The morning at school was still crisp. The damp air from last night's rain had fogged up the library windows. The chill from the rain made the silence thicker than usual.
Nayara arrived earlier than usual. The books on the shelves still smelled of warm dust, and the sunlight was just beginning to filter through the glass, creating golden patterns on the long table near the window. And that's where she decided to sit.
She had brought three books: debate notes, a scientific journal, and a novel she secretly loved but never admitted to anyone—Pride & Prejudice. The novel wasn't meant to be read today, but somehow it always came with her whenever she went to the library.
From her seat, Nayara could look out onto the small park beside the building, and a small section of the basketball court in the distance. It was a perfect spot for pretending to study while actually daydreaming.
She opened her debate notes and began to jot down a few points. Her handwriting was neat, but her eyes weren't always focused on the page. Occasionally, she would stop writing and look around, just to find inspiration.
There was someone behind a tall shelf.
Raka.
The man stood in front of the "Sciences" shelf, flipping through a book intently. He wore a white-and-gray uniform that somehow remained neat even though his tie was loose. His hair was slightly messy. At first glance, he looked like someone who came just to hang out, but the way he browsed the rows of books suggested otherwise. He picked up a thick book, then his eyes shifted to the table where Nayara was sitting.
Once again, they were both surprised to find each other.
Nayara spontaneously straightened her seat. She rewrote a sentence that was actually correct.
"Effective leadership is born from a balance between vision and empathy."
She tapped the tip of her pen on the table—a small habit she had when nervous.
From behind the shelf, Raka moved toward Nayara's desk. Nayara became even more surprised and tense, especially since Raka then sat across from her, at the same table.
Why is he sitting there, Nayara complained. It's making me lose focus.
Nayara glanced briefly and realized that Raka had indeed taken the chair first. There was a white jacket draped over the back of the chair. It belonged to Raka.
Ah, I'm such an idiot, she thought.
Nayara glanced again, this time at Raka.
And again, their gazes met.
It wasn't for long, but enough to make Nayara want to look down as quickly as possible. Raka chose to stare back at his book, while Nayara pretended to look for the page she had actually been opening.
A few minutes later, Nisa entered with a cup of instant coffee and a step that was too energetic for that morning.
"Wow, Nay, you're early. Oh—" she stopped when she saw Raka. "So it's not just the air that's refreshing here."
"Nisa!" Nayara hissed warningly.
"I'm just stating the facts. It's not a sin," Nisa replied, sitting down beside Nayara. She swept her gaze over Raka, who looked calm. She then continued, this time addressing both of them, "The whole school will be jealous if they see you two sitting at the same table, even facing each other. The most wanted girl," she said, waving at Nayara, "and the most wanted boy," this time pointing at Raka.
Raka just smiled slightly. Nayara immediately covered her friend's mouth with one hand.
She was too embarrassed to look up, so she decided to pretend to be writing.
Through the window, Raka's reflection was visible as he stood up, returned the book to the shelf, and grabbed his bag. He walked out of the library with a relaxed pace. There was no drama. No frozen moment. Just a clear presence, and then he was gone.
Nisa looked at Nayara, then narrowed her eyes. "Are you daydreaming?"
"No," Nayara replied. Her voice was calm, but she didn't immediately turn around.
"Are you sure?"
Nayara took a short breath. "Just thinking, sometimes the loudest things in the world are the ones never said."
Nisa snorted. "Okay. That just sounded like a quote from an indie movie."
At the other end of the table, the librarian, who had been pretending not to care, finally looked at them and cleared her throat softly.
"Kids... this is a library, not a teen sitcom."
Nisa and Nayara quickly covered their mouths, holding back laughter.