## Chapter 6: Avoidance

The days that followed were a blur for Lucas. He struggled to come to terms with what had happened, his mind racing with questions and emotions. He felt like he was walking through a nightmare, unable to wake up. The memories of the previous night were still hazy, but the physical reminders were all too clear. His body ached, and his mind was filled with a sense of unease. As he navigated the hallways of his school, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. He avoided eye contact with his classmates, unsure of how to face them. The guilt and shame that lingered within him made him want to hide from the world. Rio, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding him altogether. Lucas would catch glimpses of him in the hallways, but whenever their eyes met, Rio would quickly look away. It was as if he was trying to escape Lucas's gaze. Their encounters were brief and awkward, with an undercurrent of tension that was hard to ignore. Lucas couldn't help but wonder if Rio was feeling guilty about what had happened. He tried to process his emotions, but they were all jumbled up. One day, as Lucas was walking down the hallway, he saw Rio standing by his locker, chatting with his friends. Lucas's instincts told him to turn around and walk away, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot. Rio caught his eye, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. The air was thick with tension as Rio's friends noticed the exchange and started to snicker. Lucas felt his face heat up with embarrassment, and he quickly looked away, trying to escape the awkwardness. As he walked away, he could feel Rio's eyes on him, but he didn't dare look back. He just kept walking, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. The avoidance continued for days, with neither of them making an effort to talk or interact. It was as if they were two strangers who had nothing to do with each other. But deep down, Lucas knew that this couldn't go on forever. He needed to find a way to deal with what had happened, and he needed to confront Rio about it. The problem was, he didn't know where to start. As he sat in his history class, Lucas couldn't help but think about the past. He thought about the way Rio used to treat him, the way he would bully him and make fun of him. But he also thought about the way Rio had looked at him the morning after, the way he had seemed so genuinely sorry. Lucas's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the teacher's voice, but his mind continued to wander. He thought about the future, about what could happen between him and Rio. He didn't know if he could ever forgive Rio, but he did know that he needed to find a way to move on. The bell rang, signaling the end of the period, and Lucas gathered his things. As he walked out of the classroom, he caught a glimpse of Rio standing in the hallway, looking at him with a mixture of sadness and longing. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Then, Rio turned and walked away, leaving Lucas to wonder what the future held for them. As Lucas walked away, he couldn't help but feel a sense of uncertainty. He didn't know what would happen next, but he knew that he needed to find a way to deal with what had happened. He needed to find a way to heal, to move on from the past and forge a new future. And as he walked down the hallway, he couldn't help but wonder if Rio would be a part of that future.