By the third lecture, Evelyn had decided she was overthinking it.
Or at least, that's what she told herself.
She walked into the classroom at a normal time this time not too early, not rushing either. Just enough to blend in with everyone else. The room was already half full, the usual low noise settling in as people found their seats.
She didn't hesitate this time.
Same row. Same seat.
It felt easier that way.
Mia slid into the chair beside her a minute later, slightly out of breath. "I almost didn't make it," she muttered, dropping her bag onto the desk.
"You say that every time," Evelyn said, a small hint of amusement in her voice.
"Because it's true every time."
Evelyn shook her head lightly, opening her notebook. The familiarity of it all helped. Same space, same routine. It made everything feel more manageable.
Normal.
That was what she wanted.
The lecture started the same way it always did—no unnecessary introductions, no wasted time. Adrian Hayes walked in, set his things down, and got straight into the material like the class was already mid-semester.
Evelyn focused.
Really focused this time.
She didn't want a repeat of the past two days. Not the sudden questions, not the attention. So she listened carefully, writing things down properly, keeping her eyes mostly on her notes.
It worked.
For a while.
About halfway through the lecture, Mia leaned slightly closer. "I think I'm already lost," she whispered under her breath.
Evelyn glanced at her notes, then at Mia's blank page.
"You skipped something," Evelyn murmured back quietly. "He explained it earlier."
"When?"
"Like… ten minutes ago."
Mia stared at her. "That's not helpful."
Evelyn almost smiled.
She turned her notebook slightly, just enough for Mia to see. "Here."
Mia leaned in, scanning. "Oh. Okay, that makes more sense."
"Just write it down," Evelyn said. "You'll catch up."
Mia nodded, immediately starting to write.
It was a small thing. Simple. The kind of quiet interaction that didn't draw attention.
At least, it shouldn't have.
"Miss Carter."
Evelyn froze.
Not again.
She looked up slowly, already knowing.
Adrian Hayes was watching her.
Not harshly. Not even disapproving. Just… aware.
"Yes, sir?"
"If you've finished explaining, you can share it with the class."
Her stomach dropped.
Mia went completely still beside her.
For a second, Evelyn considered saying she hadn't been explaining anything. That it was nothing important. That he had misunderstood.
But that wouldn't work.
Not with the way he was looking at her.
So she straightened slightly, trying to ignore the sudden attention from the rest of the room.
"You were explaining the second part of the model," she said carefully. "How the variables connect before the outcome."
A pause.
Then he gave a small nod. "Go on."
Evelyn blinked.
Right.
Of course.
She swallowed lightly, then continued, her voice steady enough even if she didn't feel entirely calm.
"You said the first stage sets the conditions, but the second stage determines how those conditions actually affect the result… so if you don't understand the connection between them, the outcome won't make sense."
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
But she kept going, just enough to finish the thought without dragging it out.
When she stopped, there was a brief moment where no one said anything.
Then
"Correct," he said.
Just like that.
No extra comment.
No praise.
But it was enough.
Evelyn sat back slightly, her grip on her pen loosening.
Beside her, Mia let out the smallest breath. "You just saved me," she whispered.
Evelyn shook her head faintly, still trying to settle the lingering tension in her chest.
It shouldn't feel like this.
It was just answering a question.
Still, she couldn't ignore one thing.
He had noticed.
Again.
The lecture ended not long after that.
This time, Evelyn didn't wait.
She packed her things quickly, standing as soon as people started moving. It wasn't rushed, but it was deliberate. She didn't want to linger, didn't want another moment of unexpected attention.
"Wait," Mia said, trying to keep up as they moved toward the door. "You're actually leaving this fast?"
"Yes."
"That's suspicious."
Evelyn gave her a look. "It's not."
Mia didn't look convinced, but she followed anyway.
The hallway outside was busier than usual, students moving in both directions, conversations overlapping. It was easier to disappear into that kind of crowd, easier to breathe.
Evelyn slowed her pace slightly.
That was better.
"Hey, Evelyn."
She stopped.
The voice wasn't Mia's.
It wasn't familiar either.
She turned, a small crease forming between her brows.
A guy she vaguely recognized from the class approached, holding his notebook awkwardly in one hand. "Um… sorry," he said. "Do you have the notes from earlier? The part you explained?"
Evelyn hesitated for a second, caught off guard.
"Oh… yeah," she said, adjusting her bag. "I can send it."
"Really? That would help a lot."
"Sure."
They exchanged a quick contact, nothing complicated. The interaction was simple, normal. The kind of thing that happened all the time.
Still, by the time she turned back toward Mia, she felt slightly off again.
"You're popular now," Mia said lightly.
"I'm not."
"You kind of are."
Evelyn shook her head, but she didn't argue.
Because something about today felt… different.
Not in a big way.
Just small shifts.
People are noticing her a little more.
Him noticing her more than once.
It didn't add up to anything yet.
But it wasn't anything either.
And that was the part she couldn't quite ignore.
That evening, as she sat at her desk reviewing her notes again, Evelyn paused.
Her pen hovered over the page, unmoving.
She wasn't thinking about the lecture.
Not really.
Her mind kept circling back to one thing.
Not what he said.
Not the questions.
Just the way he looked at her when he called her name.
Focused.
Certain.
Like he had already decided she was worth noticing.
Evelyn frowned slightly, closing her notebook.
That didn't make sense.
It wasn't important.
It shouldn't be.
And yet
For the first time since the semester started, she found herself wondering something she hadn't before.
Not about the course.
Not about her grades.
But about him.
And she didn't like how easily that thought stayed.