The next morning, I woke up before my alarm even rang. I guess I was still excited… or maybe it was because of him. Ugh, what am I even thinking? I shook my head and got ready for school. After breakfast with Mom and a quick goodbye, I headed out the door, feeling a little more confident than yesterday.
The bus ride was smooth this time, and I didn't bump into anyone. When I entered the school, some people waved at me—probably remembering me from yesterday. Mona was waiting by the lockers and ran up to me.
"Hey Laura! Ready for another exciting day of surviving school?" she joked.
I laughed. "As long as I don't crash into anyone today, I think I'll be fine."
We walked together to class and when we entered, James was already at his desk by the window, reading like always. His sharp jawline, the way his hair fell perfectly over his forehead—wait, stop, Laura! Focus.
"Girl, you're staring again," Mona whispered with a smirk.
"I'm not!" I said, blushing, and quickly turned away.
Class started and the day went by fast. At lunch, we all gathered at the same table in the cafeteria. Caroline waved as she slid into the seat beside me.
"So, Laura," she said, grinning, "Any updates on your cold-hearted crush?"
"What? He's not my—"
"Okay, okay," Mona cut in, laughing. "But seriously, James is always alone. No one's ever seen him with friends. I don't think anyone even tries to talk to him anymore."
"Why though?" I asked. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy."
"He's just... different. Maybe he's been through something?" Caroline said, her voice softer this time.
Suddenly, someone walked past our table. It was James, holding a tray, looking for a seat. There were plenty of empty tables, but for some reason, he sat three seats away from us. Not with us—but not far either.
We all went quiet.
"Okay that's weird," Mona whispered. "He never eats in the cafeteria."
I couldn't help myself. "I'll be right back," I said, grabbing my juice box and walking over to him.
He looked up slowly when I stood beside his table.
"Mind if I sit here?" I asked, smiling.
He paused, then shrugged. "Do what you want."
I sat down. For a few seconds, it was awkwardly quiet.
"You always this friendly?" he finally asked, not looking at me.
"Only to people who bump into me in hallways," I teased.
He glanced at me, and for a split second, I saw the corner of his lips twitch like he almost smiled. Almost.
"So… do you always ignore people who try to talk to you, or am I just special?" I asked.
He sighed. "I'm not good with people."
I tilted my head. "Well, good news—I'm great with people. So I'll handle the talking part."
This time, I swear he actually smiled. But it disappeared in a flash when the bell rang again.
As we walked out of the cafeteria, I whispered to myself, "Progress."