Chapter 3: Crossing Paths
The morning felt heavier than usual, but not because of the weight of her backpack. Anna's thoughts were tangled with one thing—Jordan Blake. She kept replaying the moment in the cafeteria, his amber eyes lingering on hers, the soft, teasing smile that had somehow made the chaos of the school fade for a few precious seconds.
She shook her head as she walked down the crowded corridor. She shouldn't care. He was Jordan Blake—the boy who broke rules for fun, the one everyone whispered about with a mix of fear and awe. And yet, for reasons she didn't fully understand, he had noticed her.
"Hey freak," a familiar voice called from behind. A group of girls snickered, nudging each other as Anna passed. She kept her head down, praying silently that they wouldn't touch her.
"Ignore them," she whispered to herself. She had learned this early: reacting only gave them power.
Her first class was history, a subject she liked because it allowed her to disappear into facts rather than the opinions of her classmates. She settled into her usual seat by the window, opening her notebook and trying to focus on the notes she had meticulously prepared the night before.
Then she felt it—a presence. Not intrusive, not rude, but undeniable. She glanced up. Jordan Blake was leaning against the back wall, arms crossed, casually surveying the room. His eyes met hers, and he gave the tiniest of nods before returning to his notebook.
Her heart raced. Did he just... acknowledge her?
The teacher cleared her throat, drawing attention back to the lesson, but Anna could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She tried to focus on the textbook, but her mind kept wandering. Every glance from Jordan felt like a spark—small, fleeting, but impossible to ignore.
The morning dragged on in a blur of lectures and whispers. By the time the bell rang for break, Anna was already mentally preparing herself for the inevitable chaos. She wasn't wrong. The hallway erupted with energy as students poured out, laughing, pushing, and jostling for lockers.
And then she collided with someone.
"Whoa!" she exclaimed, stumbling backward.
"I didn't see you there," a deep voice said.
She looked up—and froze. Jordan Blake stood before her, one hand held out to steady her. The hallway felt impossibly loud, but the sound faded into background noise. All she could see were his sharp eyes and that teasing half-smile.
"I—sorry," she stammered, taking his hand and regaining her balance.
Jordan's grip was firm, but not overbearing. He stepped back, letting go, and nodded toward the far end of the hall. "Careful. You never know who—or what—you might run into."
Anna's heart thumped painfully. She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came. Instead, she just nodded, feeling the warmth of his presence linger even after he had moved away.
By the time she reached her locker, whispers had begun again. "Did you see that?" someone said. "He—he helped her?"
"Gross," another replied. "He's playing with her or something."
Anna sighed, closing her locker with more force than necessary. She had hoped to remain invisible, to glide through the day unnoticed. But Jordan's attention had changed everything. Suddenly, she felt exposed, yet strangely exhilarated.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Every class felt interminable, every glance from Jordan a jolt of adrenaline. She didn't know what he wanted, why he had noticed her, or if this was simply a cruel trick. But one thing was certain: he had changed the way she felt about the hallways, the whispers, and even herself.
By the time the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Anna was both exhausted and restless. She walked toward the exit, head down, when she noticed him leaning against the school gate.
"Waiting for someone?" she asked, keeping her voice casual even though her pulse raced.
Jordan smirked. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just curious about you."
Anna's stomach flipped. "Curious about me?"
"Yeah," he said, tilting his head. "You're... different. Not like the others. Most people here are loud, careless, trying to fit in. You... you don't. And it's kind of interesting."
She swallowed hard. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. The baddest guy in school, the one everyone feared and envied, had actually spoken to her. And not just any words—words that hinted he might actually see her, not the target of ridicule, not the girl everyone avoided.
"I... I have to go," she said finally, backing away slowly.
Jordan's grin widened. "Sure. See you tomorrow, freak."
Her cheeks burned at the nickname, but oddly, it didn't feel cruel this time. Somehow, it felt... personal.
As she walked home, Anna couldn't stop thinking about him. About the way his eyes had lingered on hers, the way his words had made the whispers fade, even if only for a moment. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, or what Jordan Blake truly wanted.
But one thing was certain—her world at Crestwood High had just shifted, and nothing would ever feel the same again.