All Chapters of Let's be Together: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Miss Harriet’s voice cuts through the classroom buzz like a ray of sunshine. “Class, your next assignment is an essay on Franz Kafka, and don’t forget—you’ll need to read Letters to Milena,” she says, bright-eyed as ever. She’s one of those teachers who makes literature feel alive, her passion practically glowing. Harriet Ridge is barely five years older than us, yet the way she talks about authors like Kafka, it’s like she’s lived a hundred different lives.But Kafka… oh man. Franz Kafka is a fascinating figure—someone whose work delves deep into the human psyche, shining light on the dark and twisted corners of human experience. Letters to Milena especially is an insightful look into Kafka’s personal struggles. Unlike his iconic story, The Metamorphosis, where he explores isolation, guilt, and alienation through the metaphor of a man transforming into an insect, Letters to Milena gives us Kafka unfiltered. Letters to Milena is raw, fascinating, but it paints Kafka in a way that m

The game grinds to a halt, but there’s no foul, no warning. Nothing. I’m practically on the edge of my seat, ready to jump off the bleachers and rush to her. That fall looked brutal, and her teammates are huddling around her, blocking her from my view. I can’t see her face, and my stomach’s twisted up in a knot.The red team is furious, yelling that it was a clear foul, but the referee shuts them down, saying this situation’s different from Daisy’s push. Apparently, Daisy’s foul was for pushing while the other player was airborne, which is dangerous. But because Millie was on her feet when she got slammed, it’s ruled as incidental contact. It’s garbage, if you ask me. Juhyuk grumbles beside me, muttering that the girl from the blue team played “smart.” Nope. From where I’m sitting, she played downright dirty.Millie finally gets up, but there’s a look on her face that I recognize all too well—a storm brewing.Before anyone can stop her, she storms over to the girl, grabs her by t

I turn, and there’s Millie, striding toward us with that fierce, steely look that could cut glass. Her arms are crossed tightly, and her eyes are practically blazing as she glares at James. My stomach drops. Oh, hell. What is she doing here?She stops in front of us, and my heart’s doing a nervous tap dance. I didn’t do anything wrong, but the guilt pooling in my gut makes it feel like I have. James’s arm is still loosely draped over my shoulder, but that doesn’t last long.“Remove your arm, dickhead,” she hisses at him, and there’s enough venom in her voice to make even James blink. He lets his arm fall off me slowly, almost like he’s daring her, keeping that same cocky smirk.“Well, well. What a surprise to see you, kitty cat,” he says, his grin widening as if he finds this whole showdown amusing.Millie doesn’t even flinch. She steps forward, grabs him by the collar, and scowls right into his face. “Never call me that. And what the hell were you trying to do with her?”My heart

Millie’s parents agreed to the trip, just like Dad wanted, and even Millie was on board without me having to show up and face her. I’m relieved but also…a bit disappointed? I shove the feeling down, chalking it up to nerves from last night’s kiss, which I still can’t get out of my head. We’re set to leave by eight in the evening and reach the Virginia Beach Hut by eleven. Our dads went all out on the planning, like they always do. Uncle Evans showed up here the second Ella told him, and he and Dad dove headfirst into every last detail. Meanwhile, Mom and Ella huddled up in the kitchen, laughing and debating about the right “beach vibes” snacks, the best drinks, and whether they needed to pack dresses just for lounging by the shore. It’s funny how they get when they’re planning these trips—like we’re all heading to some royal getaway instead of a beach just a few hours away. It’s their way of bringing excitement to everything, even the smallest plans.Millie didn’t come, though.

The day turned out way better than I’d expected. After our chaotic water games, we hit up this nearby restaurant, and honestly, the food was insane. I had the calamari, and it was perfect—crispy, melt-in-your-mouth, just everything. The shrimp martini? Phenomenal. We were all cracking up, stuffing our faces, then headed out for some sightseeing before catching the sunset. That sunset over the ocean, with all those colors bleeding into the horizon, was unreal. For a moment, everything felt… right.But now, we’re back in the room, and every shred of comfort from earlier has vanished. I’m on the edge of the bed, fidgeting, biting the nail on my thumb, feeling the weight of everything I haven’t said pressing down on me. I don’t even know how to start.Then the door creaks open, and Millie steps in. She closes it quietly, eyes flicking my way before she goes to her side and sits on the bed. Silence. Again. It’s like this invisible wall we keep slamming into. I try to fill the void, l