Rhaine had a plan for the day: keep conversations short, avoid lingering looks, and above all maintain a safe, Sam-free bubble.
It worked for the first half of the morning. She sat between Maya and Eli during class, excused herself quickly during breaks, and buried her nose in her notes whenever Sam was near.
But the universe clearly enjoyed ruining her life.
---
By the time their last subject rolled around, the teacher announced they'd be working on a partnered project due the next day.
"Pair up with the person sitting beside you," the teacher said.
Rhaine froze.
Maya had swapped seats earlier to talk to Eli, and now Sam was the one beside her.
Her stomach dropped.
She muttered under her breath, "Seriously? Why is it always pairing or grouping? Can't we just… I don't know… work alone for once?"
Sam tilted her head, amused. "Not a fan of teamwork?"
Rhaine gave a flat look. "I'm fine with teamwork. I'm just starting to think the universe is messing with me."
Sam's lips curved slightly. "Messing with you how?"
Rhaine looked away quickly. "Never mind."
---
They decided to work in the library after class. The place was unusually quiet, the afternoon sun spilling through the tall windows. Rhaine sat opposite Sam at one of the long wooden tables, her notebook open but her mind refusing to focus on anything but the slow tap of Sam's pen against the paper.
It was ridiculous how aware she was of every small thing Sam did the way her hair slipped over her shoulder when she leaned forward, the sound of her laugh when she caught a mistake in their notes, even the faint scent of her perfume.
She hated herself for noticing.
She hated herself even more for liking it.
---
They worked for about an hour in near silence. Then Sam broke it.
"You've been… distant," she said, not looking up from her notes.
Rhaine's pen stilled. "I've just been busy."
"That's not it." Sam's voice was quiet but steady. "It's like you're afraid to even sit near me."
Rhaine forced out a scoff. "Why would I be afraid of you?"
"I don't know," Sam said, finally looking up. "You tell me."
The weight of her gaze felt unbearable. Rhaine looked away, eyes fixed on the neat lines of text in her notebook. "You're imagining things."
Sam didn't answer right away. When she finally spoke, her tone was softer. "I'm not."
---
The air between them thickened, and Rhaine could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. She tried to change the subject, pointing to their project outline, but Sam's eyes lingered on her like she could see straight through the paper-thin excuses.
By the time they finished, Rhaine all but bolted from the library, muttering a quick goodbye. She walked fast, her hands clenched tight at her sides.
It wasn't just that Sam was getting too close.
It was that Rhaine was afraid she wouldn't be able to push her away when she did.
And if she couldn't… then she'd have to admit something she wasn't ready to say out loud.
Something that terrified her more than anything.