She saw him.
Ash leaned casually against the doorway of the library, the noise of students moving past him unable to mask the stillness he carried. Even from across the hall, she felt it: the pull, magnetic and precise.
"Shy," he said softly, his voice just loud enough for her to hear. Calm. Controlled. Dangerous. "You missed yesterday. Are you… okay?"
Her stomach tightened, words caught in her throat. She hadn't expected him here, not now, not in this ordinary place. Every instinct screamed at her to turn and walk away.
"I… I'm fine," she managed finally, voice barely above a whisper. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, unwilling to meet his gaze. The locket pulsed sharply against her chest: "Do not engage recklessly. Observe. Control your reaction."
Ash's lips curved slightly, a hint of a smile that sent a shiver down her spine. He took a step closer, casual, deliberate, as if the space between them was his to command. "You shouldn't skip like that. People notice. I noticed."
Her pulse quickened. "I—It wasn't… nothing," she stammered, fumbling for her books. Her fingers brushed the locket as if its warmth could ground her.
He tilted his head, studying her, calm and patient. "Nothing?" he asked, voice low, almost teasing. "You don't seem fine."
"I said I'm fine," she said again, more firmly this time, though her heart betrayed her words.
The hall around them bustled with students, unaware of the quiet tension. Ash's gaze softened—not entirely, just enough to unsettle her further. He reached out, producing a small, sleek device from his pocket. "Here," he said, holding it out. "Text me. I'll know if you're really okay."
Her fingers hovered over it. The locket throbbed insistently: "Do not give him unnecessary access. Proceed carefully."
"I… I don't—" she began.
He smiled faintly; patience threaded through every movement. "Just take it," he said simply. "No pressure. Just… contact. That's all."
Her hand closed around it, the cold surface sending a jolt up her arm. Their eyes met finally, and for a heartbeat, the world around them fell away, the bustling corridor, the ordinary chaos leaving only him, the locket, and the unspoken tension.
Ash stepped back slightly, letting her go, but the weight of his presence lingered like a shadow: patient, observant, and inescapable.
"He's not leaving," the locket whispered faintly. "Remember why you're cautious. Watch. Learn."
Shyla exhaled slowly, clutching both the device and the locket, knowing this was only the beginning of a dangerous dance she could no longer avoid.