"Tessa," Jelo greeted, trying to keep his voice steady despite the surprise.
"Hey," she responded casually, as if finding him alone in an empty classroom was the most natural thing in the world. She stepped inside, the door swinging shut behind her with a soft click, and made her way to where he sat. Without asking permission, she hopped up onto the desk beside him, her legs dangling as she settled into place.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Tessa studied him with an intensity that made Jelo acutely aware of every detail of his appearance. Her eyes traced over his face, lingering on features he'd only recently begun to recognize as changed. The silence stretched uncomfortably, broken only by the distant sounds of students moving through the hallways outside.
Then, with characteristic bluntness, Tessa asked, "Did you change something about your appearance?"
