Ariana's pencil hovered over her notebook, but she wasn't writing. She was too busy watching the commotion near the classroom doorway.
A boy she didn't recognize was leaning casually against the wall, chatting with the boys in her class like he owned the place. His laugh carried easily across the room, smooth and confident, making her stomach twist with a mix of irritation and… something she refused to name.
Newcomers aren't supposed to act like this, she muttered under her breath.
Elena leaned closer, whispering, "Who's the new guy?"
Ariana shot her a look. "Don't know. Don't care. But seriously, newcomers shouldn't act like they own the place. Too smooth, too… casual. It's annoying."
Naomi, always quieter, added, "Maybe he's just confident?"
"Confident? In our high school?" Ariana scoffed. "Please. If he thinks being Mr. Smooth will make everyone like him, he's wrong. ."
Elena giggled. "Ooooh, you're judging him already, aren't you?"
"I'm observing," Ariana corrected, rolling her eyes. "Observation is different from judging."
Naomi just shook her head, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You always have to have an opinion on everything, huh?"
Ariana smirked. "Better than ignoring obvious weirdness."
Across the room, a few students whispered to each other, glancing at the newcomer with curiosity, while others rolled their eyes, clearly unimpressed. Ariana noticed it all but tried to act like she wasn't paying attention.
Then something unexpected happened. The boy's eyes flicked toward her. Ariana's chest skipped a beat—not because she knew him, but because the look in his eyes felt weirdly familiar.
Quickly, she dropped her gaze to her notebook, pretending to focus on the math problems she hadn't even read.
Okay, Ariana, don't make a scene. Just… act normal, she told herself, tugging her hair behind her ear.
He took a slow, deliberate step toward the front of the class, still glancing around like he owned the room. Ariana's stomach tightened. Something about him—calm, unreadable, confident—made her want to glare and run at the same time.
From across the room, she noticed Alex watching silently, arms crossed, frown tugging at his lips. Ariana rolled her eyes. He didn't need to know, and honestly, neither did she.
The teacher started the lesson, but Ariana couldn't concentrate. Her eyes kept flicking to him, and she caught herself wondering: Why did he feel familiar? And why did her chest tighten whenever he glanced her way?
The bell finally rang, and Ariana grabbed her bag, practically bolting for the door. She left the boy leaning casually against the wall, watching her go with that same calm, enigmatic expression.
Elena nudged her as they walked out. "You're staring way too much, you know. You'll get a headache at this rate."
Ariana huffed. "I'm not staring!"
Naomi rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Sure. That's why you nearly spilled your water bottle just now."
Elena snorted. "Yep, definitely staring. And panicking. Classic huh."
Ariana just shook her head, muttering, "Shut up, both of you. And don't tell anyone. I'm… totally fine."
Who is he? And why do I feel like I've seen him before? she wondered, walking down the hallway.
What she didn't notice was the faint smirk that ghosted across his face as he watched her leave—like he already knew this wouldn't be the last time they'd meet.