Elena's POV:
I hadn't planned on avoiding Ryder. It just sort of happened. I skipped our shared lectures, ignored his text, took the long way to class, ducked around corners like a coward.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that moment in the room. The curve of his smile, the way his hand brushed Jenna's waist like it belonged there, like I never existed.
And maybe I didn't. Maybe I was the fool for ever thinking I did.
When Professor Kevin started calling out project partners in class, I was barely listening. I was too busy pretending to take notes while silently begging the universe not to pair me with someone who'd make everything worse.
"Elena Hart and Theo Kingston."
My stomach dropped.
Theo looked up from the back row, eyes meeting mine. He gave a small nod, like he was fine with it. Meanwhile, I sat frozen, already trying to imagine how awkward this was going to be.
I barely knew him, he'd only transferred about a month ago. And we had only talked once, the day I caught Ryder with Jenna. That was it.
After class, I packed up slowly, hoping maybe he'd leave first. But he didn't. Of course he didn't.
Theo walked over, hands in his pockets, his steps quiet. He sat beside me, not too close, but close enough.
"We should probably talk about the project," I said, bringing out my sketchbook from my bag.
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, okay."
I opened my sketchbook, flipping through old pages just to do something with my hands. "So, Professor said it can be any theme... abstract, personal, symbolic... I was thinking maybe something with contrast. Like soft versus sharp, or maybe light and dark."
"You talk fast when you're nervous," he said.
I froze. "I…I'm not nervous."
"You are," he said calmly. Then, after a pause, "It's kind of cute, yunno."
I stared down at the page, my face burning. I didn't know what to say. I wasn't used to being noticed like that, especially not lately.
"You draw people," Theo said. "Don't ask me how I know. I've seen some of your sketches."
Something about that made my chest flutter. Not in a full-blown romantic way, at least, not yet. That kind of spark you feel when someone new looks at you like they see something worth noticing.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and glanced up. "What do you draw?"
"Places," he said. "Things that don't exist anymore, or maybe they never did."
We went quiet after that. He flipped through my sketchbook without asking. I should've been annoyed, but I wasn't.
"You're good," he said, eyes still on the page.
I gave a small smile. "I haven't seen yours. Maybe you're better."
He shook his head. "Not better, just different."
We spent the next half hour sketching ideas, sharing pencils, saying very little. Every now and then, I'd catch him watching me when I wasn't looking. And every time our hands brushed while passing a pen, my chest tightened just a little.
"You okay?" Theo asked, his voice low.
I nodded too fast. "Yeah. Just tired."
The rest of our session passed in silence. A quiet that wasn't heavy but wasn't light either.
Eventually, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the pavement. Theo packed up his things, glancing over once.
"Same time tomorrow?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah. Okay."
He gave me a small smile, and walked off with his sketchpad tucked under one arm.
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The whole walk back to my dorm, my thoughts were a mess.
I didn't think talking to Theo would feel like… anything. But it did.
It wasn't just that he was quiet or kind. It was the way he actually paid attention, like he saw more than just the version of me I let everyone else see.
And I hadn't felt that in a long time.
When I got back to my room, Mia was lying upside down on her bed, scrolling through her phone. She looked up as soon as I walked in.
Mia Lee was my roommate, and possibly the only reason I hadn't completely lost my mind since this semester commenced.
"Well, look who finally decided to grace me with her presence," she said, grinning.
I dropped my bag and flopped onto my bed. "I hate group projects."
"That bad?"
"It wasn't bad. It was... weird."
"Weird how? Cute-weird or you-wanna-die-weird?"
I rolled over to face the ceiling. "Somewhere in between."
She narrowed her eyes, suspicious and thrilled. "Okay, who'd they pair you with?"
I hesitated.
"Elena," she said, dragging out my name like a warning.
I sighed. "Theo Kingston."
Mia shot upright like she'd been electrocuted. "Theo freaking Kingston?! The hot transfer with the murder-eyes?"
"He doesn't have murder-eyes."
"Girl, please. He looks like he could ruin your life and then sketch it from memory."
I laughed despite myself. "He's…not bad. Just... quiet and smart. He noticed my drawings, actually."
Mia blinked. "Wait, wait, hold on. He noticed your drawings? Like, actually paid attention?"
I nodded.
"Oh my God," she whispered dramatically. "You like him."
"I don't…" I sat up. "I mean, I don't know. We just met today."
"Still," she said, smirking. "That's more emotion than you've shown in days, since the Ryder disaster."
I didn't answer because I didn't know what to say.
It was confusing, honestly. Because part of me wanted to hold onto it, to let someone new in, someone who felt safe and different.
But another part of me still hadn't let go of the past. Still remembered what it felt like to be someone else's favorite if I ever really was.
Either way, everything was getting complicated again.
And I wasn't sure I was ready for any of it.