It started raining after school.
Not heavily—just enough to make the sidewalks slick and the air smell like wet pavement.
Autumn stepped out of the school doors and paused.
She hadn't brought an umbrella.
"Perfect," she murmured.
"Problem?"
She turned.
Luca stood behind her.
Of course he did.
She sighed slightly.
"It's just rain."
"Yeah," he said, glancing at the sky.
"But it's the annoying kind."
Autumn started walking anyway.
After a few seconds she noticed footsteps beside her.
"You don't have to follow me," she said.
"I'm not."
"You're walking the exact same direction."
"Crazy coincidence."
She gave him a look.
He grinned.
"Where do you live?"
"Why?"
"So I know when to stop pretending this is coincidence."
Autumn hesitated.
Then she pointed down the street.
"About four blocks."
Luca nodded.
"Cool."
They walked for a minute in silence.
Then he said,
"You always walk home alone?"
"Usually."
"Not very safe."
She rolled her eyes.
"It's four blocks."
"Still."
Autumn glanced at him.
"You're weirdly protective for someone who barely knows me."
He shrugged.
"Maybe I want to know you."
The simple honesty caught her off guard and she turned to look at him.
Rain dripped from the ends of her hair as they walked.
After a moment she said quietly,
"Why?"
Luca didn't hesitate.
"Because you're interesting."
Her lips twitched.
"That's a vague answer."
"It's an honest one."
They reached the corner near her street.
Autumn stopped.
"This is me."
Luca looked down the road.
"Nice neighborhood."
She shifted slightly.
"Well… thanks for walking me."
"Anytime."
She turned toward her house.
Then paused.
"You know," she said over her shoulder, "most people don't randomly escort girls home."
"Good thing I'm not most people."
She shook her head slightly.
But she was smiling when she walked away.