Mira noticed him before she knew who he was.
He stood near the door during last period, hands in his pockets, posture calm—too calm for someone surrounded by Section H's usual noise. While everyone else joked and argued, he simply watched.
Quiet. Sharp. Unmoving.
"Why is the student council here?" someone whispered.
Jade clicked her tongue. "Great. Another inspection."
Mira followed Jade's gaze and felt her stomach drop.
The boy turned slightly—and their eyes met.
Just for a second.
It wasn't the kind of stare filled with judgment or curiosity. It felt more like… evaluation. As if he were seeing something beneath the surface, something Mira had worked hard to keep hidden.
She looked away instantly.
"That's Lucas Verano," Jade muttered. "Vice president of the student council. Top student. Ice-cold personality."
As if sensing his name, Lucas finally spoke.
"Section H has been flagged for low academic performance," he said evenly. "I'm here to observe."
The room groaned.
"Observe what?" someone snapped. "How terrible we are?"
Lucas didn't react. "I observe facts."
Mira shrank in her seat.
Facts hurt more than insults.
Throughout the period, she felt his presence like a weight on her back. Every time she raised her head, she wondered if he was watching again.
And he was.
Not laughing.
Not judging aloud.
Just… noticing.
When the bell rang, Mira packed up quickly, eager to escape.
As she passed the door, she felt it again—that feeling of being seen.
Lucas's voice stopped her.
"You sit by the window."
She froze.
"Yes?" she whispered.
"You always do," he added. Not a question. A statement.
Mira nodded, heart racing.
Lucas held her gaze for a moment longer than necessary, then stepped aside.
"Just an observation," he said.
But as Mira walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling—
This was only the beginning.