Chapter 96: Drama At School
The next morning was a familiar routine, Kofi moving through the motions of getting ready for school, his brain already on the low-power mode he reserved for weekdays.
He was in the entryway, pulling on his shoes and running through the final mental checklist. His mind briefly landing on Thea’s closed door before he decided against knocking, figuring it was better to just let her be, to not force another awkward interaction so early in the day.
He was just about to make his escape, his hand reaching for the doorknob, when a soft click from down the hall stopped him.
He turned slowly, and there she was, standing in the doorway of the guest room, dressed in the new jeans and the gray shirt with the little blue jay on the pocket. Her hair was still damp from a shower, and she was nervously twisting the hem of the shirt, a gesture that told him she had clearly been waiting for this moment, psyching herself up to do it.
She looked from the floor to his face, then back to the floor.
"...Good morning."
The words were a quiet, fragile, and Kofi felt that strange, warm feeling settle in his chest again, a small, genuine smile forming on his face.
"Morning, Thea."
She seemed to draw a bit of courage from his simple reply, taking another hesitant step out of her room, her gaze still not quite meeting his.
"Have a good day at school."
It was the most normal thing anyone had ever said in this apartment, a simple phrase that landed with the weight of a major event, catching him so off guard that his own response was a clumsy mess.
"Thanks," he said, his brain immediately short-circuiting. "You too. I mean—just, you know. Have a good day. Here."