"Did you hear the news? Theodore is transferring to our school," one of the girls said.
"I can't believe it! Finally, I'll get to see him in person," the other girl replied happily.
She glanced toward the girls whispering excitedly, trying to catch a glimpse of what had everyone so animated. "Theodore… who's that?" she muttered to herself, tilting her head.Her thoughts swirled with questions. Was he popular? Why were they so excited? And, for some reason she didn't understand yet, Isabel felt a strange pull to see him for herself.
She leaned back in her chair, pretending to focus on her notebook, but her eyes kept darting toward the entrance, waiting to catch the first glimpse of the new student.
Just as the chatter in the classroom started to settle, the door opened, and a tall boy walked in. His hair was slightly tousled, and he carried himself with an easy confidence that immediately drew the eyes of everyone in the room.
"There he is," one of the girls whispered, nudging her friend. "I told you he'd be amazing in person."
"Theodore, welcome to Monticello University. Find a vacant seat where you'll be comfortable," the teacher said.
He smiled politely and chose a seat near the window, settling in quietly.
"Is this seat available?" the guy asked.
Isabela looked up, startled, and then quickly shook her head. "Uh… no, it's free," she said, gesturing to the chair beside her.The boy smiled and slid the chair out, sitting down with an easy confidence.
"Thanks," he said. "I'm Theodore, by the way. Just transferred here."
"Isabela," she replied softly, still feeling a little shy. "Welcome… I mean, to Monticello."
Isabela settled into her favorite corner of the library, a stack of books beside her. She ran her fingers over the spines, savoring the familiar comfort of stories waiting to be discovered.After an hour, Isabel decided to borrow books from the library.
"Thank you, Miss Kelly," Isabel said to the librarian.
She was about to leave the library when she suddenly bumped into someone. It was Theodore. The books fell to the floor.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," Theodore said quickly, kneeling down to help her pick them up. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"That's okay," Isabel replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I guess I wasn't either."
They both laughed softly as they gathered the scattered books. When they stood up, their eyes met for a brief moment.
"Are you getting all of these?" Theodore asked, glancing at the stack in her arms.
"Yes," Isabela said with a smile. "I have a lot of reading to do."
"Well," he said, holding the door open for her, "good luck with that."
"Thanks," she replied, stepping outside with her books safely in her arms, wondering if bumping into Theodore had been just an accident — or the start of something new.
A girl nearby had been watching them. She was looking at Isabel angrily.She walked over confidently and stood close to Theodore.
"Hi, Theodore. Nice meeting you," Venice said in a flirtatious tone, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
Isabel blinked in surprise. Theodore looked slightly confused.
"Uh… hi," Theodore replied politely.
Isabel shifted her books in her arms, feeling the tension in the air.
"Well, I should get going," she said quietly.
Before she could step away, Theodore spoke up. "Wait, Isabel — I can walk with you."
Venice's smile faded just a little as she crossed her arms.She couldn't believe that Theodore was ignoring her. She had admired him since they were children. In fact, the only reason she transferred to Monticello was because of him.
"Who's that girl?" Venice asked one of her friends, trying to sound casual even though her chest felt tight.
Agatha glanced across the hallway and smirked. "That's Isabel—the bookworm.
Venice followed her gaze. The girl was quietly holding a stack of books close to her chest, her eyes focused on the floor as she walked. She didn't look like someone who would steal attention.
Yet Theodore was looking at her.
And that hurt more than Venice wanted to admit.