Avery's POV
The first rays of sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Westwood Academy, warming the polished floors and lighting up the quiet chatter of students filing into classrooms. I tucked my notebook under my arm and tried to act like it was just another ordinary day, but my heart wouldn't let me. Nothing felt ordinary anymore.
I was going to marry Axel.
The thought looped in my mind like a song I couldn't get out. My chest tightened, and my palms felt damp as I took my seat.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the first period—History with Mr. Brooks. He was already at the front, chalk in hand, pacing lightly as he asked the class a question.
"Jude, can you explain the causes of the Industrial Revolution?"
Jude rolled his eyes dramatically but stood. "Uh… factories, steam engines, and… child labor?"
Daniel Brooks smiled. "Correct, Jude, but elaborate on how the social structures changed."
Thomas Whitaker spoke up immediately. "It allowed more urbanization, increased literacy, and eventually shifted political power to the emerging middle class."
"Excellent, Thomas. Avery, would you like to add something?"
My heart leapt. I hesitated but said softly, "It also created a demand for education reform, especially in cities."
Mr. Brooks nodded approvingly. "Very well observed."
The bell rang again, and we moved to Axel Reid's Maths class. He was already at the board, chestnut hair perfectly in place, the red streak at the side catching the morning light. His blue eyes scanned the room with that calm intensity I couldn't stop noticing.
"Good morning, class. Today, we'll solve quadratic equations with applications in physics problems," he said.
Jude groaned audibly. "Not again…"
"Jude, please solve this on the board," Axel said, calm, precise, authoritative.
Jude shuffled up, and I could see the way Axel's gaze followed him, correcting gently when his calculations faltered. I tried not to notice the faint curve of his lips as he explained a concept, but my chest betrayed me.
After Maths, we had Spanish with Ms. Grant. "Today we'll practice conversational Spanish," she said, smiling warmly. "Lila, start with a greeting and introduce yourself in Spanish."
Lila beamed. "¡Hola! Me llamo Lila. Encantada de conocerlos."
"Muy bien," Ms. Grant said approvingly. "Now, Ethan, ask Lila about her hobbies."
The class buzzed with quiet conversation, and I found myself smiling at the simplicity of it. For a moment, I almost forgot the proposal, almost forgot Axel entirely. Almost.
Mid-morning brought Biology with Axel. Today we were observing mitosis under the microscope. "Notice the stages carefully," he instructed. "Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase. Errors here can lead to mutations."
He called on Thomas, who answered with precision. "Mistakes in cell division can lead to diseases like cancer, sir."
"Exactly," Axel said, nodding, his gaze calm and approving.
During lab work, he walked between stations, correcting students quietly, explaining concepts with gentle authority. Every time he leaned close to show someone an error under the microscope, my heart raced.
After lunch, we had Literature with Ms. Hayes. She discussed a short story, asking students to interpret the symbolism. I spoke briefly, my voice shaking slightly, but Ms. Hayes smiled warmly and nodded.
Then came IT with Axel, where we coded a simple algorithm to simulate a sorting process. "Jude, check your loop condition," Axel said quietly. "You forgot the semicolon on line twelve."
"Ah, thanks, sir," Jude muttered, grinning sheepishly.
Thomas and Lila typed quickly, correcting their programs with guidance. Every instruction Axel gave, calm and precise, made my chest tighten. I hated myself for noticing it, yet I couldn't stop.
Finally, it was PE with Austin Carter. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a quiet strength, Austin clapped his hands. "Today, we'll do relay races. Teamwork matters more than speed, so cooperate."
He glanced at me briefly, giving a small approving nod, as if silently reminding me that someone else was watching over me—someone I could trust.
By the time the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, I felt mentally exhausted but emotionally stirred. Every glance from Axel, every gentle correction, every calm instruction tightened something in my chest. I hated myself for feeling it. And yet… I couldn't deny it.
Walking home, I replayed every moment of the day—History debates, Maths formulas, Spanish phrases, Biology experiments, IT coding, and Austin's subtle presence in PE. School would never be ordinary again. Every glance, every correction, every subtle smile from Axel carried a weight I wasn't ready for.
Axel. Soon to be my husband. And I… I think I like him.
By the time I reached home, the sky was streaked with pink and orange. I sat by my window, watching the fading light, my mind buzzing with lessons, laughter, and a feeling I couldn't name.
And yet… I couldn't stop thinking about him.