Tom's POV
When he disappeared up the stairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing away, a heavy silence settled between Imogen and me. She fidgeted with her napkin for a moment before clearing her throat. "I guess… I'll tell the driver," she murmured, standing up.
"Yeah," I replied lamely, clutching the stupid teddy bear in my lap like it was a damn lifeline.
A few minutes later, we were walking through the grand marble foyer again, our footsteps echoing off the high ceilings. Samuel was already holding the door open, the car waiting outside, headlights cutting through the night. Imogen smiled politely at him as we passed, and then we slipped into the back seat.
The door shut with a dull thud, and the air inside felt heavier somehow — like the silence had a weight of its own. The driver started the engine, and the soft hum of the car filled the awkward space between us.
Neither of us spoke. Not a word.
I stared out the window, watching the world blur by — rows of streetlights, darkened houses, the faint glow of the city skyline in the distance. Every few seconds, I'd sneak a glance at her. She was scrolling through her phone, the glow of the screen lighting up her face in soft blues and whites. Calm. Beautiful. Unreadable.
Fuck, why was it always her?
I pulled out my own phone just to have something to do, mindlessly scrolling through notifications I didn't even care about. Every little movement — her breathing, the sound of her fingers tapping on the screen — seemed louder in the silence.
At one point, our knees brushed slightly, and she pulled hers back quickly, mumbling a quiet, "Sorry."
"It's fine," I said, my voice lower than I expected.
More silence. Just the sound of the tires on asphalt and the quiet hum of the air conditioning.
After what felt like forever, the car slowed to a stop in front of my house. The street was dim, the porch light flickering faintly like it was struggling to stay alive.
"We're here, sir," the driver announced.
I nodded, gripping the bear awkwardly. "Thanks."
Imogen turned to me with a small, tired smile. "You got home safe, mission accomplished," she said softly, trying to sound lighthearted, but there was something fragile in her voice.
"Yeah," I said, forcing a small grin. "Thanks for the ride."
"Anytime," she replied.
And for a split second — just a split second — her eyes lingered on mine a little too long before she looked away.
I opened the door, stepping out into the cool night air, but before the car pulled away, I glanced back one last time. She was still watching me from the window, that same unreadable expression on her face.
The car rolled off slowly down the street, taillights fading into the dark — and I stood there, teddy bear in hand, wondering what the hell I'd gotten myself into.
Monday hit harder than I wanted it to. The weekend had gone by in a blur of restless thoughts — flashes of Imogen's smile, her dad's calm but piercing stare, that awkward-as-hell car ride. I'd tried to shove all of it out of my head, but no matter how hard I tried, it clung to me like static.
By the time I got to school, the halls were already buzzing with the usual chaos — lockers slamming, people yelling across the hall, couples making out like it was their damn job. I just wanted to get to class, keep my head down, and survive the day.
That plan lasted about five seconds.
"Hey, man!"
I stopped dead, blinking as Luke — the new guy — waved at me like we were best friends or some shit. For a second, I even looked behind me, half expecting him to be talking to someone else. Nope. Just me.
"Uh… hi?" I said, wary.
He grinned, unfazed. "What do you have first period?"
Weird question. I mean, the guy had been around for like two weeks. Usually, people say hi once, realize I'm not the talkative type, and move on with their lives. But Luke? Nope. Persistent as hell.
"Algebra," I finally said, shifting my bag on my shoulder.
His face lit up. "Hey, me too! We can go together, right?"
I squinted at him. "You know… I've never seen you in Algebra before."