The school hallways buzzed with their usual chaotic energy as Gianna made her way to her locker. Students were rushing to classes, catching up with friends, and filling the air with the usual chatter. It was a regular day, at least so far. But as she closed her locker door, she noticed something different—a shift in the energy around her.
Mia came up beside her, eyes wide with excitement. "Did you hear?"
Gianna glanced at her, confused. "Hear what?"
Mia's voice dropped to a whisper, even though the hallway was loud enough that no one could overhear them. "There's a new guy. He just transferred today, and Gianna… he's hot."
Gianna rolled her eyes but couldn't help being intrigued. New students were rare, especially ones who got Mia this worked up. "You're seriously acting like a middle schooler over a new student?"
Mia nudged her playfully. "Don't roll your eyes yet! You haven't seen him. Trust me, he's something else."
Gianna shook her head, her curiosity slowly building despite herself. She let out a light laugh. "Fine. What's his name, then? Since you're suddenly so obsessed."
Mia looked around as if the new student would magically appear. "His name's Adrian. He just moved here from L.A. or something like that. Tall, blond, kind of the brooding type. But not in a weird way—in the super attractive, mysterious way."
"Right, of course," Gianna teased, starting to walk down the hall with Mia beside her. But she couldn't shake the tiny spark of curiosity that ignited when Mia mentioned "mysterious." There was something about that type of guy—new, unknown, and aloof—that always pulled people in. Not that she cared. She had enough on her plate without getting distracted by some random guy.
But as they turned the corner toward their next class, the chatter of the hall seemed to increase tenfold, and that's when she saw him.
Adrian.
He was standing near the classroom door, talking to a couple of guys from the soccer team who were clearly trying to befriend him. He was tall, like Mia had said, with dirty blond hair that was just messy enough to look effortless. His skin was lightly tanned, and even from a distance, Gianna could see the sharp angles of his jawline. He wore a simple black T-shirt and jeans, but somehow, he made it look like a magazine ad.
And, of course, he had that air about him—the confidence that came naturally to guys who knew they looked good but weren't trying too hard. It was the kind of confidence that made girls stop in their tracks and guys instinctively feel a little intimidated.
"See what I mean?" Mia whispered excitedly. "He's gorgeous."
Gianna glanced at Mia, then back at Adrian, trying not to let her face give away any hint of agreement. "He's alright."
Mia gasped, giving her a playful shove. "Alright? That's it?"
Gianna shrugged, smirking a little. "What do you want me to say? He's cute, sure. But I'm not going to start swooning just because a cute guy showed up."
Mia grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. "You're impossible."
Before Gianna could respond, Adrian glanced in their direction, his eyes locking with hers for just a second. It wasn't long, but it was enough to make Gianna feel a tiny flutter in her stomach. She quickly looked away, annoyed at herself for even reacting.
Mia noticed. "Oh, he definitely looked at you."
"No, he didn't," Gianna shot back, trying to keep her voice steady.
"He totally did," Mia teased. "And don't act like you didn't notice."
Gianna huffed but couldn't stop the small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Whatever. Let's just get to class."
They walked into the classroom, and Gianna quickly took her seat by the window, trying to focus on anything other than the fact that Adrian would be in the same room with them now. Mia, of course, slid into the seat next to her, her excitement barely contained.
It wasn't long before the classroom filled up, and the teacher, Mrs. Monroe, walked in, calling for attention. Adrian took a seat a few rows back, but Gianna could feel his presence even without looking. He had that kind of magnetic energy that just drew people in without trying.
"Alright, class," Mrs. Monroe began, adjusting her glasses. "Before we start today, I'd like to introduce a new student who'll be joining us for the rest of the year. Adrian? Would you stand up, please?"
Gianna internally winced, knowing Mia was about to die of excitement next to her. Sure enough, Mia nudged her again as Adrian stood up, all eyes in the room turning to him. He gave a small nod, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, I'm Adrian," he said, his voice deep and calm. "Just moved here from L.A. Hope to get to know you all."
Short, simple, but effective. The girls near the front giggled softly, and even some of the guys seemed impressed. Mrs. Monroe nodded approvingly. "Thank you, Adrian. You can sit down now."
As he did, Gianna noticed how naturally he fit in. Some new students tried too hard, but not Adrian. He was cool, collected—like he didn't care whether people liked him or not, which only made him more appealing. She hated that Mia was probably right. This guy was going to be the talk of the school.
"Looks like you've got some competition," Mia whispered, grinning.
Gianna shot her a look. "Please. I'm not competing for anything."
Mia winked. "We'll see."
The rest of the day passed in a blur, but Adrian seemed to pop up everywhere Gianna went. Between classes, at lunch, even in the library—everywhere. And every time, there were girls around him, laughing at whatever joke he was making or trying to catch his attention.
Gianna tried not to care. She wasn't interested in some popular new guy. But as she sat in the library during her free period, attempting to focus on homework, she couldn't help but notice when Adrian walked in. This time, though, he wasn't surrounded by anyone. He was alone, scanning the room as if looking for a quiet place to sit.
Before she could look away, his gaze landed on her.
For a moment, Gianna froze, caught off guard by the intensity of his stare. He didn't smile, didn't nod—he just looked, like he was sizing her up. And then, just as quickly, he turned and walked to a table on the other side of the library.
Gianna exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath. What was that? She shook her head, pushing the thought away. He was just a guy. A cute guy, sure, but still just a guy. She had way bigger things to worry about.
But as she packed up her things to leave, she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe Mia was right. Maybe Adrian wasn't just another face in the crowd. And maybe, just maybe, he wasn't going to be as easy to ignore as she thought.