Belview

ina'

s chatting, shoes clacking on polished floors, the scent of fre

caffeine-fueled anxiety. Walking in, I might as we

ver wanted me here in the first place. I tried to ignore th

e-cold stare strutted in like she owned the

through the quiet, commanding attention like she was a queen

e Megan leaned back in her chair with a play

ol, and you don't own oxygen. Sit somewhere else." The blonde glared at us for a

un on her heel and stormed off, her little entourage trailing behind like con

y first campus villa

he was trying to look like he'd just rolled out of bed, he'd succeeded: wri

st conspiratorial smirk, like we were all

t?" A collective groan echoed through the room, as everyo

a pop test-worth ten percent.

r groans of disbelief. Oh,

oice tentative. "I don't have the handbook..

look, his voice clipped. "Then go get

. I couldn't believe this. Of all the days... I crossed

g when I saw him. He was sitting alone on a bench, flipping through the Law 101 handbook with an ease that m

ter judgment, I fel

. It'll

throat. "Hey, uh... excuse me?" My voice was quieter tha

made my pulse jump. A deep, stormy green. Focused. Intense. T

set in effortless disinterest, and a rogue curl fell

ocked the breath out of you bef

for-this tone like he'd just rolled out

dbook. Just for a few minutes," I said, trying to sound casual

at the book in his hands. "Ca

and I don't even know where the library is. Plus, even

rupted, his voice thick with sarcasm. I froze. My f

o leave. Clearly, he wasn't going to help-but before

mewhere between bored and sizing me up. Sur

urriedly left, trying to ignore the flu

nded, I was ready to collapse into a chai

athered my things. Megan had that mischievous glint in her eye

sed for someone who hadn't been through the hell tha

. I think I blacked out halfw

e muttered. "Professor Harper needs to ret

he eye while collecting my scrip

u just need to stop crying

d at her. "I was sw

the hallway, the tension easing betwee

hat same bench, scrolling through his pho

his handbook. Do

ter than I cared to admit. "Hey," I

from my hands without even looking up. His voice

at him, the sarcasm bubbling up in my throat. "Although, I coul

flicker of irritation cr

d react. "Earlier, it looked like you weren't e

ssed by the awkward silence, I turned to leave, silently cursing myself for trying to be decent to

ething biting. I turned around, heart doing tha

en confused and bracing for a

toward me like it had personally of