Lucas's Pov
As I walked to class with my new friends, I couldn't stop myself from asking them about Ivey.
"So, do any of you know anything about Ivey? She caught my eye," I said, and quickly regretted it a second later.
What am I thinking?
"She is pretty, nice and smart, but she acts like Miss Perfect. She's so full of herself." Steve said, his tone full of annoyance "Especially when she is with Josh, her boyfriend."
"I don't like her," David added with a shrug, as if the subject wasn't even worth discussing.
Clen raised an eyebrow and smirked, sensing an opportunity to mess with me. "Do you like her, Lucas?"
I froze. A heavy pause hung in the air, and my pulse quickened.
"No," I said too quickly, then corrected myself, "I just saw her the other day and thought that she looked different from the other girls. That's all. I don't like her." I spoke in a flat tone, trying to mask the lie. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to think there was something more to it.
The guys looked at each other, but none of them seemed convinced. Clen's smirk deepened.
"Sure, Lucas. Whatever you say," he said, dragging the words out like he knew I was hiding something.
I could feel the weight of their eyes on me, and for a moment, I thought I might slip up. I didn't like being put on the spot, especially when it came to Ivey. There was something about her, something that unsettled me.
I tried to change the subject, brushing it off with a casual laugh. "Anyway, who's up for lunch? I'm starving."
David shrugged and waved me off, as if my interest in Ivey didn't even matter. "Lunch sounds good."
As we walked toward the cafeteria, my mind kept drifting back to her, her smile, the way she spoke, the way her presence filled the room without even trying. I tried to shake the thought away, but it was there, lingering like a question I didn't know how to answer.
As we walked back to class I couldn't avoid her presence right beside me making my heart beat like a drum.
Ivey's Pov
I was barely paying attention when Mr. Henderson started pairing people up for the project. I already had a plan to find someone quiet, do most of the work myself, and get it over with.
But then I heard his name.
"Lucas and Ivey."
My head snapped up. Mr. Henderson didn't even glance at me, just moved on like he hadn't just thrown a bomb into my already complicated life.
Great. Just great.
Lucas looked just as surprised, lifting his eyes from his notebook and meeting mine. For a second, neither of us moved. His expression was unreadable, it was calm, maybe even a bit curious, while mine was probably a mix of panic and oh god, not this.
Josh wasn't going to like this. Even though he hadn't noticed my staring yesterday he would definitely notice something is wrong if I had to actually work and talk with Lucas.
After class, I gathered my stuff slowly, trying to find a way to not talk to him right away. But Lucas was already at my desk, backpack slung over one shoulder.
"So... partners," he said, voice casual.
"Yeah." I shoved my pencil case into my bag. "Guess we are."
"I don't bite," he added. "In case you were worried."
I glanced up. He was smirking but not in a mean way. Just... amused.
"I wasn't worried," I lied.
He tilted his head. "Sure you weren't."
We stood in silence for a second too long before I blurted, "Do you want to meet after school? Library or at the cafe?"
"That works for me," he said. "Library, 4 o'clock."
I nodded and walked away. I stared after him, wondering what I'd just gotten myself into.
Lucas's Pov
I didn't expect to get paired with her. Honestly, I thought she'd complain and get reassigned to someone more, quiet and smart. Someone who didn't come with rumors and a reputation.
But she didn't. She agreed.
That meant something. I didn't know what, but it meant something.
At 4:01, I walked into the library and there she was with her hair pulled into a messy bun, hoodie too big for her, earbuds in. She was already working. Of course she was.
She looked up when she saw me. "You're late."
"By one minute."
"That's still late."
She sounded annoyed, but I caught the tiniest smile.
We sat together, the silence surprisingly comfortable. Ivey was focused, and always thinking. I liked watching the way she pushed her hair behind her ear when she was trying to explain something.
And even though we were working, I kept finding myself distracted, not by the project, but by her.
Every time our hands brushed while flipping pages or passing notes, it felt like static under my skin.
Ivey's Pov
I wasn't supposed to like this. Working with Lucas was supposed to be uncomfortable. Awkward.
But he listened. He was funny, in an unexpected way. And he actually got the project, like he wasn't just here to sit around and wait for me to finish the whole thing myself.
We worked until sunset, and I realized I hadn't checked my phone once. Not even to see if Josh had texted.
"Do you want to keep going tomorrow?" Lucas asked, standing and stretching.
"Yeah," I said too quickly. "Same time?"
"Sure."
As we gathered our things, I noticed the sky outside had darkened, it looked like it was going to rain.
Lucas glanced out the window too. "You walked here?"
"Yeah," I said, slipping my notebook into my bag. "It's not far."
He raised an eyebrow. "You know it's probably going to rain now. Right?"
I shrugged, trying to look casual even though I was absolutely not in the mood to get soaked. "I don't mind."
Lucas hesitated for a second, then said, "I can give you a ride if you want."
I blinked. "You don't have to."
"I know I don't but I'm offering."
Something about his voice was firm but gentle, like he wasn't going to pressure me, but he wasn't taking no for an answer either.
"Okay," I said quietly. "Thanks."
As I entered the car I noticed that his car was surprisingly clean. It smelled faintly like pine and cologne. I tried not to overthink it as I sat and put in my seatbelt.
We drove in silence for a minute, the soft hum of the engine and the faint rhythm of rain starting to patter against the windshield filling the space.
"So…" he said finally, "does your boyfriend know you walk home alone?"
I gave him a look. "Are you trying to start something?"
"Nope," he said. "Just asking."
"He's not... controlling," I said. But even I heard the hesitation in my voice.
Lucas just nodded, like he understood more than I was saying.
When he pulled up to my street, he slowed but didn't say goodbye right away.
"Thanks," I said, grabbing the door handle.
"I meant what I said earlier," he added. "Working with you, it wasn't awful."
I glanced at him. "No. It wasn't."
And then, before I could talk myself out of it, I smiled.
Just a small one. But Lucas smiled back, and it felt like something unspoken had just shifted.