Flowers Between The Pages

In the quiet corner of Merah Putih High School’s library, the golden glow of the late afternoon sun seeped through the tall windows, casting a warm light over the dusty bookshelves. Aisha, a shy 11th-grader who preferred the company of old novels over people, was tracing her fingers along the spines of classic literature when something—or someone—caught her eye.

She saw him.

Not just any boy. His hair was a messy dark brown, as if combs were a foreign concept to him. His eyes were sharp yet calm, like a hidden lake deep in the woods. He held a copy of The Alchemist with long, careful fingers, turning each page as though every word were a treasure.

Aisha didn’t believe in love at first sight—until that moment.

She recognized him. Rafael Hadi, a senior known for his debate trophies and the quiet mystery that surrounded him. Girls at school whispered about him, but no one truly got close. Rafael was like an untouchable island.

But fate had other plans.

When Aisha reached for a book on the highest shelf, her hands trembled. The book slipped—landing right at Rafael’s feet.

He picked it up, his eyes meeting hers. “You like Kafka?” he asked, nodding at the copy of Metamorphosis in her hands.

Aisha could only nod, her tongue suddenly heavy.

“Me too,” he said, smiling. A smile that made her world pause.

In the weeks that followed, Aisha found herself “accidentally” running into Rafael at the library. They talked about books, music, and the quiet secrets of life. Rafael wasn’t what people thought—he sketched in the margins of his notebooks, scribbled short poems he never showed anyone.

But something was… off.

Sometimes, Rafael would go silent, his gaze drifting somewhere far away. Sometimes, he’d disappear for days without explanation. When Aisha asked, he’d only say, “I’m thinking about something important.”

Then, one day, Aisha found a folded note tucked inside her book. Rafael’s handwriting:

“Aisha, there’s something I need to tell you. But not yet. Meet me in the library, Friday afternoon. Don’t tell anyone.”

Her heart raced. Was this a confession? Or… something else?

Friday came. The library was empty. Aisha waited, but Rafael never showed.

Then she saw it—his notebook, left open on their usual table.

She read the last page.

And the world she knew shattered in an instant.

“I shouldn’t have gotten close to you. Because I…”

The sentence was unfinished.

Beneath it, a small sketched flower—just like the ones Rafael always drew in his books.

Only this time, the flower was wilted.

What really happened to Rafael?

Why did he leave behind an unfinished confession?

And why, after that day, did he vanish from school without a trace?

(Somewhere between the pages of the books they shared, the truth might still be waiting…)