It was just a photo.
Low quality.
Taken from behind.
Rose in her pale sweater. Me in my jacket.
Our hands intertwined.
Our shadows stretched across the pavement like they were reaching for each other too.
I didn't even know it had been taken until Hana texted me.
Hana: "Hey. Just a heads-up. You're on the school's gossip page."
Hana: "It's not mean yet. But people are talking."
I clicked the link.
There we were.
Posted by some anonymous account.
Captioned:
> "Guess the rumors were true. The school's ice queen and the lady of the student council cute or cringe?"
There were already over 80 comments.
Some hearts. Some laughter.
Some "finally!"s.
Some words that made my stomach turn.
> "Didn't think Rose swung that way lol"
"Kinda makes sense tho. Kellie never looked at anyone else."
"This is lowkey hot ngl."
"Gross. Keep that sappy sh*t at home."
I closed the screen.
I found Rose by the vending machines, her phone in her hand, face pale.
"You saw it?" I asked.
She nodded.
Her voice was small. "My mom did too."
That made my chest tighten.
"She called me right after class. Said we'd talk when I got home. She sounded… disappointed."
I didn't know what to say.
So I did the only thing I could I stepped closer and took her hand.
Right there.
In front of everyone.
A boy walking past slowed when he saw.
A girl whispered something to her friend and glanced away quickly.
But Rose didn't let go.
She didn't even flinch.
Her fingers squeezed mine.
"I knew this would happen," she said, quieter now. "But part of me thought maybe… people would just let us be."
I nodded. "They won't. Not all of them."
Rose looked up at me. Her eyes didn't shine this time. They burned.
"Then let them talk."
That afternoon, I walked her home.
Her mother was waiting on the porch.
She looked between us then straight at me. Her expression was tight, unreadable.
"I need to speak with my daughter," she said.
Rose's hand tightened around mine before she let go.
"I'll call you later," she said. Her voice was steady. Her smile wasn't fake.
"I'll wait."
She nodded. Then turned and followed her mother inside.
That night, I stared at my phone for hours.
No messages.
No calls.
Just silence.
And the photo. Still circling online like a lit match in a room full of dry paper.