Maverick stood outside Isabel's room, hesitating before softly knog.

  "Bel, I e in?" he called gently.

  "Go away..." her voiswered from within, shaky and full of emotion.

  "I just want to expin—"

  "There's nothing to talk about," she interrupted, her voice heavy with frustration. "Just... go away. I'm tired..."

  Maverick sighed and pushed forward. "I'm ing in, Bel..." He turhe doorknob and opehe door.

  "No! Go away, Ricky... go away—" Isabel's voice cracked as she pleaded.

  He saw her sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard, her face buried in a pillow on her p. He could hear her quiet sobs, and it hurt him more than he'd expected.

  "Bel…" he said softly, stepping closer.

  She didn't answer.

  He sat beside her on the bed and raised his arm to fort her, but stopped, not sure what to say or do.

  She remained buried in the pillow.

  He lowered his head, struggling to find the words.

  "I… I was going to tell you—"

  "Just leave!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You got what you wanted from my family…"

  Maverick's heart ached. He knew she didn't mean it, and he couldn't bme her.

  "You know that's not true, Bel…" he said, his gaze still down.

  She didn't answer, and her sobs slowly quieted. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it…" She quickly apologized, realizing she had spoken out of line.

  Maverick sat in silearing down.

  Isabel slowly lifted the pillow enough to peek at him and saw sadness, hurt, a written on his face.

  "I know. You didn't mean it." He paused, raising his head to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry too. Believe me, I never meant to keep that from you…"

  Isabel lowered her head again, burying herself in the pillow. "Then why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

  Maverick couldn't find the words. His situation was plicated, even for him.

  "It's… fine. We're just... friends. It's not like we o tell each other everything…" she said, breaking the silence, as if trying to reassure herself.

  "No… that's not it, Bel. I just…" Maverick struggled to find the words. "I didn't tell you because… I got so caught up in magic. I didn't think I had time for anything else, even goodbyes."

  He took a deep breath. "For you, magic has always been part of your life. But for me, it came out of nowhere, just a year ago. After that, it ed me. There was only magi my mind, and nothing else. I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did. Until…" Maverick looked into her eyes. "Until you woke me up, three days ago."

  Isabel's cheeks flushed slightly. She didn't fully uand what Maverick was talking about, but somehow, it made her feel less disappointed.

  "What happehree days ago?" Isabel asked.

  Maverick chuckled at her puzzled look. "You made me realize I wasn't being myself. I was too focused on magid fot how to feel other things."

  Isabel thought back to their awkward lunch three days ago. She didn't realize anything so important had happened, whily fused her more.

  "How did I… make you realize that?" she asked, leaning baow a bit more rexed but more curious.

  Maverick hesitated, but seeing the look in her eyes, he decided to open up.

  "It's… you," he said, l his head, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Over the st few months, I started to… like you. Unknowingly! I was so focused on magic that I pletely ig."

  He paused. "But you woke me up. You made me realize I'd been ing my emotions, ag... unnatural..."

  Isabel didn't catch the st part of what he said. Her eyes went wide, her mouth fell open, and her fastantly turned bright red.

  After a moment of silence, Maverick looked up and saw her flushed. As soon as their eyes met, she quickly buried her fa the pillow.

  "Uh…" He didn't know what to say anymore. He had basically fessed.

  "Bel?" he called softly.

  One sed. Five seds. Half a minute passed. She stayed there, her face hidden in the pillow.

  "Bel—"

  "Are you just saying that to make me feel better?" she asked suddenly.

  Maverick paused, then chuckled. "No!"

  She slowly lowered the pillow, and he saw her face was still bright red. He gave her a pyful smirk.

  "What?" she said, throwing the pillow at him.

  Maverick caught it, holding it as he looked at her. She crossed her arms, trying to look tough, but with her flushed face, it didn't quite work.

  "So, you turned into this magic-obsessed bookworm, fot how to have fun, and everything outside of magic... until you started to like—" She stammered, clearly embarrassed.

  "It wasn't fettily. I just… got so focused on magic that I pushed everything else away without realizing it. That's the best I expin."

  "So, do you… really?" she asked hesitantly.

  "Uh?" He blinked, fused, then realized what she meant. "Uh… yeah. I 't say no. It was you who woke me up. My feelings for you… well, yeah." Maverick saw her face turn even redder, but there was a sense of relief in her expression.

  "What about you?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

  As soon as he asked, she snatched the pillow from him like lightning, burying her face again.

  Maverick chuckled.

  "You know I do," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow.

  "I 't hear a thing," he said, leaning closer.

  "I said I do too…" she replied, lifting her head just enough to meet his eyes, now only an inch apart.

  He pulled back quickly, ughing to ease the awkwardness.

  Although he had fessed his feelings, Maverick wasn't pnning on starting a retionship with her just yet. She still had two years befraduation, and he was determio travel the world during that time, with no iion of ging or postponing his pns.

  Her brows rexed as she looked at him. "I think I get it. Maybe I don't fully uand, but... I trust you." She gave him a soft, fiving smile. "Apology accepted."

  Maverick felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Thank you..." he said, then id ba her bed, staring up at the ceiling, his arms stretched out.

  The siletled again. Maverick's eyes were fixed on the ceiling, while Isabel leaned against the side, her gaze focused on him.

  "You're... still leaving, right?" Isabel asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Maveriodded slowly, still staring at the ceiling. After a moment, he spoke. "Two years. When I get back… if you still feel the same, I'd like for us to be together." He paused, searg for the right words. "But right now, I'm afraid. If we start something now and it doesn't work out while we're apart, it could hurt the friendship we already have. And, Bel… I 't risk losing you as a friend too."

  Isabel gave a small, uanding smile. She looked down, lost in thought for a moment before speaking softly. "I don't want to lose that either."

  Maverick smiled at that, a wave of relief washing over him. He got up from the bed and stretched. "e on," he said, nodding toward the door. "Aunt and teacher are going to be worried."

  Isabel sat with her legs crossed, a pillow over her knees, leaning against the bed's side, her eyes fixed on him.

  Maverick could see she wao say something, but was hesitating. He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

  Isabel blinked and lowered her head. Maverick didn't interrupt, givihe time to think. He believed it was better to get everything out now rather than hold it in for ter.

  After a moment, she spoke, still looking down. "So… for the wo years… what are we?"

  Maverick paused, letting out a thoughtful hum before answering. "Yood friend," he said, fshing a smile that showed all his teeth. "And it's not like I'll be gohe whole time. I Apparate as easily as breathing, so I'll pop by now and then."

  Isabel finally lifted her head after hearing Maverick's answer. Her eyes were a little teary, but Maverick could tell it wasn't just sadness. Through his Magical-Sense, he sensed relief and happiness mixed in too. He didn't want to press any further, so he agaiured for her to join him and headed downstairs.

  This time, Isabel nodded and got off the bed. Maverick turoward the door, but then he felt a soft tug from behind. Isabel had ed her arms around him, holding him tightly, her face buried in his back.

  Maverick hesitated, then decided not to pull away. He allowed her to hold him, though he didn't return the embrace. Instead, he gently patted her arms as they ed around his chest, what fort he could.

  "I'll be waiting... and... even if it doesn't work out after two years... I promise I'll still be yood friend," she said, her voice soft but filled with siy.

  Maverick felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Good..." he said softly, patting her arms again. His word was simple, but the meaning was clear to her.

  Slowly, Isabel let go. But as she did, she gave him a pyful shove, almost making him stumble. "Hey, what's that for?" he asked, turning with a wobble.

  "That's for making me cry." she replied, pouting with a grumpy yet undeniably cute expression. Then, with a swift movement, she smmed the door in his face.

  Maverick couldn't help but smile, shaking his head.