HIS POV
Adrian arrived at the library earlier than planned. It wasn't intentional or at least, that's what he told himself. He simply preferred being early. Punctuality left no room for awkward explanations, no wasted time searching for seats. That was all.
Still, when he settled into the same corner table they had used last time, he found his eyes drifting to the door more than to the open book in front of him.
He tapped his pen against the page, an unconscious rhythm. He wasn't sure why he was restless. Normally, he worked best alone. No small talk, no distractions. Just silence and the steady flow of thought. But today, silence felt heavier than usual.
His mind replayed fragments of their last meeting. Amara, leaning forward as she explained her idea for dividing the project. Her handwriting, neat yet rushed, as if she wanted to keep up with her own enthusiasm. The way she smiled not at him exactly, but in his direction as though every little agreement of his was a small victory.
Adrian hadn't thought much of it then. He was used to people being expressive. Some filled silence because they feared it; others smiled because they wanted to be liked. But Amara's smile… it was different. Not forced. Not loud. Just there, warm and unguarded.
He shifted in his seat, frowning at his open book. Strange that he remembered it so clearly.
Maybe it was because she didn't seem to mind his quietness. Most people did. They mistook it for arrogance, or worse, indifference. Amara, though she filled the silence without demanding he do the same. She spoke, then left space for him to respond, even if his answers were clipped. And when he did, she seemed genuinely content with whatever little he gave.
Adrian glanced at the clock. Ten minutes until their agreed time. He leaned back, letting his eyes wander across the room. Students filtered in and out, some in pairs, others clutching armfuls of books. He noted the details automatically the hurried shuffle of a freshman, the slow stride of someone exhausted after a long day.
And then, without warning, he wondered how Amara would enter. Would she walk quickly, apologizing if she was late, or would she appear calm, notebook hugged to her chest like before?
The thought unsettled him. Since when did he anticipate someone's arrival?
His pen tapped faster against the table, betraying the impatience he refused to admit.
It wasn't that he was interested. He reminded himself of that fact. He had too much on his plate to be distracted assignments, personal goals, the quiet discipline he lived by. But still… Amara lingered in his mind more than she should have for someone he barely knew.
He remembered the way she'd stretched at the table, complaining lightly about her brain shutting down. The words themselves were ordinary, but her tone carried an ease he hadn't realized he noticed until now.
Adrian closed the book in front of him, rubbing the bridge of his nose. This was unlike him. He didn't dwell on people. He observed, catalogued, and moved on. Simple. Efficient.
But with her, it wasn't so simple.
Maybe it was the curiosity she carried in her eyes, or the way she seemed both nervous and determined when speaking to him. He had caught it more than once...the faint hesitation before she asked a question, followed immediately by her resolve to ask it anyway. She was… persistent. Quietly so.
Adrian exhaled slowly, leaning forward again. He picked up his pen, trying to redirect his focus back to the notes in front of him. But even then, his thoughts strayed. He wondered what she thought of him—if she found his quietness difficult, or if she, like most, had already drawn conclusions about his personality.
And yet, something in her gaze told him she hadn't.
For reasons he couldn't name, that mattered.
The door creaked open, pulling his attention instinctively. A few students entered, laughing softly among themselves, and Adrian's chest tightened with an odd flicker of disappointment when she wasn't among them.
He shook his head, irritated at himself. What exactly was he expecting?
A movement near the entrance caught his eye again, and this time, it was her. Amara stepped into the library, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. She scanned the room quickly before spotting him, and there it was...the smile. Subtle, unpolished, but enough to soften something in his chest he hadn't realized was tense.
Adrian forced his gaze back to the table before she noticed he had been watching. His pen lay still now, his fingers no longer tapping. He told himself it was nothing...just recognition of a partner arriving for their shared task. Nothing more.
And yet, when she began walking toward him, each step measured but certain, he felt the faintest tug of anticipation.
He straightened in his seat, expression carefully neutral, though inside, he couldn't ignore it anymore.
Something was shifting.