voice sharp.
"That's none of your business. Whatever is between us is private. It has nothing to do with you."
A brief silence followed…
but the tension in the air only grew.
A heavy silence settled after Mira's words, as if the air itself had paused for a moment.
The mocking smiles remained on their faces, but they had grown sharper.
The leader stepped closer, trying to provoke them.
"Your privacy? In this school, there's no such thing as privacy."
Kalin looked at him steadily without raising his voice.
Yet his gaze alone was enough to make some of them step back half a pace without realizing it.
He wasn't angry… he was too calm.
In a firm, quiet tone, he said,
"We're going home. That's all. Move out of the way."
One of them laughed sarcastically.
"Look at him… acting like he's not afraid."
Another added,
"Maybe we should make sure of that."
One of the boys moved as if to shove Kalin with his shoulder, but Kalin didn't move an inch.
He remained perfectly still.
Mira tightened her grip on her bag and glanced at him with a hint of concern, but she said nothing.
She knew he didn't want to escalate things… unless he had to.
The leader spoke slowly,
"Listen. It won't be easy for you here.
If you want to pass peacefully… learn to answer when we ask you something."
Kalin lifted his eyes and met his stare.
"And you should learn to ask only about what concerns you."
The group exchanged glances.
The laughter faded, replaced by a real tension.
One of them muttered,
"Let's leave them… we'll see him later."
At last, the leader stepped back, though his smile didn't disappear.
"Fine… go. But don't think this is over."
They slowly cleared the path.
Kalin and Mira walked past them without looking back.
After they had put some distance between them, Mira exhaled deeply.
"That could have turned into something worse…"
"Not today," Kalin said calmly as he walked.
They continued side by side in silence for a few moments before she asked quietly,
"Have they been watching us since morning?"
"Yes," he replied without looking at her. "I felt it from the beginning."
She looked ahead, her worry not entirely gone.
"Will they come back?"
Kalin paused briefly, then kept walking.
"Definitely… but next time, they won't be ready for what happens."
Silence fell between them again, but this time it wasn't a comfortable one.
It was the kind of silence that carries the beginning of something bigger…
Something that hasn't revealed itself yet.
Kalin returned home with mixed feelings, after making sure Mira had arrived safely. He quietly turned the key in the lock and stepped inside.
"How was your day, my son?"
His mother's voice came from the kitchen, calm and familiar.
He raised his head for a moment and answered with a single, quick word:
"I'm fine."
Then he continued toward his room.
A brief pause, silence. Then he approached his father and asked in a low voice:
"Kalin, is he okay?"
His father replied, slightly unsure:
"I don't know… should we go to him?"
Kalin nodded.
"No… let him be for a while."
Then his mother added with a smile:
"He'll tell us soon enough."
Kalin closed the door behind him and entered his room. He sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath.
His mind began to work rapidly, trying to unravel the mystery of what had happened at school:
Why did they approach me?
Was their goal just to provoke me? Or were they trying to uncover my truth? Or… am I not supposed to be here?
His eyes shifted to the large window. The streets were filled with cars, shop lights twinkling, and soft music drifting through the air.
"I need to understand… to analyze everything."
He watched the outside world, certain that Mira was safe and that he needed to be ready to protect her.
He spoke to himself in a low voice:
"It seems they want to know my truth… they must not cross their limits… if they start hurting me, what will I do?"
He paused for a moment, then added:
"Should I use what I have? No… not yet. I don't want anyone to lose their life because of me. They don't know who I am… they think I'm weak, that nothing can stop me."
He remained seated, eyes fixed on the street, thinking about tomorrow's steps, trying to anticipate every move, every action, every possible threat.
The silence in his room was not just silence… it was a silence that preceded the coming storm.
Will they leave me alone… or will they continue, acting against me?