The professor's voice faded into the background as he talked about homework deadlines and essays.
Boring, boring, and boring.
My pen had stopped moving a while ago. I was only half-listening, doodling easy sketches and simple drawings into the margin of my notebook.
I told myself I'd catch up later, and I usually did.
The professor kept talking until I noticed someone tapping my chair. I turned around just to see Dylan with his usual sharp, cocky grin.
"Hey, Andrea," He whispered.
"What?"
"You know what, do you like Xander?"
My pen stopped mid-doodle. "Excuse me?"
He leaned back in his chair as if he'd already scored a point. "You heard me."
"I'm not dignifying that with an answer."
Dylan's grin widened. "So that's a yes."
I kicked the leg of his seat. "No, it's not."
"Silence counts as confirmation." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Very Interesting."
"You're delusional."
"I mean, it's not really a surprise. You and Xander have known each other since you were four years old. Childhood best friends, right? Classic setup. I bet everyone has been waiting for this."
I shook my head. "Nothing is happening. You're all waiting for nothing."
"Oh, that means you do think about it."
"I swear I'll-"
"Is this about her undying love for...?" Some guy in front of us turned around, eyebrow raised, and gave me a knowing look.
"Yep. You know who." Dylan answered, grinning wide and clearly proud of himself.
The guy smirked. "Xander."
My face went hot. "That is not—"
Before I could finish, the professor cleared his throat, and everyone scrambled to face forward again.
By the time class had ended, I had wished countless times for the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
I was still stuffing my notes away when Roslyn, my best friend full of all things chaos and trouble, swooped in by my side.
"Don't freak out," she said, which meant I immediately did.
I groaned. "What did you hear?"
"Nothing new. Just that a certain tall, handsome-looking, charming someone might like you."
"Roslyn. Not this again."
"Hey, I'm just saying, the way he looks at you..." She trailed off.
"It's just a stupid rumour," I muttered, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
"Mm-hm." She fell into step with me as she gave me that look. The one that said she knew me better than I knew myself. Which, to be fair, was usually true.
We moved into the hallway, where the tide of students swept us along.
Freya joined us from another room, her soft smile a calmer balance to Roslyn's burning fire. "What's this about Xander?"
"Nothing," I said quickly.
"Everything," Roslyn countered.
Freya laughed quietly, amused. "You two never change."
I groaned again, ready to argue, but a familiar voice carried over the noise.
"Dude, just ask her out already," someone teased loudly.
"I don't like her like that," another voice protested.
Roslyn elbowed me. "Hear that?"
I didn't reply because I had already looked up, and there he was.
Xander.
Tall, relaxed, standing a little apart from his group, hands shoved in his pockets. He wasn't laughing with his friends. He wasn't even looking at them. He was only looking at me.
Our eyes locked, and the corner of his mouth tilted into that familiar and warm smile.
The same one that I'd known since we were kids. When he'd come over to our house, and we'd play board games or have a casual sit side by side at family barbecues.
But this smile felt different.
My chest tightened, and I turned away too fast, suddenly fascinated by the posters peeling on the noticeboard.
His friends laughed harder, nudging him.
Roslyn leaned closer, smirking. "Obvious much?"
"It's not a bad thing, Andrea," Freya said, touching my arm gently.
"Except it's not a thing," I whispered, my voice quiet. "He's just... Xander. Nothing more."
My closest male friend. My childhood best friend. The guy who would bring me snacks and still stole some, the one who would help me carry my bag when I was too stubborn to admit that it was too heavy.
He wasn't meant to be anything else.
And yet, here I was, my heartbeat stumbling as if I'd just run a mile.
The girls and I escaped to the student lounge.
The warm air in there smelled of burnt coffee and sugar. It smelled of things sweet and cozy.
Despite the cold weather outside, it was warm and fuzzy in. here. So warm it made me want to get wrapped in a cocoon of blankets.
Roslyn dropped into a chair at our usual corner table, still grinning at whatever.
"You're blushing," she said casually, unwrapping a granola bar.
"I'm not, it's just really hot today."
"It's freezing today, Andrea." Freya pointed out.
I groaned helplessly. "Why are you both like this?"
"Because we love you," Freya said kindly.
"Because it's hilarious," Roslyn corrected, laughing.
I dropped my head into my hands. "It's just a rumour."
"Rumours my foot. Have you seen the way he looks at you?" Roslyn said in a tone of amusement.
Roslyn teased me some more before she and Freya grabbed their bags.
"We're getting coffee before the seminar," Roslyn announced. "Want anything?"
I waved them off. "I'll catch up. I just need a minute."
Roslyn raised an eyebrow, but Freya dragged her away before she could say more.
I exhaled slowly, my face down on the table. The world moved on around me, but all I could think about was how one stupid rumour had turned my entire brain inside out.
I finally pushed up from my chair, picking my bag up and slinging it over my shoulder.
I looked up to see Xander, leaning against the wall just outside the lounge, phone in hand, but not really looking at it.
When his eyes lifted and caught mine, he slipped the phone into his pocket, standing like he'd been waiting for me all along.
"Hey," he said when I reached him.
I managed a small smile. "Hey."
We fell into step together as we headed down the hall.
"Did you finish the reading for tomorrow?" He asked.
"Half," I admitted. "The rest is future Andrea's problem."
He chuckled. "Future Andrea is always suffering."
"Yeah, well. She'll live."
His grin widened, and it did that stupid thing to my chest again.
We discussed everything and nothing. Assignments, professors and how the cafeteria's 'specials' should honestly be reported as crimes. We fell into an easy silence after that, but somewhere between the silence, I caught him glancing at me again, longer this time.
I looked away quickly, pretending to check my phone. My throat felt tight, as if I said one wrong word, I'd give myself away.
Outside, students streamed across the environment, some entering the buildings and others, coming out.
Xander and I started to walk towards the exit gates.
"See you tomorrow?" He asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
He gave me that smile of his again and then headed off towards his dorm.
I stood there a minute longer, watching him go.
It was just a rumour.
Just a rumour.
"Earth to Andrea!"
I blinked and turned to see Roslyn and Freya walking up the path towards me.
"You totally left us back there," Roslyn accused, though her tone was light. "You said you would join us."
"I did not leave you," I said, "I just got caught up."
"Caught up talking to a certain someone," Freya whispered to Roslyn.
Roslyn smirked, putting her arm around me as we walked towards the dorms together.
"You know, one of these days, Andrea, you are going to have to admit that something's going on. And I will be here for the exclusive details."
I laughed, shaking my head. "There is really nothing I need to admit."
Or maybe there really was.