Zayne was falling—hard.
It wasn't slow anymore. It wasn't gentle or careful. It was fast, reckless, and frightening in the most beautiful way. Every day since that first moment, Liana had taken up more space in his mind than anything else.
He had tried to push it down.
Tried to distract himself.
Tried to remind himself that this was temporary—that he was only here to lay low, to stay out of danger, to blend in.
But how do you stay hidden when your heart keeps chasing a girl who doesn't even know she's being chased?
He had never believed in things like "love at first sight."
But what he felt for Liana was something different… deeper.
It wasn't just about her looks—though he could barely breathe whenever she smiled. It was her calm. Her gentleness. The way she didn't pretend to be anyone else. The way she sat quietly, not begging for attention, not trying to be noticed—but still stealing the air from the room.
And what made it worse? She didn't even know she was doing it.
Zayne's distraction had become obvious.
Especially to the teachers.
At first, the tutors praised him. They loved how sharp he was—how he always had an answer, always asked the most thoughtful questions.
He only answered when Liana was present.
He only seemed truly interested when she was in the room.
And sometimes… he would stare too long.
One afternoon, during an English class, the teacher paused mid-lesson and looked directly at Zayne.
"Zayne," she said. "Let others answer for once."
He blinked. "Oh. Sorry, ma."
But the next day, it got worse.
During a tense math class—where only a handful of students could keep up with the equation on the board—Zayne's hand shot up, again.
The teacher turned, clearly irritated.
"Zayne, we appreciate your intelligence. But this is not your class alone."
Zayne lowered his hand.
"As from today," the teacher said firmly, "You are banned from answering or asking questions in my class. Let others try. You already know everything."
The class went silent.
Even Liana looked up, slightly surprised.
Zayne's heart sank.
He hadn't meant to show off. He wasn't trying to make anyone feel small. He was just… trying to stay focused. Trying to hide the real reason why he came here. Trying to stop his mind from spinning every time she was near.
But now he was being silenced.
For being smart.
For being consistent.
For… being distracted by her.
He sighed quietly, closing his notebook. He didn't argue. He didn't complain.
But inside, he was drowning.
That evening, as he walked home alone, hands in his pockets, Zayne couldn't shake off the weight in his chest. The sun was setting, painting the sky with soft orange and fading gold. Normally, he loved sunsets. But not today.
All he could think about was her.
Her eyes. Her voice. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear. The way she said, "Please excuse me," like she didn't know she had just shaken his whole world by brushing past him.
He stopped on the quiet road and looked up at the sky.
"What is happening to me…?"
He had survived betrayal.
He had seen the ugly side of wealth.
He had run from danger and family politics.
But Liana—quiet, sweet, innocent Liana—was the one thing he couldn't escape.
She had become the one problem he couldn't solve.
He didn't know how to confess it.
He didn't know what she felt—if anything.
And the scariest part?
He didn't care if she ever noticed.
He just wanted to keep seeing her.
Sitting beside her. Hearing her voice.
Breathing the same air.
Zayne had fallen.
And this time, there was no one to catch him.