It was break time, and as usual, Aria, Eli, and Maya headed straight to the cafeteria — their favorite hangout spot.
Maya sipped her drink quietly, scrolling through her phone, while Aria and Eli were making a scene as always — pretending to be Romeo and Juliet on top of the table.
"Romeo, oh Romeo, why are you eating my fries?" Aria cried dramatically, holding a fry like a flower.
Eli placed a hand over his heart. "Because, Juliet, your fries taste better than love itself!"
They both burst into laughter, earning amused looks from nearby tables. Everyone knew them as the crazy duo of the university — the kind of best friends who turned every moment into a comedy show.
Then suddenly, the chatter faded.
The whole cafeteria went quiet.
Aria didn't notice at first, but the shift in energy was impossible to miss.
A man had just walked in.
Rylan Crowe.
He was supposed to be in the teachers' lounge — but instead, he was here, where she was.
His dark suit stood out against the casual chaos of the students. Conversations died. Every girl in the room straightened, fixed her hair, and whispered.
But his eyes weren't on them.
They found Aria.
She was laughing — really laughing — at something Eli said. Her eyes sparkled, her cheeks flushed from amusement. And in that moment, something inside Rylan tightened.
His smirk appeared, that faint one that showed a single dimple on the left.
He started walking toward them. Each step deliberate.
Before he could reach her, Chloe stepped right into his path, smiling too brightly.
"Mr. Crowe! What are you doing in the student cafeteria?" she said, voice sugary sweet. "Would you… maybe like to sit with me?"
Rylan's expression didn't change, but his jaw tightened. His eyes never left Aria — who, at that exact moment, slipped while trying to grab her drink.
"Aria!" Eli reached out quickly, catching her just in time before she fell. Their faces were inches apart.
Maya grinned. "You guys look like a couple."
Aria and Eli both froze, then burst out laughing, pulling away awkwardly.
Rylan's eyes darkened. That small smile of his vanished.
Without a word, he turned and walked out of the cafeteria, his steps sharp and quick.
Chloe stood frozen in place, her fake smile fading as she realized — he hadn't looked at her even once.
Rylan's shoes clicked against the marble floor as he left the cafeteria, each step echoing his irritation.
He wasn't angry because she laughed.
He was angry because she laughed with someone else.
He didn't even realize his hand had curled into a fist until he reached the hallway.
What was wrong with him? She was just a student — just a girl who smiled too much and talked too loudly.
So why couldn't he stand the sight of another man's hand around her waist?
He inhaled deeply, forcing the thoughts down. Control, Rylan. Always control.
But control was the very thing slipping away from him.
---
Back inside, Aria was still laughing, brushing the crumbs from her lap.
"Ugh, that was so embarrassing!" she said, covering her face.
Eli grinned. "Hey, at least you didn't fall on your face this time."
"Not helping, Romeo."
Maya giggled, sipping her drink. "You two are seriously made for chaos."
Aria rolled her eyes playfully and reached for her juice. "Relax, Maya. It's not like I'm going to fall for Eli—" she paused mid-sentence, suddenly noticing the door. "Wait… wasn't that the new prof?"
Maya glanced toward the entrance. "Yeah, he came in, glared at everyone like we were criminals, and then left. Weird guy."
Eli shrugged. "Maybe he was just checking out the cafeteria."
"Or maybe he was checking someone out," Maya said with a teasing grin aimed straight at Aria.
Aria blinked. "What? No way. He's too serious for that."
Eli smirked. "You sure? He looked right at you earlier. Like, right through you."
Aria brushed it off with a laugh. "You two are imagining things. Professors don't stare at students. That's weird."
Maya raised an eyebrow. "Weird things happen all the time when you're involved."
Aria opened her mouth to argue but stopped when her phone buzzed on the table. A new message.
From: Unknown Number
> You should be careful where you step next time.
Her smile faded. "That's… strange."
Eli leaned over. "Who's that?"
She stared at the message for a moment longer, then locked her phone quickly and forced a smile. "Probably a prank."
But when she glanced toward the cafeteria doors again, she could've sworn she saw a figure standing at the far end of the hallway — tall, still, watching.
And just as quickly as she noticed, he was gone.