The Friday morning lecture was dragging on, the professor's voice a steady drone that barely cut through the hum in Ava's mind. She sat in her usual spot—middle row, near the window—pretending to focus on her notes.
She didn't need to look to know Nathan was in his usual back-row seat.
But she could feel him.
That prickling awareness at the edge of her senses had been bothering her for most of the class. Finally, she gave in and glanced over her shoulder.
Nathan's gaze was locked on her, unflinching.
For a heartbeat, neither of them looked away.
Then, as if it was nothing, he went back to his notes—like he hadn't just sent a ripple through her chest.
The lecture finally wrapped up. Students shuffled out, chatting and laughing. Nathan stayed put, clearly waiting for the crowd to thin.
Ava, however, didn't leave.
Instead, she stood, slung her bag over her shoulder, and headed straight toward him.
Nathan's brows rose slightly as she stopped in front of his desk. "To what do I owe this honor?" he asked, voice low and edged with a smirk.
She crossed her arms. "You tell me. You've been staring at me all morning."
"That's a bold accusation," he murmured. "Maybe I was just… lost in thought."
"Mm-hm," she said, unconvinced. "Like when you had that mysterious call and left the coffee shop the other day?"
His lips curved. "You noticed."
"Of course I noticed. Lena noticed too. She thought maybe you didn't like her latte art."
Nathan huffed a quiet laugh. "I liked it fine."
"Then why disappear?" she pressed. "People usually say goodbye before they ghost."
"Emergency," he said smoothly. "Besides… I thought leaving you wondering might be more interesting."
She tilted her head. "Interesting? Or just rude?"
His smirk deepened. "Depends on how much you were wondering."
"Not that much," she lied, though her pulse betrayed her. "Lena thought you were cute, by the way. She's still trying to figure you out."
"And you?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. "Still trying to figure me out?"
Ava's lips twitched into the smallest smile. "Maybe. But I'm a lot better at it than Lena."
Nathan's eyes glinted like she'd just challenged him—and he loved it. "Then why don't you show me how much better you are at it… over coffee next time?"
She arched a brow. "Are you asking me out, Mr. Cross?"
"Consider it a professional challenge," he said, the smirk returning.
Then, without waiting for her answer, Nathan stood, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out of the lecture hall—leaving her staring after him with more questions than she cared to admit.
---
Friday Evening — Agency Prep
By the time Nathan stepped into the agency's operations wing, the sun had been gone for hours. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow across the staging room. This wasn't about plans anymore—those were locked in. Tonight was about details.
Callum Hayes was leaning over a table, polishing the silver clasp on a black catering jacket. "Try it on," he said without looking up. "No point finding out it doesn't fit tomorrow."
Nathan slipped into the jacket. Crisp, clean. The tag read Evan Hall — Catering. He adjusted the cuffs while Callum circled him like a tailor, smoothing the fabric over his shoulders.
Across the room, Dana Voss sat in front of a glowing monitor, scrolling through channels on a comms board. "Cross, channel test." She tossed him an earpiece.
Nathan slid it in. "Echo one-two, testing."
"Loud and clear," Dana said, giving a short nod before moving on to calibrate another set.
Javier Ross crouched at a workbench, his toolbox open like a jeweler's display. He held up a slim, pen-sized recorder. "Encrypted. Two-day battery. Clip it inside your jacket—left side." Nathan clipped it where instructed, Javier giving a satisfied grunt.
Mira Lang stood by a mirror, holding a black tie in one hand. "Neckwear needs to be perfect," she said, stepping forward to knot it for him. "You're blending, not standing out. Keep your smile polite, not warm."
Nathan smirked faintly. "Not really my problem."
"Good," Mira said, straightening the tie. "Means you're halfway there."
They went through the checklist: comms range test, microcamera lens focus, cufflink transmitter paired to the van. Javier ran a quick scan for interference. Callum checked the seams in Nathan's jacket for concealed stitching.
It was routine, but Nathan found his focus slipping now and then, Ava's boldness from earlier replaying in his head. The way she'd crossed the room, the spark in her eyes when she teased him about the coffee shop. He shook the thought off, leaning into the familiar rhythm of gear prep.
An hour later, everything passed inspection. Callum clapped him on the shoulder. "We're green. See you at the ballroom tomorrow."
Nathan hung the jacket on the assigned rack, double-checking the tag before leaving. Compartmentalize, he told himself. Gear first, game face tomorrow.
Still, as he stepped out into the cool night air, the memory of Ava's smile lingered, stubborn as the city lights.
---
Friday Evening — Ava's POV
By the time Ava left campus, the sky was a soft wash of gold and blue, the kind of evening that made her wish she could linger in the city a little longer. But Saturday's gathering loomed in her mind, heavy and glittering.
She skipped her usual afternoon classes without hesitation. This was about giving herself the mental space to breathe, to steel herself for a night where every glance, every word, might feel like walking a tightrope.
Lena had texted her twice, the first message a bubbly
Her apartment felt unusually still. Ava kicked off her shoes, running her fingers along the back of the sofa as she walked toward her bedroom. The dress was already waiting—elegant, understated, nothing like the glittering gowns Monica would wear, but enough to make her feel like she belonged.
She sank into the edge of her bed, staring at the garment bag for a moment longer. Tomorrow, she'd have to face Monica in public for the first time in months. Face the whispers. Face the unknown.
But for tonight, she allowed herself a small luxury—silence, tea, and the comforting thought that she didn't have to be "ready" just yet.
---