Zina walked into the library, welcoming the familiar quiet. After the chaos of the party last night, she needed a place to clear her head and focus on her assignments. The scent of books and the soft rustle of pages felt like a reset button.
She found her usual spot near the windows, dropped her bag onto the table, and pulled out her notebook. As she flipped through her notes, she caught a glimpse of someone moving toward her out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and froze.
Kane.
He had a few textbooks in hand, his usual indifferent expression in place. Zina watched as he scanned the room briefly before walking right over to her table.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked, his tone neutral but polite.
Zina blinked, surprised. "Uh, sure, go ahead."
Kane sat down across from her, setting his books down with a soft thud. Zina couldn't help but glance at him now and then, wondering if he ever smiled. The silence between them grew thick, but this time, Zina wasn't going to let it drag on.
"So... you come to the library a lot?" she asked, leaning back in her chair.
Kane flipped open one of his books. "Sometimes."
"Sometimes? Wow, you really know how to make a conversation exciting," she teased, giving him a playful grin.
Kane glanced up, not entirely amused but also not shutting her down. "I'm not here to chat."
Zina snorted. "Obviously. But hey, even the quiet types need a break now and then."
Kane didn't respond right away, instead, he turned a page in his textbook and shrugged. "I don't see the point in small talk."
Zina leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "That's where you're wrong. Small talk can be fun. It's like... verbal stretching."
He raised an eyebrow. "Verbal stretching?"
"Yeah. You know, it loosens you up, helps you relax." She smirked. "Or are you afraid of a little harmless conversation?"
Kane set his pen down and met her gaze. "I'm not afraid of anything."
"Right." Zina rolled her eyes, still amused by how serious he seemed. "So, what are you studying?"
He glanced at the textbook in front of him. "Engineering."
"Engineering?" Zina tilted her head. "I wouldn't have guessed that."
"What would you have guessed?"
"I don't know, something... I don't know, intense? Like law or psychology. You've got that whole 'I'm analyzing everything' vibe going on."
Kane gave a small, almost imperceptible shrug. "I like building things."
"That's cool," Zina said, tapping her pen on the table. "I'd be terrible at it. Too many numbers."
Kane's lips twitched just the smallest sign of amusement. "It's not for everyone."
Zina grinned, sensing an opportunity. "There, see? A conversation. That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Kane shook his head, glancing back at his book. "You're persistent."
"I like to think of it as being sociable." She tapped her pen on her notebook again. "So, besides engineering, what else do you do? Any hobbies?"
Kane's eyes flicked to hers, and he hesitated. "I play basketball with Alex."
Zina's eyebrows shot up. "Basketball? Now that I wouldn't have guessed. You don't exactly scream 'sports enthusiast.'"
He smirked slightly. "It helps clear my head."
"Fair enough," she said, filing that little tidbit away for later. "So, do you go to parties often, or was last night a rare appearance?"
"Rare," Kane answered shortly.
"Let me guess... Alex dragged you to that one too?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah."
Zina laughed softly. "Figures. He seems like the type to get everyone involved whether they want to or not."
Kane actually smiled just a little. "That's Alex for you."
"I knew it." She leaned back in her chair, satisfied. "So what's the deal with you two? You seem like complete opposites."
Kane considered her for a moment. "We balance each other out."
"Interesting," Zina mused. "Opposites attract, huh?"
"Something like that," he replied.
They fell into a comfortable silence after that, both returning to their work. Every now and then, Zina would glance up from her notebook to find Kane scribbling in his own, his focus unbroken. The quiet between them wasn't awkward anymore it was... nice.
After a while, Zina stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Well, I think I've hit my limit for today."
Kane closed his textbook, giving her a nod. "Same."
Zina gathered her things and stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Maybe I'll see you around the library again?"
"Maybe," Kane said, though there was a subtle hint of amusement in his voice this time.
Zina smiled as she walked away, feeling lighter. For once, she wasn't entirely thinking about Kane just enjoying their back-and-forth banter.