Blake Rowan had always been impossible to ignore.
He didn't try.
That was the problem.
Tall, sharp-featured, calm eyes that seemed to see too much—Blake sat by the window in class, posture relaxed, fingers tapping lightly against his desk as if the world moved at his pace.
Top grades.
Perfect manners.
Unreachable aura.
Girls whispered his name like a secret. Teachers praised him openly. Even the boys respected him.
And Blake noticed none of it.
Or so it seemed.
---
When the academic showcase list was posted on the notice board, students crowded around it.
Blake scanned the names once.
Then paused.
Mira Hale.
His gaze lingered.
Interesting.
---
During literature class, the teacher paired students for a short discussion.
"Blake Rowan," she said. "You'll work with Mira Hale."
The room reacted instantly.
Gasps.
Whispers.
Sharp looks from every corner.
Mira blinked in surprise.
Blake turned in his seat and met her eyes for the first time.
"You're Mira," he said, voice calm, polite. "Nice to finally meet you."
She nodded. "Nice to meet you too."
That was it.
No flirting.
No tension.
And somehow, that made everyone else more uncomfortable.
---
As they worked, Blake noticed things.
The way Mira listened before she spoke.
The precision of her answers.
The depth in her thoughts—far beyond what the assignment required.
"You think deeply," Blake said quietly.
Mira smiled faintly. "I've had time."
He looked at her with new interest. "So have I."
---
Across the room, Ariana watched them.
Blake never talked to girls like that.
Not softly.
Not attentively.
Her nails dug into her palm.
---
Later that day, as students filed out, Blake walked beside Mira.
"You're presenting at the showcase," he said. "What topic?"
"Resilience in classical literature," she replied.
His lips curved slightly. "That suits you."
She glanced at him. "You think so?"
"I know so," he said.
From the corridor above, Dominic paused mid-step.
He saw them together.
He didn't know why—but something about the way Blake looked at Mira made his chest tighten.
Blake wasn't mocking.
He wasn't pitying.
He was… impressed.
Dominic's eyes darkened.
---
That night, messages flooded Ariana's phone.
Is Blake close to Mira?
Do you think he likes her?
Ariana stared at the screen.
For the first time, jealousy wasn't loud.
It was cold.
And sharp.