Ryan stirred as his body, stiff from sleeping awkwardly, protested with soreness. As he tried to get comfortable again, a voice disrupted his rest. It was Emily, bright and cheerful, offering a gentle reminder that his poor sleeping posture was to blame for his discomfort. Her short, soft hair gleamed in the sunlight, giving her a playful, almost ethereal glow. Ryan blinked, momentarily confused by the scene before him—was she real or a figment of his dream?
"Again? Why are you always around?" he groaned, his patience wearing thin.
Emily grinned, unfazed by his irritation. "I'm Emily, the new transfer student. Nice to meet you!"
Ryan scowled and shifted in his seat. The classroom was empty now, everyone else having left, leaving just the two of them behind. He didn't like being cornered like this.
"Move," he ordered, trying to get past her.
"Are you hungry?" Emily asked, completely ignoring his command. With a swift motion, she produced a small carton of milk and a bread roll, holding them out like peace offerings.
Ryan eyed her skeptically, folding his arms as he studied her face. He still hadn't forgotten how she'd shoved him out of the taxi earlier that day, and now she was acting like they were old friends. What was her game?
"Just eat something," she said with a laugh, holding the carton closer. "No tricks, I promise!"
Ryan's stomach growled again, loud enough to make him reconsider his refusal. His eyes narrowed, but reluctantly, he accepted the milk. Without waiting, he ripped open the carton and took large, desperate gulps, easing the hunger that gnawed at him since morning. He finished quickly, tossing the empty carton aside before returning his attention to her.
"What do you want?" he asked flatly, getting to the point. No one did things for him without wanting something in return. And this girl—she was suspiciously persistent.
"Want?" Emily blinked, surprised by the question. "Nothing! Just thought you could use a snack."
Ryan chuckled darkly, the smirk returning to his lips. He'd dealt with girls like this before. Girls who fawned over him, thinking they could be the one to get close to him. He leaned in slightly, a mocking glint in his eyes. "I get it. You're trying to get my attention, right? But here's the thing—I'm booked solid through next week. So if you're looking for a date, you'll just have to wait your turn."
Emily, however, didn't seem fazed by his words. Instead, she held out a stack of papers in front of him. "When are you going to finish this?"
Ryan glanced down and saw the professor's notes—his half-finished essay on human resource management. He frowned, suddenly uninterested. "Why would I finish it? It's not my problem."
Emily's face lit up with concern. "You need to finish it to pass the class! Otherwise, you'll fail!"
Ryan chuckled coldly. Pass? Fail? None of that mattered to him. "Do you think I care about that? I could fail this entire course, and they'd still beg me to graduate. You're naïve if you think grades mean anything."
"Maybe," Emily replied, undeterred, "but wouldn't it be better to just finish it? You don't need to make it perfect, just enough to show your ideas."
Ryan stared at her, his expression darkening. "Why does this matter to you?"
She hesitated for a moment, then smiled brightly, her eyes full of mischief. "Because I'm going to be your guardian angel."
Ryan nearly choked on the remains of the milk he was drinking. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and shot her a disbelieving look. "You've lost your mind," he scoffed, "if you think I need an angel. And maybe cut back on reading those cheesy romance comics—they'll rot your brain."
With that, he grabbed his bag and strode past her, leaving the papers and her wide-eyed gaze behind.
Emily stood there, holding the unfinished essay and watching him leave. She sighed, brushing her hair back. Perhaps she had been too forward, but there was no turning back now. She smiled softly, determination flickering in her chest.
She had waited too long to back down now.