The classroom buzzed with quiet concentration as students took notes. Professor Louis was fully immersed in his lecture, his voice animated. Suddenly, the door slammed open with a resounding crash, startling everyone.
A tall, annoyed-looking guy stood in the doorway. His blond hair was soaked, and his black T-shirt clung to him, dripping with rain. His jeans and white sneakers were splattered with mud. Emily's heart skipped a beat—it was the boy she had helped earlier!
The storm outside raged on, with thunder rumbling in the distance. Louis narrowed his eyes and glared at the newcomer. "Ryan, late again. And kicking the door? You've disrupted the entire class!" His voice was sharp, filled with frustration.
Ryan seemed entirely uninterested. Wiping the rain from his face, he casually shook his head, sending droplets everywhere, including onto Louis's glasses. The room fell silent as students exchanged shocked glances.
Ignoring the commotion, Ryan shrugged. "It's raining. What do you expect?" he muttered before strolling down the aisle toward the back of the room, hands shoved deep in his pockets.
Louis, clearly losing his patience, snapped, "Others managed to get here on time, rain and all! You're constantly late, skipping class, causing trouble. You're lucky you haven't been expelled yet!"
Ryan didn't bother to respond. With earbuds in, he walked past the lectern as if the professor wasn't even there. The whispers from the other students followed him as he approached Emily's seat.
Emily stared up at him, her mind racing.
Ryan? Could it really be the same Ryan?
He stopped in front of her, his piercing gaze meeting hers. "Move. You're in my seat," he said, his tone low and demanding.
Emily's pulse quickened as she scrambled to her feet, letting him take the spot beside her. The brief touch of his arm against hers sent a shiver down her spine. As Ryan sat down, she caught a faint, fresh scent of rain and something else, something magnetic.
He immediately slumped onto the desk, ignoring the world around him. His face, even in sleep, was both captivating and troubled. His sharp features and the tiny diamond stud in his nose gave him an air of rebellious charm that was impossible to ignore.
Emily couldn't tear her eyes away. The storm outside faded into the background. All she could focus on was Ryan, sleeping beside her. How could someone look so lost and unbothered at the same time?
The rest of the lecture drifted past her, her thoughts consumed by the mysterious boy beside her.