Chapter 19

Sky Wongravee

I sit at my desk, my knee bouncing under the table as I stare at my phone screen. My name isn't in Nani's call log. No missed calls, no messages.

Nothing.

I unlock my phone, scrolling down to the last message I sent him—the one that never got delivered. It's been days since he blocked my number. He made it clear where he stands, so why the hell am I still thinking about it?

I lock my phone and shove it into my pocket, leaning back in my chair. This is stupid. I should be focusing on class, on literally anything else.

The door to the lecture hall opens, and May steps in. Her gaze sweeps across the room, and the second she spots me, her face lights up like she's been looking for me. She wastes no time making her way over, dropping into the seat beside me like she belongs there.

"Sky!" she says brightly. "You're early today."

I blink at her, barely processing her words. "Yeah. Guess so."

She hums, setting her bag down and leaning slightly toward me. "Did you do the readings for today?"

"Yeah," I mutter, even though I barely remember what they were.

She laughs, nudging my arm lightly. "Really? Because you don't sound convinced."

I force a small smile, but my mind is already slipping away from this conversation. I don't even know why I agreed to sit through another class with her.

"You okay?" she asks, tilting her head.

"Yeah," I say, sharper than intended.

She doesn't seem bothered. "Good. Then you won't mind grabbing lunch after class, right?"

I should say no. I don't know why, but I should. Yet, my mouth moves before I can think.

"Yeah, sure."

May beams, like she just won something. I glance at her out of the corner of my eye, then back at the whiteboard. The professor still isn't here, and the room is filling with quiet conversations.

May starts talking about something—some new café she wants to try, or maybe it's about a group project. I don't know. I nod when it feels right, throwing in the occasional hum of agreement. But my mind is elsewhere.

It drifts back to Nani. To the way he looked at me that night, like he had nothing left to say. To the way he walked away without looking back. To the way he blocked me like I was nothing.

I press my tongue against the inside of my cheek, irritation bubbling in my chest.

He left. He's the one who left. So why does it feel like I'm the one who lost something?

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Dinner with May is... fine.

For the first time in days, I actually try. I focus on the conversation, nod when it feels right, and even add to it instead of zoning out like before. It works. I warm up to her—just a little. It's easier than I thought it would be.

I tell myself that this is what I should be doing. Moving forward. Not wasting my time thinking about someone who clearly doesn't want me in their life anymore.

So, I try.

We finish dinner, and instead of heading back, May tugs on my sleeve, eyes gleaming. "There's a night market nearby! Let's go?"

I hesitate for a second but nod. "Sure."

The streets are buzzing with life—food stalls lined up with sizzling grills, the air thick with the smell of spices, fried dough, and something sweet. Bright lights flash from vendor stands, people weaving through the crowd, laughter mixing with the occasional honk of a motorbike squeezing past.

May is talking about something—her latest obsession with a drama series, or maybe it's about her dog. I listen, but only halfway. My hands are stuffed into my pockets as I let her lead the way.

Then she stops, grabbing my arm. "Oh! Sky, look!"

I follow her gaze to an arcade machine, the kind stuffed with plushies behind glass, just waiting to be snatched up by the claw. She points at one in particular—a Hello Kitty dressed in a red bow.

"Can you get me one?" she asks, her voice playful.

I roll my eyes but step closer, studying the machine.

And then my gaze catches on something else.

Tucked in the back, half-buried under other plushies, is a My Melody.

My breath hitches for half a second.

Nani.

The memory hits me without warning—his eyes lighting up when he saw one in a store once, the way he practically hugged it to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world. He used to talk about how much he loved My Melody, how cute she was, how she reminded him of soft things and comfort.

For a moment, I forget where I am. The sounds around me fade into the background, the flashing lights blurring at the edges of my vision.

"Sky?"

I blink. May is staring at me, confused.

"You okay?" she asks, tilting her head.

I exhale sharply, pushing the thought away. "Yeah. Just thinking."

I grab a coin from my pocket and insert it into the machine. The claw moves as I direct it toward the Hello Kitty plushie, blocking out the My Melody from my mind.

It doesn't take long before the plush drops into the prize slot. I pull it out and hand it to May.

She grins. "You're not as bad at this as I thought."

I smirk. "I don't lose."

She laughs, linking her arm with mine as we continue walking. I let her.

But even as I try to stay present, my mind lingers elsewhere.

On Nani.

On how easily something—someone—can slip back into my head, no matter how hard I try to forget.