Amara sat through the rest of her classes with her mind only half tethered to the lectures. It wasn't that the professors were dull...though some certainly were...it was the weight of anticipation that pressed on her. She kept glancing at the clock, waiting for the moment she'd finally have an excuse to approach him again.
Adrian Cole. The name still replayed in her head like the chorus of a song she hadn't grown tired of. She told herself it was because of the project, because they were partners now, and it was only natural to feel restless about working with someone she didn't know. But deep down, she knew the nervous thrum in her chest wasn't just academic.
By the time the final class ended, she'd worked up enough courage. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she quickened her steps, weaving through the crowd until she spotted him leaning against the railing near the lecture hall entrance, hands in his pockets, staring at nothing in particular.
"Hi," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
He turned, those gray eyes settling on her. For the briefest second, it felt like being seen in a way that stripped her bare. Then, just as quickly, the intensity faded, leaving behind his usual calm detachment.
"You're Adrian, right?" she asked, though she already knew.
"Yes." His tone was even, almost clipped.
"I'm Amara. We're… um, partners for the biology project."
He gave a small nod. "I know."
That was it. No smile, no hint of warmth, just acknowledgment. Amara forced a smile of her own, refusing to let the conversation die. "So, I was thinking...maybe we should decide when and where to meet? You know, to get started."
"Alright."
She blinked. "Alright… as in, now? Or do you have a time in mind?"
"Anytime," he replied, shifting his bag higher on his shoulder.
She tried not to laugh nervously. "Ohhh...Okay. How about the library tomorrow afternoon? Around three? It'll be quiet, and we can go over the outline together."
"Fine."
"Fine..." she repeated, biting back the urge to ask him if he could maybe use more than one-word answers. "Should we exchange numbers, just in case something comes up?"
He hesitated, then reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. "What's yours?"
Relief washed through her, and she rattled off the digits. A second later, her phone buzzed with a single text: Adrian. No emoji, no greeting just his name.
Amara tucked her phone away, unsure if she should laugh at the bluntness or feel disappointed. "Great. Thanks. So, tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow," he confirmed, already half-turning as if ready to leave.
She wanted to hold him there, to stretch the moment into something more, but what else could she say? He wasn't giving her much to work with.
"Okay, see you," she murmured, though he was already walking away.
That night, Amara lay sprawled on her bed, staring at the ceiling as Lara hummed along to music and Elena scribbled in her notebook. She barely heard either of them. Her mind was caught in an endless loop of replaying every second of her conversation with Adrian.
It hadn't gone badly. He hadn't been rude. But he hadn't been warm either. He was polite in the most minimal way possible like speaking to her was just another task to tick off his list.
Still, she couldn't ignore the way her heart had leapt when he'd texted her name. Just Adrian, nothing more, yet she'd stared at it far longer than she should have.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Lara's voice jolted her back.
"I'm not smiling," Amara said quickly, turning onto her side to hide her face.
"You totally were," Lara teased. "Must be a boy."
Amara threw a pillow at her, laughing to cover the truth. "It's nothing."
But when the laughter faded and the dorm settled into quiet, she admitted silently what she wouldn't say aloud: it was something.
Something she didn't fully understand yet.
The next afternoon, she arrived at the library early. Too early. She paced the aisles, checked her phone, then finally sat at a table with her notes spread out like she'd been waiting for hours. When Adrian walked in, punctual as promised, she felt the air shift.
He sat down across from her, his expression unreadable, and opened his notebook without a word.
"So," she began, trying to sound casual, "I thought we could divide the work this way..."
He listened, nodded occasionally, and offered short answers. "Fine." "Sure." "Works."
Every so often, their eyes met across the table. Every time, Amara felt her pulse trip over itself, even though his gaze was calm, detached, almost indifferent.
By the end of the session, they had a schedule set. She closed her notebook, trying not to show her disappointment. She had hoped for more...more conversation, more connection. But maybe that was just wishful thinking.
"Thanks for meeting today," she said softly.
He gave a brief nod. "See you next time."
And just like that, he walked away again.
Amara stayed seated long after, her hand resting on the notebook they'd shared. He hadn't given her much. Barely anything, really.
But to her, it was already enough to want more.
As she finally stood to leave, her phone buzzed. A new message.
"Same time next week."
Her lips curved into a smile she couldn't suppress.
For someone who said so little, Adrian Cole had just managed to leave her restless again.