The next morning, Rhaine sat at her desk, tapping her pencil against her notebook as though the rhythmic sound could block out her thoughts. She was early to class again.
It wasn't because she was suddenly a model student. No, it was because she wanted to avoid bumping into Sam on the way to school. After last night, after the walk home, after Sam's partner comment, she needed distance. Space. Time to rebuild the walls Sam kept chipping away at without permission.
Unfortunately, space was something she rarely got these days.
"Morning, early bird," Maya's cheerful voice cut into her thoughts.
Rhaine glanced up to see her best friend drop her bag on the desk beside hers. Eli followed a second later, sliding into the seat in front of them with his usual calm grin.
"Why do you always look like you've fought an entire war before class even starts?" Maya teased, eyeing Rhaine's slumped posture.
"Because she has," Eli said smoothly, turning halfway in his seat. "Her opponent: her own brain."
"Not funny," Rhaine muttered, flipping her pencil around in her fingers.
Maya leaned closer, lowering her voice so the rest of the room couldn't hear. "Soooo… did Sam walk you home yesterday?"
Rhaine nearly dropped her pencil. "What—how do you even know that?"
"Because you're terrible at lying," Maya whispered, her grin widening. "And Eli said he saw you two leaving the café together."
"Correction," Eli said, raising a finger. "I saw two silhouettes that looked suspiciously like you and Sam. And when I asked Maya about it, she put two and two together."
"Betrayal," Rhaine groaned, covering her face with her hands.
"Oh, come on, Rhaine," Maya said, nudging her arm. "It's not like it's a crime to hang out with her. She's… Sam. Everyone likes her."
"That's the problem," Rhaine shot back before she could stop herself.
Maya's eyebrows shot up. "The problem?"
"Forget it."
"Nope," Maya said firmly. "You can't just drop a suspicious line like that and expect me to 'forget it.' Spill."
Eli rested his chin on his palm, smirking. "This should be good."
Rhaine glared at both of them, wishing the ground would just swallow her whole. But Maya wasn't going to let go, not when she had that glint in her eyes—the I know you're hiding something and I'm going to dig it out look.
Finally, Rhaine sighed. "I'm just… tired of it. The pairing. The grouping. Why is it always Sam? There are, like, twenty other people in our class. Why can't I just… work with anyone else?"
Maya exchanged a quick glance with Eli, who raised his eyebrows knowingly.
"Maybe," Maya said slowly, "because the universe is trying to tell you something."
Rhaine felt heat rise in her cheeks. "Don't start."
"Start what?" Maya asked innocently. "I'm just saying, maybe there's a reason you keep ending up with her. Maybe you're supposed to—"
"Stop," Rhaine cut in, sharper than she meant to. "Just… stop, okay? Not everything is some big sign from the universe. It's coincidence. Nothing else."
Eli tilted his head, his calm voice cutting in. "Coincidence doesn't usually make you this defensive, Rhaine."
That shut her up.
Her hands tightened around her pencil until she worried it might snap in two. Defensive? She wasn't defensive. She was just… logical. Rational. She didn't want to be paired with Sam because Sam was… well, Sam. The kind of girl who slipped into your life too easily, who laughed at all the wrong moments, who looked at you like she could read your thoughts.
And if she let herself believe Maya and Eli's teasing, if she let herself admit what it all really meant…
No. She wouldn't.
Before Maya could push further, the classroom door swung open.
Sam walked in.
The air shifted instantly. Students perked up, conversations quieted, eyes followed her as she strode confidently to her seat near the back. She wore her usual easy smile, greeting people with a casual wave.
Rhaine felt her stomach flip. She forced herself to look away, but not before Sam's eyes found hers across the room. A small, knowing smile curved Sam's lips.
Rhaine snapped her gaze back to her notebook, pretending to scribble something down. Her ears burned.
Maya leaned closer, whispering just loud enough for her to hear: "Coincidence, huh?"
Rhaine elbowed her in the ribs.
---
The day dragged on, each class stretching longer than usual. The tension between Rhaine and Sam wasn't explosive, but it simmered under the surface, quiet and persistent. Whenever Sam spoke up in class, Rhaine's attention betrayed her, drifting toward the sound of her voice even when she swore she wouldn't. Whenever Sam laughed with another classmate, something ugly and confusing twisted in Rhaine's chest.
By the time lunch rolled around, she was ready to crawl under a table and never come out.
Maya and Eli had already claimed a spot in the cafeteria, waving her over. She slid into the seat across from them, slumping onto the table with a groan.
"Rough morning?" Eli asked, biting into his sandwich.
"You have no idea," Rhaine mumbled.
"Sam again?" Maya asked casually.
"Shut up," Rhaine said automatically.
Which, of course, only made them laugh.
As if on cue, Sam appeared at their table. "Room for one more?"
Rhaine nearly choked on her drink. "W-what are you doing here?"
"Eating lunch," Sam said simply, sliding into the empty seat beside her. "Unless you've claimed this spot as exclusively yours, in which case sorry, but I'm not moving."
Rhaine stared at her, speechless.
Maya, bless her meddling soul, leaned across the table with a grin. "Of course you can join us, Sam."
"Thanks," Sam said warmly, unpacking her food.
Rhaine sat frozen, her fork hovering uselessly above her plate. Why did it have to be this table? Why did Sam always—always find a way into her space, her routine, her thoughts?
The conversation flowed easily around her Maya asking Sam about the café, Eli chiming in with sarcastic commentary but Rhaine barely heard any of it. She was too busy trying not to notice the way Sam's shoulder brushed hers every now and then, or the way Sam's laughter felt like it belonged far too close.
Finally, Sam turned to her directly. "You're quiet today."
"I'm always quiet," Rhaine muttered.
"Not with your friends," Sam countered.
Her friends snickered.
Rhaine wanted to sink into the floor.
"Maybe she's just tired," Maya said, clearly enjoying the situation. "Or maybe she's just tired of someone."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Am I bothering you, partner?"
The word hit like a spark. Rhaine's face heated instantly, and she stammered, "Y-you really don't have to keep calling me that."
"But I like it," Sam said easily, leaning back with a teasing smile. "It suits you."
"It doesn't," Rhaine shot back.
"Then why do you get flustered every time I say it?"
Rhaine froze, mouth opening but no words coming out. Maya and Eli exchanged delighted looks, as if they were watching the best drama unfold live.
"I—I don't—" Rhaine stammered. "You're imagining things."
Sam tilted her head, her smile softening. "Maybe. Or maybe you're just not ready to admit it."
The words were simple, almost casual, but they cut deeper than Rhaine expected. She swallowed hard, her chest tight.
"I'm not…" she muttered, but her voice trailed off. She didn't even know what she was denying anymore Sam's teasing, her own feelings, or the bigger truth lurking in the back of her mind.
Sam didn't press further. She just smiled, like she knew exactly what was going on and was willing to wait.
And that, more than anything, terrified Rhaine.
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Still in the thick of exam week, but almost at the finish line! Thanks for your patience, everyone 😅