Lucas spent the next few days at Willow High navigating the uncharted waters of a new school. The students were friendly enough, and Nate had proven to be a great guide, introducing him to people and filling him in on the quirks of Willow Springs. Yet, no matter where Lucas went, his mind drifted to Lily Summers.
Her presence lingered in his thoughts like a song he couldn't stop humming. He saw her in the hallways between classes, her laugh rising above the cacophony of lockers slamming shut and conversations echoing in the corridors. He caught glimpses of her on the sports field during recess, her ponytail bouncing as she jogged with her friends. Every time, his stomach did a little flip, as if he were on a roller coaster he couldn't quite get off.
It wasn't until Friday that Lucas got his chance to speak to her.
---
The moment came during English class. Mrs. Carmichael, with her signature no-nonsense attitude, strode to the front of the room and clapped her hands for attention.
"Listen up, everyone. You'll be working in pairs on a group project analyzing themes in Australian literature. I'll assign the partners," she announced.
Lucas sat up straighter, his heart thudding nervously. The idea of being paired with someone he didn't know was intimidating enough, but he also dreaded the thought of ending up with someone who didn't care about the assignment.
Mrs. Carmichael began calling out names, her voice cutting through the low murmur of the class. "Lucas Walker…" she said, pausing as she scanned the room. "You'll be with Lily Summers."
Lucas froze. *Lily Summers?*
His gaze darted toward her, and to his surprise, she was already looking at him with a warm, friendly smile. "Guess it's you and me," she said, rising gracefully from her seat and walking toward his desk.
Lucas's mind raced. *Say something. Don't just stare.* "Uh, yeah. Looks like it," he stammered, his voice a little higher than he intended.
Lily pulled out a chair and sat down across from him. Up close, she was even more striking than he'd realized. Her brown eyes were warm and expressive, and when she smiled, a small dimple appeared in her left cheek. Lucas tried to force his attention back to the assignment, but it was no easy task.
"So," Lily began, opening her notebook and flipping to a blank page. "We're supposed to pick a book and analyze its themes. Do you have any favorites?"
Lucas blinked. A favorite book? His mind went blank as he scrambled for an answer. "Uh, I guess I liked *Tomorrow, When the War Began,*" he said, naming the first title that came to mind.
Lily's face lit up. "Good choice! There's so much to talk about—leadership, survival, friendship. Let's do that one."
Lucas nodded, relieved. "Yeah, sounds good."
As they started brainstorming, Lucas found himself relaxing. Lily was easy to talk to, her enthusiasm contagious. She asked thoughtful questions, jotting down ideas as they discussed key moments in the book. What surprised Lucas the most was how she made him feel like his opinions mattered, even when he wasn't sure they did.
"So," Lily said, tilting her head as she tapped her pen against her notebook, "where are you from?"
"Sydney," Lucas replied. "My dad got a job here, so we moved a couple of weeks ago."
"Big change," Lily said, nodding. "Do you like it so far?"
Lucas hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's… different. Quieter. But I think I'll get used to it."
Lily smiled, and there was something reassuring about it. "Willow Springs grows on you. Give it time."
They worked together until the bell rang, and Lucas was surprised by how quickly the period had flown by. As students began packing up, Lily stood and slung her backpack over one shoulder.
"This was fun," she said. "Let's meet at the library after school on Monday to keep working on the project?"
Lucas nodded quickly. "Yeah, sure."
"Great. See you then!" Lily waved, her smile lingering for just a moment before she turned and walked toward the door. Lucas watched her leave, unable to stop the grin spreading across his face.
---
As he made his way to his next class, Lucas replayed the conversation in his head. Her voice, her laugh, the way she leaned in slightly when she listened—all of it seemed impossibly vivid. For the first time since he'd arrived in Willow Springs, he felt like he wasn't just drifting through the days.
Nate caught up with him in the hallway, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "So, how's the group project going?" he teased, his grin wide and knowing.
Lucas rolled his eyes but couldn't help laughing. "It's fine."
"Fine?" Nate raised an eyebrow. "Mate, you're working with Lily Summers. That's practically winning the lottery around here."
Lucas felt his ears heat up. "It's just a project," he muttered, though he knew deep down it was more than that.
"Right. Sure it is," Nate said with a wink.
As the afternoon wore on, Lucas found himself counting down the days until Monday. He wasn't sure what it was about Lily that made him feel this way—nervous, excited, hopeful—but he wasn't about to question it.
For the first time since he'd arrived in Willow Springs, things were starting to look up. And maybe, just maybe, this small-town life wouldn't be so bad after all.