Morning came too fast.
She woke up feeling like her dreams had been pulled straight from that kiss.
It was ridiculous.
Embarrassing.
Infuriating.
Why was she thinking about him this much?
She buried her face in her pillow and groaned softly.
"No. Nope. Not doing this today," she muttered before dragging herself out of bed.
But her reflection in the mirror betrayed her.
She looked… different.
Softer around the eyes.
More aware.
More alive.
All because of one stupid, reckless, heart-shaking kiss.
She shook her head sharply and grabbed her bag.
She wasn't giving him that power.
Not today.
But the moment she stepped into campus, her heartbeat betrayed her too.
Because he was there.
Standing by the hallway railings with two guys.
Laughing.
Sunlight brushing over those golden, slightly tousled strands of hair—
that weren't too bright,
just the perfect shade of careless perfection.
He looked unfairly good.
And the worst part?
He wasn't even trying.
She exhaled, straightened her spine, and walked past like she didn't notice.
Except…
He noticed her.
Immediately.
His laugh softened, his voice dropped, and his eyes followed her with that same slow, heated awareness he had during the kiss.
She felt his gaze like warm fingers sliding down her shoulders.
No.
Stop.
Focus.
She forced her steps to stay steady.
But she could feel him watching her walk away.
And she hated how her stomach flipped because of it.
Inside the classroom, she took her seat and pulled out her notebook like she was preparing for war.
But she didn't have time to settle—
because he came in seconds later.
She didn't look.
She absolutely didn't.
But the moment he passed her desk, the air shifted—
like the temperature rose just around him.
He dropped into his seat two rows behind her, same as always.
The same place he watched her from.
She tried to focus on the lecturer.
Tried to write.
But her pen froze when she felt that gaze again.
She didn't have to turn.
She knew.
He was staring at her.
Hard.
Bold.
Unmoving.
Ever since last night.
Her breath hitched before she masked it.
She tilted her head slightly, pretending to stretch her neck—
her eyes briefly catching his.
And the world… paused.
His gaze was intense.
Like he was replaying the kiss too.
Like he wasn't over it.
Not even close.
She looked away quickly, her throat tight.
This boy was dangerous.
After class, she rushed outside—
but he followed.
Again.
She heard the familiar pattern of his footsteps falling behind hers.
He wasn't calling her name.
He wasn't trying to stop her.
He was just following.
Silently.
But his presence felt louder than footsteps.
She tried to ignore it.
Tried to stay calm.
Then she stepped out into the sunlight—
and he stepped right beside her, matching her pace with irritating ease.
She pretended not to notice.
But her heart was making its own drum concert.
Finally, she sighed loudly.
"You're doing this on purpose."
He didn't look at her.
"Doing what?"
His voice was low. Controlled.
But she heard the hidden amusement in it.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You know what."
He glanced at her now—slowly—
his eyes dropping briefly to her lips before meeting hers again.
Her breath caught.
"I'm not doing anything," he said quietly. "You're just… reacting."
Her cheeks warmed instantly.
She hated him.
She hated how he talked like that.
Confident. Smooth.
Like he already knew how she felt.
She looked away quickly.
"I'm not reacting."
He hummed.
A soft, smug, devastating sound.
"Sure."
She clenched her jaw and kept walking.
This boy was going to kill her.
She went to the cafeteria later with Maya, determined to get her mind off him.
Maya was talking about next weekend, about clothes, about exams—
but she was barely hearing a word.
Because he walked in.
Of course.
She froze.
He spotted her immediately.
Their eyes locked—
just for a second—
but the pull between them tightened like invisible string.
He walked to another table with his friends, but he kept looking at her.
And every time his gaze found hers,
she looked away too fast.
Maya noticed.
"Girl," Maya whispered. "What is going on between you two?"
"Nothing."
Maya raised a brow.
"You're lying."
She stabbed a piece of food with her fork aggressively.
"There is nothing going on."
Maya leaned closer.
"Then why are you holding your breath?"
She blinked.
"…I'm not."
"You so are."
She gripped her fork tighter.
She hated that Maya could see it.
She hated that anyone could.
Because the truth was—
She was holding her breath.
Every time he looked at her.
Because it made her chest warm.
Made her stomach twist.
Made her lips tingle like they still remembered his.
And worst of all—
A part of her wanted him to look again.
When she left the cafeteria, Maya waved goodbye and walked the opposite direction.
She headed toward the library, hoping for silence.
But halfway there—
she heard him call her name.
Soft.
Low.
Dangerous.
She froze.
Slowly, she turned.
He was standing under the shade of a tree, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.
She swallowed.
He didn't smirk.
Didn't tease.
He just… stared.
The tension between them thickened, humming in the air like electricity.
He took one step closer.
She didn't move.
Another step.
Still she didn't move.
His eyes held hers, serious now, deeper than before.
Last night's kiss was between them—
in the silence,
in the air,
in the space that kept pulling them together no matter how much she pretended.
He didn't touch her.
But his voice dropped low enough to shake her.
"You can pretend it meant nothing," he said quietly. "But we both know it's not letting you go."
Her heart thudded painfully.
He took one more slow step, close enough that she could smell his cologne—
that same clean, warm scent that filled her head since last night.
Close enough that if she breathed too deeply, she would touch him.
Close enough to make her forget how to think.
Then he leaned in—
not touching.
Not kissing.
Just close enough for his breath to brush her cheek.
"I felt it," he whispered. "You did too."
Her entire body went still.
He stepped back.
Didn't say another word.
Just walked away.
Leaving her breathless, shaky, and completely undone.
And she hated that he was right.
The kiss wasn't letting her go.
It was pulling her deeper.
And she…
she was falling.
Whether she wanted to or not.