Wednesday started badly.
Not in a dramatic way.
Just… off.
Aylin woke up late.
Not very late.
But late enough that everything felt rushed.
She didn't check the weather.
Didn't think about anything.
Just grabbed her bag and left.
She got to class at 8:01.
Kerem was already there.
"You're late," he said.
Aylin frowned slightly, catching her breath.
"…I know."
He looked at her for a second.
Then—
"…You okay?"
Aylin blinked.
"…Yeah."
It took her a second to realize—
That was the first time he asked that.
She sat down quickly, pulling out her things.
Everything felt slightly wrong.
Her pencil case wasn't centered.
Her notebook wasn't perfectly aligned.
She fixed it.
Then fixed it again.
Kerem watched that.
"You're stressed."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
He didn't argue.
Just nodded like he didn't believe her.
First period was a mess.
Not because it was hard.
Because Aylin couldn't focus.
She missed a few lines from the board.
Wrote something wrong.
Had to erase it twice.
Kerem noticed.
Of course he did.
"Hey," he said quietly, sliding his notebook toward her.
Aylin looked at it.
It was… correct.
"…When did you—?"
"Earlier," he said.
Aylin stared at the page for a second.
Then copied the part she missed.
"…Thanks," she said.
Kerem shrugged.
"Don't make it a big deal."
She nodded.
But it kind of was.
Second period was worse.
Because halfway through—
Rain started.
Heavy.
Sudden.
Loud against the windows.
Aylin looked up automatically.
Then frowned.
"…You didn't check, did you?" Kerem said.
She didn't answer.
"You didn't."
"…No."
He almost smiled.
"Consistent."
Aylin sighed quietly.
Lunch felt strange.
Not bad.
Just quieter than usual.
Aylin wasn't really hungry.
She sat down anyway.
Kerem sat across from her this time.
Not beside.
"You didn't eat anything," he said.
"I'm not that hungry."
He looked at her tray.
Then back at her.
"…You should still eat."
Aylin blinked.
"…You don't."
"That's different."
"How?"
Kerem hesitated.
"…It just is."
Aylin didn't push.
But she noticed—
Again—
That feeling that he wasn't saying everything.
Last period dragged.
Rain didn't stop.
If anything, it got worse.
By the time the final bell rang, the front entrance was crowded again.
Same as before.
People waiting.
Complaining.
Calling for rides.
Aylin stood near the edge.
Watching the rain.
Thinking.
Calculating.
"…Don't even try," Kerem said beside her.
She glanced at him.
"You'll get soaked," he added.
"I know."
"So don't go yet."
Aylin looked at the rain again.
"…I can't stay forever."
"Yeah," he said. "But you can stay a little."
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
They stood there for a few minutes.
Not talking.
Just watching the rain.
It didn't slow down.
"…Okay," Aylin said finally. "I'm going."
Kerem looked at her.
Then at the rain.
"…Wait," he said.
She paused.
He reached into his bag.
Pulled something out.
An umbrella.
Aylin blinked.
"…You had that?"
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you say earlier?"
He shrugged.
"Didn't think about it."
Aylin stared at him.
Then at the umbrella.
"…You use it," she said.
Kerem shook his head.
"I don't care that much."
"I do."
"Exactly," he said, holding it out to her.
Aylin hesitated.
"…We can both use it," she said.
Kerem paused.
Then—
"…Yeah. Okay."
They stepped out into the rain together.
The umbrella wasn't that big.
They had to walk closer than usual.
Shoulders almost touching.
Again.
The sound of rain filled everything.
Loud.
Constant.
They didn't talk much at first.
Then—
"You always plan everything?" Kerem asked.
Aylin glanced at him.
"…Mostly."
"What happens when it doesn't go to plan?"
She thought about it.
"…I don't like it."
Kerem smiled a little.
"Yeah, I noticed."
Aylin frowned slightly.
"…You don't plan anything."
"I do sometimes."
"When?"
"…When it matters."
Aylin looked at him.
"…Does school matter?"
Kerem didn't answer.
Not right away.
"…Some parts," he said eventually.
Aylin nodded slowly.
They kept walking.
At some point, the wind shifted.
Rain hit from the side.
Aylin moved the umbrella slightly.
Kerem reached up to adjust it too.
Their hands brushed.
Both of them paused.
Just for a second.
Then—
Moved like nothing happened.
The corner came too quickly.
"This is me," Kerem said.
Aylin nodded.
He hesitated.
Then stepped back from under the umbrella.
"Take it," he said.
Aylin frowned.
"…What?"
"I'm close enough."
"You'll get wet."
"Already am."
Aylin looked at him.
Then at the rain.
"…I'll give it back tomorrow."
Kerem nodded.
"Yeah."
A small pause.
"…Thanks," she said.
He shrugged.
"Don't make it a big deal."
Aylin almost smiled.
"See you tomorrow," he added.
"See you."
He turned and walked into the rain.
No umbrella.
Hands in his pockets.
Like it didn't matter.
Aylin stood there for a second.
Then continued home.
This time—
She didn't get soaked.
That night, she placed the umbrella near her desk.
Looked at it for a long time.
Then opened her notebook.
She wrote:
"It wasn't a big thing.
Just an umbrella.
Just a small moment."
She paused.
Then added:
"But somehow, it felt like more than that."
Aylin closed the notebook.
The umbrella was still there.
She didn't move it.