Days turned into weeks, and Eva and Lucas hadn't had any encounters since their initial meeting. Eva had almost forgotten about him, until one day when she and Hazel were eating lunch in the cafeteria. They were gossiping and laughing, enjoying each others company, when suddenly Lucas appeared out of nowhere.
"Hey, mind if I join you?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Eva.
Eva was taken aback, unsure of what to say. But before she could respond, Hazel chimed in.
"Of course, join us!" Hazel said, scooting over to make room for Lucas.
Eva felt a pang of annoyance at Hazel's eagerness, but she couldn't deny the flutter in her chest as Lucas sat down beside her. The three of them chatted and laughed together, enjoying each others company.
But their little gathering didn't go unnoticed. As they sat there, Eva noticed a group of girls staring at them from across the cafeteria. They were whispering and pointing, their eyes fixed on Lucas with a mixture of admiration and envy.
"Look at him, sitting with Eva and Hazel," one of them whispered. "He's so cute!"
"I know, right? I can't believe he's interested in Eva," another girl replied. "She's not even that pretty."
Eva felt a surge of annoyance at the girls' catty comments, but she tried to ignore them. She didn't want to let their negativity ruin her lunch with Hazel and Lucas.
But as they continued to chat and laugh together, Eva couldn't help but notice the way Lucas was looking at her. His eyes were fixed on hers, his gaze intense and piercing. She felt like he was seeing right through her, like he knew all her secrets.
And then, just as she was starting to feel uncomfortable, Lucas turned to her and asked, "So, Eva, what do you like to do for fun?"
Eva was taken aback by the question, but she tried to play it cool. "Um, I like to read and hang out with my friends," she replied.
Lucas nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "That's cool. I like to read too. What kind of books do you like?"
Eva was surprised by his interest, but she tried to roll with it. "I like romance novels and mystery novels," she replied. "How about you?"
Lucas smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I like thrillers and sci-fi," he said. "I love getting lost in a good book."
Eva felt a flutter in her chest as she realized how much she had in common with Lucas. It was weird, because she hadn't expected to connect with him like this. They kept on talking and forgot that there was a third party there Hazel. Hazel just sat down eating and listened to their conversation. They talked till lunch was over and Lucas left immediately leaving Eva and Hazel to walk back to the class alone.
Eva and Hazel were walking down the hallway, heading to their next class. Hazel turned to Eva with a mischievous grin on her face.
"I have a secret to tell you," Hazel said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Eva raised an eyebrow, curious about what Hazel was going to say. "What is it?" she asked.
"I think Lucas likes you," Hazel said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Eva rolled her eyes, laughing. "That's ridiculous," she said. "Lucas is just a friend."
But Hazel was undeterred. "I've seen the way he looks at you, Eva," she said. "He can't take his eyes off you. And the way he smiles at you, it's like he's smitten."
Eva shook her head, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. "You're just imagining things, Hazel," she said.
But Hazel continued to press her point. "I'm telling you, Eva, I've seen the way he looks at you. He's got a crush on you for sure. And the way he talks to you, it's like he's trying to impress you."
Eva sighed, feeling frustrated. "Hazel, stop thinking trash," she said. "Lucas is just a friend, and that's all. We're not interested in each other like that."
But Hazel just smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I know what I've seen, Eva," she said. "And I think you're denying it because you don't want to admit your feelings."
Eva shook her head, feeling a bit annoyed. "Whatever, Hazel," she said. "Let's just go back to class. We're going to be late."
Hazel nodded, but Eva could tell she wasn't convinced. As they walked into class, Eva couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. She knew Hazel was just teasing her, but a small part of her wondered if there was any truth to her friend's words.