If first impressions were supposed to mean something, Aria decided Levi Hale had already ruined everything.
He was too calm. The kind of calm that irritated her, like he already knew what everyone was going to say before they said it.
He had that annoyingly confident walk, that lazy half-smile that probably worked on every girl except her — and yet, she could still feel the heat of it when he passed by.
The problem wasn't that Levi was rude or arrogant.
The problem was that he didn't try. He just existed, and somehow that was enough to throw her off balance.
It was Wednesday, the first full day since he joined school, and fate clearly had a wicked sense of humor — he'd been assigned the empty seat right next to hers.
"Seriously?" she muttered under her breath when the teacher pointed him to sit beside her.
Levi caught the look she gave him — that signature disgusted face — and tilted his head.
"Wow," he whispered as he sat down. "Do I smell that bad, or is that just your default expression?"
Aria's pen paused mid-note. "It's my 'don't talk to me' face," she replied sharply. "You'll get used to it."
He grinned, tapping his pen lightly. "Already loving the hospitality."
She tried to ignore him, but her focus was gone. Every few seconds, she caught herself glancing his way — not because she wanted to, but because he wasn't doing anything wrong. He just sat there, writing quietly, occasionally looking out the window like he belonged in some moody movie scene.
And that annoyed her even more.
By the end of class, her notebook was a battlefield of doodles and incomplete notes. When the bell rang, she shoved her books into her bag too quickly and almost knocked his pen off the desk.
"Whoa," Levi said, catching it midair. "Careful, Aria. Violence isn't a love language."
"Good thing I don't love you, then."
His grin widened, slow and effortless. "Not yet."
Aria froze. He'd said it so casually, so teasingly, like he didn't mean it — but something about the words made her chest tighten.
As she walked out of class, she tried to shake it off. He was her sister's ex-boyfriend's brother — practically off-limits by default. Her family would freak out if they even stood too close.
And yet… the more she tried to hate him, the more destiny seemed determined to shove him in her path.
At lunch, he appeared again — behind her in line.
During gym, they ended up as accidental partners.
And on the way home, he was walking the exact same route.
"Are you following me now?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Levi raised his hands innocently. "I live two streets away from you. Blame your address, not my timing."
She huffed, rolling her eyes and walking faster. But before she could escape, he called after her:
"Hey, Aria?"
She turned halfway, frowning. "What?"
He smiled — not the teasing one this time, but a small, genuine smile that somehow made her forget to breathe.
"Next time you make that face at me," he said softly, "at least try not to make it look so cute."
Her jaw dropped. "I—what—? You—ugh!"
Levi laughed as she stormed off, cheeks burning crimson.
And somewhere deep down, under the irritation and confusion, a tiny part of her heart — the part that believed in signs and letters and impossible futures — whispered that maybe destiny wasn't done playing yet.