By the time the lunch break rolled around at 2 PM, I was more than ready to escape the intensity of the morning classes. The air in the cafeteria was thick with chatter and the clinking of cutlery, but it offered a welcome distraction. Eva and I grabbed our trays, loading up on the delicious options spread out before us. My stomach growled in response to the smell of warm food, and I could finally relax—at least for a little while.
"We need to find a table," Eva said, scanning the crowded cafeteria.
I followed her gaze, looking for an open spot. The cafeteria was a sea of students, some sitting in tight-knit groups, others scattered here and there. Finally, we spotted an empty table near the window. Relief flooded through me as we started making our way toward it, trays in hand.
But as we moved through the maze of chairs and people, my eyes wandered—against my better judgment—and landed on Zayn. He was sitting at a table with his usual group of friends, his posture relaxed, his long legs stretched out in front of him as if he owned the place. And, of course, his eyes were on me again.
Why is he staring at me like that?
Eva must have noticed my discomfort because she glanced over her shoulder before whispering, "Don't pay him any mind. Zayn does that to everyone. It's just how he is—thinks he's better than the rest of us."
I nodded, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched. But no matter how much I tried to ignore it, I could still feel his eyes on me, like an invisible weight pressing down on my shoulders.
Finally, we reached the table next to Ethan's group. My nerves settled slightly at the sight of him sitting there, laughing with his friends. Unlike Zayn's cold, calculating aura, Ethan's presence was warm and inviting. His smile was infectious, and I found myself drawn to him without even realizing it.
As soon as we sat down, one of Ethan's friends grinned at me. "Look who it is! Our very own Pi," he teased, his tone playful.
I blinked, momentarily confused, before realizing he was referring to the math problem I had solved in class earlier. I narrowed my eyes at him in mock annoyance, but inside, I was secretly flattered. "Pi" wasn't the worst nickname in the world, I supposed.
Ethan chuckled at his friend's joke, and the sound sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. His smile was doing things to me—things I wasn't sure I was ready to admit yet. There was something so genuine, so effortless about the way he carried himself, and I couldn't help but be drawn to him.
I focused on my meal, trying to quiet the fluttering in my stomach. The food was delicious, but I barely tasted it. All I could think about was Ethan's proximity, the way his presence seemed to fill the space between us even though we weren't talking.
After a few minutes, Ethan's group began wrapping up their lunch. I watched as they gathered their things, preparing to leave. My heart sank slightly at the thought of him leaving, but I tried to play it cool. It wasn't like he'd noticed me, anyway—not really.
But then, just as they were about to walk away, Ethan stood up and walked right toward me.
My heart skipped a beat. I felt like time had slowed down as he approached, his casual yet confident stride sending my pulse racing. His friends continued out of the cafeteria, leaving him alone with me.
"Hey," he said, his voice smooth, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "That was impressive, by the way—solving that problem in class. Not many people could've done that."
I could feel my cheeks heating up, and I struggled to find my voice. "Oh, uh… thanks," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He grinned, clearly amused by my reaction. "Keep it up, Pi," he teased lightly, before giving me a quick nod and walking away to catch up with his friends.
I sat there, frozen in place, my heart pounding in my ears. I hadn't even realized I was holding my breath until Eva nudged me, snapping me back to reality.
"You okay?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
I exhaled shakily, trying to gather my thoughts. "Yeah… just didn't expect that."
Eva laughed softly. "Well, it looks like Ethan's taken notice of you. And not just because of your math skills."
I bit my lip, feeling a wave of warmth flood through me. Maybe she was right. Maybe Ethan had noticed me in more ways than one. The thought made me giddy, like I was floating just above the ground.
I continued eating, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach.