Ryan Walker had not planned on thinking this much about lunch.
In his previous life, lunch had been a purely functional event, something squeezed between obligations, usually eaten too quickly or forgotten entirely until his stomach complained loudly enough to force the issue. Back then, it had never occurred to him that where you ate, who you ate with, and how long you stayed might actually matter.
Now, standing outside the lecture hall as students filtered past him in uneven waves, he found himself hesitating in a way that felt unfamiliar.
Ben Parker noticed immediately, because Ben noticed everything that involved hesitation.
"You're doing that thing again," Ben said, adjusting his bag and tilting his head slightly. "The standing still while pretending you're not standing still thing."
Ryan glanced at him. "I'm thinking."
Ben nodded slowly. "Dangerous territory."
Ryan ignored the comment and scanned the hallway, his attention landing almost instinctively on Elena. She stood near the wall, flipping through her notebook as if checking something important, though the way her eyes moved suggested she was mostly giving herself something to focus on while waiting.
Waiting for what, Ryan was not entirely sure.
He took a breath and walked over at a normal pace, careful not to rush or hover, stopping close enough to be noticed without intruding.
"Hey," he said. "Are you heading to lunch?"
Elena looked up, surprise flickering across her face before settling into recognition. "I think so. I was just… figuring it out."
Ryan smiled faintly. "That seems to be a popular activity today."
Ben stepped in beside Ryan, grinning. "The cafeteria calls to us all eventually."
Elena hesitated. "I don't usually go right away."
Ryan tilted his head slightly. "Any particular reason?"
She thought for a moment, then shrugged lightly. "It's crowded."
"That's fair," Ryan said. "I was hoping to find food without being stepped on."
Ben looked offended. "Crowds add character."
"They add elbows," Ryan replied.
Elena smiled, small but genuine, and Ryan noticed how she relaxed just a little when the conversation settled into something easy.
"Well," Ryan said, keeping his tone casual, "if you want company, we were heading that way."
Elena hesitated, her fingers tightening briefly around the edge of her notebook, then nodded. "Okay."
They joined the flow of students heading toward the cafeteria, the noise growing louder with every step. Ryan adjusted his pace automatically, slowing when Elena did, shifting slightly when the crowd pressed in.
Ben, meanwhile, provided commentary like it was his job.
"I don't understand how the cafeteria is already full," Ben said. "We literally just finished class."
Ryan glanced around. "You say that like students don't eat out of habit."
Ben sighed. "True. I eat when I'm bored."
Elena looked at him. "That must be often."
Ben paused, then laughed. "Painfully accurate."
Inside, the cafeteria buzzed with overlapping conversations, the clatter of trays, and the unmistakable smell of food that was neither impressive nor terrible, just familiar enough to be comforting. Ryan scanned the room briefly, then guided them toward a smaller table near the side, away from the loudest clusters.
They sat down, and for a moment, no one spoke.
Not an awkward silence, just a quiet pause as they settled in.
"So," Ben said eventually, looking around. "First official group lunch."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "You're very quick to label things."
Ben shrugged. "I like structure."
Elena glanced at her tray, then up at Ryan. "Do you come here often?"
Ryan considered the question honestly. "In my previous experience, not enough."
Ben snorted. "He skipped meals like it was a hobby."
Ryan shot him a look. "You're exaggerating."
"Barely," Ben replied.
Elena smiled faintly and took a sip of her drink.
As they ate, the conversation moved easily, drifting from classes to professors to the general confusion of schedules. Elena spoke more than she had in the hallway, offering small observations and thoughtful comments that caught Ryan off guard more than once.
"You notice things," Ryan said at one point, not accusing, just curious.
Elena looked slightly embarrassed. "I listen."
Ryan nodded. "That helps."
Ben leaned back in his chair. "I do neither."
Ryan smiled. "We know."
By the time they finished eating, the noise around them had softened slightly, the initial rush fading into a more manageable hum. Ryan glanced at the time, then back at Elena.
"Do you have another class?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Not for a while."
Ryan hesitated, then made a decision that felt small but deliberate. "We were thinking of heading to the library. You're welcome to join, if you want."
Elena paused, clearly weighing the offer. "I don't want to interrupt."
"You wouldn't," Ryan said. "Ben needs supervision."
Ben raised a hand. "I resent that implication."
Elena laughed softly, then nodded. "Okay."
The library was quieter than the cafeteria, the air cooler and calmer. They found a table near the windows, sunlight filtering in gently, and settled into a comfortable arrangement without much discussion.
For a while, they worked quietly, the kind of silence that felt shared rather than forced. Ryan skimmed through his notes, occasionally glancing up to see Elena focused on her book, her brow furrowed slightly in concentration.
Ben, predictably, broke the silence first.
"So," he whispered, leaning closer, "are we studying or existing quietly?"
Ryan did not look up. "Both."
Elena smiled without lifting her eyes.
As the afternoon wore on, Ryan noticed how easy it felt to stay, to not check the time every few minutes or feel the urge to leave early. When Elena asked a question about an assignment, he answered carefully, taking his time, and when Ben offered an opinion, it was surprisingly helpful.
Eventually, Elena closed her book and stretched slightly. "I should probably head back."
Ryan nodded. "Yeah. Same."
They packed up together and walked out of the library, the campus bathed in late afternoon light. At the crossroads near the steps, Elena slowed.
"This is where I go," she said.
Ryan stopped beside her. "Right."
There was a brief pause, not uncomfortable, just unhurried.
"I'm glad we talked today," Elena said quietly.
Ryan smiled. "Me too."
Ben cleared his throat loudly. "I will pretend not to witness this meaningful moment."
Elena laughed and waved before heading off toward her dorm.
Ryan watched her go, then turned to Ben.
Ben studied him for a moment. "You're doing better."
Ryan exhaled slowly. "I'm trying."
As they walked back toward the hostel, Ryan felt a steady sense of ease settle in, the kind that came from not forcing anything and not running away either.
Lunch had not been a big event.
But somehow, it had mattered.
And Ryan suspected that if he kept choosing moments like this, the rest would follow naturally.