Adrian slouched in his seat, chin resting on his palm, while the teacher's voice droned on in the background like a broken radio. Something about quadratic functions, something about homework due Friday. Whatever. His pen tapped lazily against his notebook, not writing a single word.
His gaze drifted, like it always did, toward the windows. The blinds were half-raised, letting in sunlight that cut across the classroom in bright strips. Beyond the glass stretched the wide, open school field, buzzing with energy. PE class.
And there, like some fixed point Adrian's eyes refused to let go of was Ivan.
Ivan stood with his classmates, tall and quiet, his black hair catching the light in just the right way that made it look softer than Adrian remembered. He wasn't doing much, just standing near the sidelines while some teacher barked orders about drills. But there was something about him. Something composed, detached. Like he was there but not really there.
Adrian told himself he wasn't staring. No. Of course not. Just watching out of boredom, like one might watch clouds drift or a bird land on the grass. Totally normal. Nothing suspicious.
Except his eyes wouldn't move.
The way Ivan rolled his sleeves up, pale forearms catching the sunlight. The way his posture remained perfect, even when the rest of the guys were clowning around. The way his face stayed unreadable, sharp jawline set like stone, but not in a cold way. More like…a mystery.
Adrian's pen froze mid-tap, hovering in the air. Something pressed heavy against his ribs.
"Bro," Leon's voice cut in, low but sharp. A jab to the shoulder snapped Adrian back. "The hell you smiling at? Math jokes got you high or something?"
Adrian blinked, realizing too late that he'd been grinning like an idiot. "Huh? No. Just…thinking." He scrambled, scribbling something in his notebook. The result was a half-assed equation that didn't make sense even to him.
Leon squinted, clearly unconvinced, then shrugged and went back to shading some doodle in the corner of his worksheet.
Adrian let out a slow breath, pressing the tip of his pen against the paper. He risked another glance at the field.
Ivan had started jogging with the group now, his strides long and effortless, not flashy just efficient. The steady strides eating up the ground. No wasted energy. Adrian felt something tighten in his chest.
Why the hell does he look so... he cut the thought short, shaking his head. Focus, Adrian. You're not staring at him because he looks…good. You're just studying your target. That's it. Recon. Intel.
But even to himself, it sounded weak.
He nearly jumped out of his seat when Ivan suddenly glanced in his direction. Through the glass, across the distance, it was impossible to tell if Ivan actually saw him. Maybe it was just coincidence. But Adrian's heart slammed in his chest like he'd been caught doing something illegal.
Quickly, he bent down, pretending to rummage through his bag. His ears burned hot, and for the first time in forever, he actually wished the teacher would call on him, anything to anchor him back to the moment.
Shit. Did he see me?!
When he finally risked another glance, Ivan wasn't looking his way anymore. His attention was already back on the group.
Relief should have hit. Instead, Adrian felt disappointed.
He leaned back in his chair again, spinning his pen in slow circles between his fingers. Trying to look casual, like his pulse wasn't hammering for no reason and then it happened.
A sharp shout cut across the field. Adrian's eyes snapped back instinctively, catching sight of Ivan mid-stride, his foot catching against uneven ground. For the first time, that perfect composure faltered, his body stumbling forward, the kind of ungraceful slip that made your stomach twist even before the impact landed.
Adrian shot up in his seat before he could stop himself, chair legs screeching against the classroom floor. Every head turned toward him.
The teacher's glare could have frozen lava. "Adrian. Care to explain what's so urgent?"
Adrian's mouth went dry. He opened it, but no excuse came out. He could still see Ivan through the window, regaining balance, expression unreadable.
"I, uh...dropped my pen," Adrian blurted, bending down so fast it looked like he was diving under his desk. His fingers closed around the pen he'd been holding all along.