Kairo Hayes

There is this guy. His name is Kairo Hayes. Confident, laid-back, and always acting like nothing can bother him. He's known for skipping class, getting into arguments, and doing whatever he wants. He wears oversized clothes, hangs with friends, and always has sarcasm ready. But beneath the confidence, Kairo's life isn't easy. His parents are constantly fighting, and neither notices how much it affects him. Home feels unbearable, so he avoids it. Then there is this girl. Her name is Mia Carter. She's his girlfriend. They've been together since sophomore year. Once, they were inseparable. They knew each other's favorite songs, walked home together, and talked for hours about nothing. Now. Things are different. Mia's parents have become strict. They check her phone, control who she sees, and threaten to move her because they think Kairo is a "bad influence." Meanwhile, Kairo's family problems have gotten worse. They're changing. Not because they stopped loving each other. Because they're exhausted. At school, they still sit together. Still walk past each other. Still look for one another. But conversations that once lasted hours now end after minutes. Mia catches him behind the gym. "We need to talk." Kairo looks up. "About what?" "Us." His expression tightens. "I feel like we're disappearing." Kairo looks away. "I know." "Then why aren't you doing anything?" He stays silent. Mia's eyes begin to water. "Do you still want this?" For once, Kairo doesn't joke. He reaches for her hand. "I've wanted a lot of things to end." He looks at her. "You're not one of them." Neither knows how to fix everything. But neither is ready to let go. Not yet.