Daydreams and Distractions

"Hey! Earth to Lay!"

"Huh?" Lay snapped out of her thoughts, blinking in confusion as Claire waved a hand in front of her face.

"Seriously, you and your daydreaming," Claire huffed. "You didn’t even realize the class ended, did you?"

"It did?" Lay asked, her voice distant.

"Uh, yeah. It’s already lunchtime," Claire said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Come on. Let’s go eat. I’m starving." Without waiting for a response, Claire grabbed Lay by the wrist and started dragging her out of the classroom.

It had been a few days since the school field trip, yet Lay couldn’t shake the memories of what had happened. As they made their way to the cafeteria, Lay barely registered the bustling chatter of students around them. Her thoughts lingered on the events of the school field trip, replaying everything that had happened over and over again. Most of all, she kept thinking about Shawn.

The mere thought of his intense gaze, the way he held her, and the mystery surrounding him sent a warm flush to her cheeks. Lay shook her head, trying to suppress the growing heat on her face. She couldn’t understand why just thinking about him had such an effect on her, and it was driving her crazy.

"Lay, are you even listening to me?" Claire’s voice broke through her reverie.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Totally," Lay lied, her cheeks still tinged with pink.

Claire gave her a skeptical look "Seriously, what’s been going on with you lately?" Claire asked as they found seats in the bustling cafeteria. "You’ve been spacing out even more than usual. Did something happen during the trip?"

Lay hesitated, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her sweater. "Nothing important," she said, trying to sound casual, though her cheeks betrayed her with a slight flush.

Claire squinted suspiciously but shrugged it off. "Well, whatever it is, snap out of it already. I need my bestie to be fully present!"

Lay chuckled softly, masking her swirling thoughts. Even as they ate and chatted, her mind wandered back to the spirit realm and the enigmatic guardian who had made such an unexpected impression on her.

Then, out of nowhere, a group of girls strolled over, their smirks practically plastered on their faces. "Well, if it isn’t the dynamic duo," one of them drawled, her voice laced with mockery. "Having a riveting discussion about... what? Unicorns and rainbows?"

Claire didn’t even blink. She leaned back in her chair, smirking. "And yet, here you are, inserting yourself into our riveting discussion. What’s wrong? Your own conversation too boring for you? Huh, Vicky?"

Vicky, is the self-appointed leader of the school’s so-called “popular girls,” a group that thrives on intimidation, gossip, and an unshakable air of superiority.

After what Claire had said, Vicky's smirk faltered, but another girl quickly stepped in. "Oh, we just wanted to see if Lay here finally landed back on Earth after all that daydreaming."

Lay raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp yet calm. "Funny, I didn’t realize my daydreams were such a hot topic. But hey, I’m flattered you’re so invested."

The group exchanged looks, clearly thrown off by the lack of intimidation.

Before Lay could continue, a voice interrupted, cutting through the tension like a blade. "What’s your problem, Vicky? You bored again?"

The group turned in unison to see Alex, a classmate of Lay and Claire, stepping into the scene. His sharp gaze was locked on Vicky, his tone calm but laced with authority.

"Alex." Vicky started, her voice suddenly less confident. "We were just—"

"Just making fools of yourselves, as usual," Alex said, crossing his arms. "Maybe you should try minding your own business for once."

Lay blinked in surprise, while Claire leaned back in her chair, clearly amused by the unexpected intervention.

"Awfully defensive." Vicky muttered, but her confidence had taken a noticeable hit.

Claire chuckled, folding her arms. "Defensive? Sweetheart, this is us being nice. If you’ve got something worthwhile to say, spit it out. If not, we’ve got better things to do than entertain your insecurity-fueled commentary."

Vicky scoffed, flipping her hair. "Whatever. Let’s go."

As the group retreated, Alex shot them one last disapproving glance before turning back to Lay and Claire. "You okay?"

Lay nodded, still a little flustered. "Yeah, thanks."

Claire grinned mischievously. "We had it under control, but hey, it’s always nice to have backup."

Alex smirked. "Well, I figured they needed someone to remind them how embarrassing they are."

As he walked off, Claire watched him go, then turned to Lay with a raised eyebrow. "Well, that was interesting. Looks like you’ve got someone keeping an eye out for you."

Lay rolled her eyes, "Don’t start."

Claire just chuckled. "What? I didn’t say anything."

Lay smiled, popping a fry into her mouth. "Anyways, nice work."

Claire grinned. "You kidding? That was light work. Next time, we’ll really give them something to think about." And they both chuckled.

As evening fell, Lay and Claire walked along the bustling streets, illuminated by the warm glow of streetlights and shop signs. Claire was chatting animatedly about something that had happened at school, but Lay wasn’t listening. Her mind had drifted once again, replaying fleeting moments with Shawn. A soft smile crept onto her face, and her cheeks tinged pink without her realizing.

Claire stopped mid-sentence, her eyebrows furrowed. “Alright, that’s it. This spacing-out thing has officially gotten out of hand.” She crossed her arms and planted herself in front of Lay, blocking her path. “You’ve been acting weird ever since the field trip. What really happened out there?”

“Huh?” Lay blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. “Nothing! Nothing happened,” she replied hastily, avoiding Claire’s gaze.

Claire narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her friend. “Before, you’d just zone out, but now you’re smiling and blushing out of nowhe-” She paused as realization dawned. Her eyes widened, and a mischievous grin spread across her face. “Wait a second... Is it a boy?!”

“What? No!” Lay stammered, her face growing even redder.

Claire gasped, delighted. “Oh my gosh! It is a boy! You totally met someone during the field trip, didn’t you?”

Lay flinched, her reaction betraying her.

“Aha! I knew it! I'm always on point!” Claire practically squealed, hopping with excitement. “Who is he? What’s his name? What does he look like?”

“Claire, stop!” Lay groaned, shaking her head vigorously as she tried to deflect the barrage of questions.

“Oh, come on!” Claire leaned in closer, her grin widening. “You have to tell me everything. I demand details, right now!”

Lay sighed, realizing there was no escaping her persistent best friend. “It’s nothing, really…” she mumbled, but her blushing cheeks told a different story, much to Claire’s amusement.

As Claire continued pestering her with endless questions, Lay’s attention was suddenly drawn to something in the distance. A large figure moved swiftly, disappearing into an alleyway. A strange sense of familiarity tugged at her, and curiosity took hold.

“I need to go.” Lay said abruptly, turning to leave.

“Wait, what? Lay! Where are you going?” Claire called out, confused. She watched as Lay walked away without another word, disappearing into the evening crowd. “Lay!” Claire yelled again, but her friend didn’t stop.

Lay quickened her pace, weaving through the bustling street until she reached the alley. She hesitated for a moment before stepping in. As she rounded the corner, she bumped into something.

Startled, she stumbled back, and when she looked up, she froze. Before her stood a towering figure, its silhouette looming ominously in the dim light. Lay’s breath caught in her throat as she stared, her heart racing.

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