It started with peace.
For five full minutes, I was fine. Sitting in class. Mindlessly doodling frogs in the corner of my notebook. Lucas-free. Drama-free. Life was good.
And then… the door creaked open.
I should've known.
Lucas.
Waltzing in like he owned the building, holding a lunchbox and beaming like the sun had personally blessed him.
"Jack!" he sang, skipping over to me. "Ibrought you lunch~"
Dead silence.
Twenty heads turned.
Eyes locked on me.
Some jaws dropped.
Someone whispered, "Wait, are they dating?"
NO. NO WE ARE NOT.
Lucas plopped himself down in the empty seat beside me like it was his. He opened the lunchbox like he was revealing buried treasure.
"I made your favorite," he said. "I guessed. Based on your aura."
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN.
I could feel the heat rising in my face. Everyone was staring. My soul was trying to quit my body. My frog drawing looked concerned.
And then—my eyes drifted across the room.
Rome.
Sitting at his desk. Legs stretched out, one arm on the back of the chair, watching us.
Expression unreadable.
That same calm, cold stare.
He didn't say a word.
Didn't even blink.
Just sipped his juice box like this was all mildly entertaining.
Lucas leaned in closer. "Icut the sandwiches in little heart shapes."
I fake laughed. "That's… very specific of you."
"We can go eat outside!" he said brightly. "More romantic."
Before I could even say no, Lucas grabbed my hand.
MY HAND.
And dragged me up like I had no bones or free will. Everyone stared like we were the main characters in a show they didn't sign up for.
As we reached the classroom door, I made the mistake of looking back.
Rome.
Still in his seat.
Still watching.
His elbow rested lazily on the desk, fingers tapping, expression unreadable.
But something had changed.
His eyes followed our joined hands.
His jaw tightened.
And just before I stepped out the door, I caught it
A slight shift in his posture.
Like he was about to get up.
Like maybe…
Maybe he'd had enough.
But I didn't wait to see.
Because Lucas was already tugging me into the hallway, holding his heart-shaped sandwich box like a wedding ring.
And I had a terrible, fluttery feeling in my chest.
Not from Lucas.
From the boy who hadn't said a word all day.
But had finally started watching too closely.
To be continued...