By the time Monday afternoon rolled around, Lucas had spent the entire day trying not to overthink his meeting with Lily. He'd rehearsed possible conversations in his head, scribbled ideas in the margins of his notebook, and even borrowed *Tomorrow, When the War Began* from the school library to look prepared. His nerves buzzed with anticipation as the final bell rang.
At exactly 3:30 PM, Lucas walked into the library, a quiet sanctuary of wooden shelves and neatly arranged books. The soft glow of the afternoon sun filtered through tall windows, and the faint smell of paper and eucalyptus polish hung in the air. Spotting Lily seated at a table by the window, her head bent over her notebook, Lucas felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
"Hey," Lucas said, trying to sound casual as he approached the table.
Lily looked up, her face lighting up with a smile. "Right on time. I like that."
Lucas slid into the chair across from her, pulling out the book and his notes. "I, uh, did some reading over the weekend. Just so I don't sound clueless."
"That's great," Lily said, clearly impressed. "Most people wouldn't bother. Let's dive in."
For the next hour, they delved into the project, analyzing themes and breaking down characters. Lucas was surprised by how naturally the conversation flowed. Lily had a way of explaining things that made even complex ideas seem simple, and she listened to his input without judgment.
"You know," Lily said, tapping her pen against the edge of her notebook, "you're pretty insightful for someone who just moved here. Most people struggle with this kind of stuff."
Lucas felt a warmth rise in his chest. "Thanks. I guess I just... like stories. They make you think, you know?"
Lily's eyes lit up, and she leaned forward slightly. "Exactly! That's why I love books. They make you see the world differently."
In that moment, Lucas felt a connection—something intangible yet undeniable. He wanted to say something meaningful, but before he could, a loud voice broke through the quiet hum of the library.
"Lily!"
Lucas turned to see a boy striding toward their table. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with messy blond hair and an air of effortless confidence. Lucas recognized him instantly—Ethan Matthews, the school's star rugby player and, by all accounts, one of the most popular guys at Willow High.
Ethan stopped beside Lily, flashing her a charming grin. "Hey, I've been looking for you. Are you coming to the fundraiser meeting?"
"Oh, right," Lily said, glancing at her watch. "I almost forgot. It starts in ten minutes, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Ethan said, his gaze flicking to Lucas. "Didn't mean to interrupt. Who's this?"
Lucas felt a little small under Ethan's piercing stare but managed to mumble, "Lucas. We're working on a project."
Ethan raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, turning his attention back to Lily. "We should head over soon. Mrs. Bennett's going to need help setting up."
"Okay," Lily said, gathering her things quickly. She turned to Lucas with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Lucas. I didn't realize how late it was. Can we finish this tomorrow during lunch?"
"Yeah, sure," Lucas said, masking his disappointment as best he could.
"Great. Thanks for understanding," Lily said, standing up. "See you tomorrow!"
Lucas watched as she walked off with Ethan, the two of them chatting easily as they left the library. A strange pang settled in his chest—a mix of frustration and something he couldn't quite name. Ethan seemed so at ease around Lily, like they had known each other forever.
---
Lucas stayed at the library for a few more minutes, packing up his things slowly. The room that had felt warm and inviting earlier now felt oddly empty. He tried to brush off the unease, but it lingered as he walked out into the crisp afternoon air.
By the time he got home, Lucas's mood had soured. He replayed the moment over and over in his head: the way Ethan had appeared, so confident and self-assured, and how easily Lily had shifted her attention to him. It wasn't her fault, of course—she had a life beyond their project—but it didn't make the pang in Lucas's chest any less real.
That night, as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, Lucas couldn't stop thinking about Lily. He liked her—more than he cared to admit. But he also couldn't ignore the reality that Ethan Matthews was everything he wasn't: popular, charismatic, and, above all, comfortable in his own skin. How could someone like Lucas possibly compete with that?
---
The next day at school, Lucas found himself scanning the hallways for Lily. He wasn't sure what he was expecting—an acknowledgment, a smile, something to indicate that their conversation yesterday had meant as much to her as it had to him.
When lunch finally came, Lucas made his way to the library, his heart pounding. Lily was already there, sitting at their usual table. She greeted him with a warm smile that immediately put him at ease.
"Hey! Ready to get back to work?" she asked, gesturing to the open notebook in front of her.
Lucas nodded, sliding into the seat across from her. As they picked up where they had left off, Lucas couldn't help but notice how easy it was to talk to her again. Whatever doubts he'd had the night before seemed to fade, replaced by the comfort of her presence.
But even as they worked, a small part of Lucas couldn't shake the image of Lily walking off with Ethan. He didn't want to feel jealous—he barely knew her, after all—but the feeling was there, nagging at the edges of his thoughts.
When the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Lily gathered her things and smiled at Lucas. "Thanks for being such a great partner. I think we're really going to nail this project."
Lucas smiled back, but the words he wanted to say—about how much he enjoyed working with her, about how he hoped they could talk more outside of the project—stuck in his throat.
As she walked away, Lucas sat there for a moment, staring at the empty chair across from him. He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was clear: liking Lily Summers wasn't going to be simple.