The bell rang, signaling the end of third period, and the usual flood of students poured into the hallways. Gianna slowly packed her books into her bag, still half-focused on the lingering thoughts from her previous class. She had barely slept the night before, her mind still caught on Adrian's sudden reappearance at the café.
As she slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way toward the door, she stopped in her tracks.
There, leaning casually against the lockers just outside her classroom, was Adrian.
Her heart skipped a beat, surprise flashing across her face. He hadn't been at school all week—yet here he was, standing in the hallway like it was the most normal thing in the world. He looked a little better than the last time she'd seen him, the bruises on his face almost completely faded, but there was still something about him that seemed a bit off. He had a quiet intensity, a look in his eyes that made it clear there were things he wasn't saying.
Gianna's breath caught as their eyes met. Adrian straightened, pushing himself off the lockers as she walked toward him.
"Hey," he said, his voice low, but there was a small smile on his lips.
"Hey," she replied, her curiosity bubbling up inside her. "What are you doing here?"
Adrian glanced around briefly, as if making sure no one was listening. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you. Maybe… hang out later?"
Gianna blinked, caught off guard. Hang out? After everything that had happened, that was the last thing she had expected him to say.
"Hang out?" she repeated, a little unsure of what to make of it.
Adrian gave a small shrug, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets. "Yeah. I mean, if you're not busy later."
For a moment, Gianna stood there, her mind whirling. She had so many questions—about why he had disappeared, about what he was running from, about who those guys were who had attacked him. But he didn't seem like he was in the mood to answer any of them right now. And strangely enough, she found herself wanting to say yes, even if it didn't make sense.
After all, there was something about Adrian that intrigued her. Even after everything, she still wanted to know more.
"I'm not busy," she said, her voice softer now. "Where do you want to go?"
Adrian looked relieved, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "How about we grab a bite after school? Maybe somewhere quiet. I know a place."
Gianna hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Okay, sure. I'll meet you after school."
Adrian's smile widened just a bit. "Great. I'll see you then."
With that, he gave her a quick nod and turned to walk away, blending into the crowd of students that filled the hall. Gianna watched him go, a strange mix of excitement and uncertainty buzzing inside her. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew one thing for sure: there was something different about Adrian. Something she needed to figure out.
As the halls emptied, Gianna let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
This is going to be interesting.