Emma barely had time to finish her sentence before Zoe walked straight into someone.
The impact wasn't hard, but it was enough to send her stumbling back a step. Her tray tipped dangerously, the carton of orange juice sliding off the edge before hitting the floor with a splash. A few nearby students glanced over at the noise.
"Oh, no."
Before Zoe could crouch to pick it up, someone beat her to it. A hand reached down, picked up the juice carton, and set it carefully back onto her tray.
"It's fine," a calm voice said.
Zoe looked up.
The boy standing in front of her was tall—much taller than she'd expected—with broad shoulders that stretched the fabric of his black T-shirt. His expression didn't change. There was no irritation, no awkward smile, not even the polite amusement most people would've shown after almost being knocked over. He simply held out the tray as though nothing unusual had happened.
She accepted it with a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."
"I noticed."
For a split second, Zoe wasn't sure whether he'd made a joke or simply stated a fact. His face gave nothing away.
"...Right," she said, letting out an awkward laugh. "Well... thanks."
He gave a small nod before stepping around her and continuing toward the tray return without another word.
Zoe watched him disappear into the crowd.
"...Did I just get dismissed?"
Emma walked over, trying not to laugh. "I did tell you to watch where you were going."
"I was watching."
"You were arguing with Nina."
"I can do two things at once."
"You've just proven you can't."
Nina stepped around the puddle of juice on the floor and glanced toward the boy walking away. "That's the new student everyone's been talking about."
"That's him?" Zoe asked.
Ava nodded. "Andrew. He's in Year Eleven, and apparently Coach recruited him."
"Apparently," Emma repeated. "According to you, he's also been expelled, won three football championships, and secretly speaks six languages."
"I never said six."
"You said five."
Ava shrugged. "The day's still young."
Zoe barely heard the rest of the conversation. Her attention remained on Andrew as he returned to his table. His roommates immediately started talking to him again—one of them animatedly waving a fork around while another laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink. Andrew answered with a few quiet words before going back to eating as though the collision had never happened.
Most people would've looked back.
Most people would've at least been curious.
He didn't.
Emma noticed Zoe staring. "What?"
Zoe shook her head, finally picking up her tray again.
"...Nothing."
"You've got that look."
"What look?"
"The one that means you're thinking."
"I always think."
"No," Nina said. "Usually you just improvise."
That earned a laugh from everyone except Zoe.
She glanced across the cafeteria one last time before following her friends toward an empty table.
"...He's weird," she murmured.
Emma smiled. "That's your first impression?"
"It's my only one."
Somehow, though, Zoe had the feeling it wouldn't be her last.