5
"The following day, the professor made an announcement in class that I had been transferred from Team Alpha to Team Beta.
Gracey's attention immediately sharpened, though she didn't yet know why.
Her eyes scanned the room, searching for the reason behind the sudden change.
Then she saw me rise from my seat, and recognition flickered across her face.
It was as if the world had paused for a brief, suspended moment.
She knew me before I even spoke to her, before any words could pass.
The familiarity struck her first, subtle but undeniable.
A mixture of surprise and something unspoken crossed her expression.
I could feel the weight of her gaze even before our eyes met.
In that instant, the past and present collided, quietly, in the middle of the classroom."
Gracey was stunned as she saw me, probably wondering.
"What was I doing here?"
"Do I still remember her?"
"How have I been doing?"
As these thoughts were flipping through her mind, she unconsciously found herself stepping backwards as if she had seen a ghost, but in reality she had just met one—yeah, a ghost from her past.
Reluctantly Gracey steps up to Mike, stretching her hand to shake his.
She then tells him, "Welcome to my team; I hope we can do great things together."
And as my hand and Gracey's hands intertwined, I found myself turning the welcoming handshake into a lingering touch, laced with unspoken affection.
Gracey gazes at me fiercely, in shock that I am actually trying to infuse this moment with a certain allure.
She utters quietly "would you care to let my hand go"
Snapping out of my fantasy
I replied;
"Forgive me for my little delusion and the firm grip on your hand. I've released it… but I do hope we might achieve something unforgettable side by side.
Later on,
As they began the class I stood up from where I was sitting and went to sit beside gracey due to our professor's instructions
And I could hear her heart beating constantly as if she had shivers down her body.
But my mind kept wondering, remembering Carlos as i was sitting right opposite to him.
Reflecting about that hated memory that happened years ago and as my eyes were still locked on Carlos unconsciously,
I could bet on anything at that moment that i saw him smirk at me.
Which made my stomach churn.
It was clear in my eyes he was taunting me with that smug grin on his cheek but to the eyes of other it was just another eye watering moment for the ladies.
It had seemed to appear that he was no longer hiding the fact that he knew me in the past.
I was sitting there, lost in my own thoughts.
A wave of distress had taken over me.
My mind was full of distractions I couldn't shake.
I barely noticed what was happening around me.
Then, I thought I heard my name.
"MIKE" "MIKE"
It was faint, almost like a whisper.
I wasn't sure I had really heard it.
The sound continued in the background.
I didn't realize it was my professor calling me.
Suddenly, I felt all eyes on me.
I had been summoned to answer a question.
My heart skipped a beat.
I snapped out of my distraction instantly.
And,
The moment of distress was over.
Later on,
After class had been dismissed I knew I had to go and meet Gracey.
I could feel it in my chest that we still had a connection.
And,
I also needed to ask her about how far her team had gone in the project and in which area my assistant may be needed.
But there was one little problem
I didn't know where Gracey's dorm was located
Since it's practically been decades since we last spoke and she doesn't have a roommate
I had to think of the one place where I knew I'd definitely be able to meet her,
I was looking for the one place that had always been special to both of us.
It was the spot where she first noticed me, the park near the old stool where she usually sat to study.
I figured if anywhere could remind me of what we once shared, it would be there.
So I went.
And just as I expected, I saw her sitting there.
But she wasn't alone.
There was a guy sitting beside her, too close for my liking.
At first, I slowed down, unsure whether I should even walk over.
I felt a little shy, but also annoyed that someone else was in the space that used to feel like ours.
Still, I pushed myself forward and approached them.
When I finally reached the stool, I looked at her, then at him, and I asked casually but firmly,
"Who is this guy, and why is he sitting here with you?"
She didn't hesitate, didn't even flinch
.
She gave me that confident look I remembered all too well and said,
"He's our team partner."
Then, with a sharper tone, she added,
"And you should watch yourself. We're not together anymore."
The way she said it wasn't just a reminder, it was a challenge.
Her words carried weight, almost like she wanted to put me back in my place.
For a second, I let it sink in.
But instead of backing down, I held her gaze.
I didn't want her to think she could control the moment.
So I shrugged slightly and said,
"I never said anything about us being together."
The words came out steady, calm, but pointed.
I could see the surprise flicker across her face, even if she tried to hide it.
The guy next to her looked between us, sensing the tension.
And in that small exchange, I felt the shift.
I wasn't the one caught off guard anymore.
I had taken control back.
I tried to move past the tension and asked her?
"So, what part of the project should I work on?"
Before she could answer, someone bumped into me from behind, and the coffee cup in my hand tipped forward.
The drink spilled right onto her skirt, leaving a dark stain across the front.
She looked down quickly, clearly annoyed, while I froze in shock. Without thinking, I grabbed a napkin from the table beside us and tried to wipe it off.
But instead of fixing it, I made it worse—the napkin only spread the mess, leaving another part of her shirt wet.
I pulled back, embarrassed, and apologised as I could still feel the warmth from our touch crawling throughout my skin.