Garson finally saw her after two long days.
There she was—
in her white button-down shirt tucked into blue jeans,
hair pulled into her usual ponytail,
books tucked under one arm and coffee in the other,
standing near her locker beside Natalia.
And just like that…
his world clicked back into place.
He couldn't stop himself. His legs moved on their own.
"Hey, Miss Coffee," he said with that familiar smirk,
"Where've you been hiding?"
Danna turned around slowly.
He saw her take him in — black shirt, black jeans, his inky-black hair a little messy, and that same silver bracelet Forever was written glinting on his wrist like a reminder of something unspoken.
There was a pause…
A flicker in her eyes.
Something soft. Something unsure.
But she didn't look away.
"Just taking a break… from seeing you," she said, cool and collected.
Garson blinked, then chuckled under his breath.
"Wow. You do know how to hurt a man."
She took a sip of her coffee. "You'll survive, Mr. Whatever."
Garson's been asking about you the past two days," said Natalia, tossing the spark that lit a quiet flame in Danna's chest.
Garson glanced at her quickly and added, tone cold and casual,
"No, just… you know, as a classmate."
With that, Garson turned and walked off toward the lecture hall, his expression unreadable.
Danna watched him for a moment, something twisting quietly inside her…
But she took a breath, steadied herself, and chose to follow — stepping into the lecture hall without saying a word.
Garson was too focused on the girl sitting beside him — her hazel eyes, the way her pen twirled between her fingers — and without realizing, a soft smile had crept onto his face.
"Garson. Garson!"
Professor Kevin's voice snapped him out of it.
"Y-Yes… sir?" Garson blinked, straightening in his seat.
Professor Kevin narrowed his eyes.
"Is Danna teaching you?" he said sharply, his voice echoing in the hall.
A few heads turned. Garson stayed quiet.
"Then why," the professor continued, "have you been staring at her since the beginning of the lecture?"
A collective gasp filled the room. A few students chuckled under their breath.
Garson ran a hand through his hair and looked down, his face unreadable —
while Danna froze, heat rushing to her cheeks.
Garson didn't even flinch.
"Actually, sir…" he said, resting one arm on the desk and smirking,
"her eyes are the problem."
Professor Kevin blinked, confused.
"They just… attract attention. If you don't believe me, you can look yourself," Garson added, nodding toward Danna without shame.
The class exploded — laughter, gasps, even a few whistles.
Danna's mouth dropped open, completely stunned.
Professor Kevin's face turned red.
"Garson! Get out of my class—right now!"
Garson stood up with that same smirk, grabbing his bag.
"Some things are worth detention," he said under his breath, shooting one last glance at Danna as he walked out — proud, unapologetic, and still smiling.
Danna sat frozen in her seat.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her pen, and her heartbeat… well, it had definitely betrayed her.
Did he just—
Did Garson really say that?
She could feel every pair of eyes glancing between her and the door Garson had just walked out of. A few students giggled. Someone even whispered, "Lucky girl."
Danna stared down at her notebook, trying to hide the blush creeping up her neck.
She could feel the heat in her cheeks and hated how much her lips wanted to smile.
"That idiot," she thought, biting the inside of her cheek.
"Why does he always have to say things that make my brain shut off?"
She didn't dare look at Natalia. Not yet.
Because she knew the moment she did, that teasing grin would hit her like a wave.
Grace shot Danna a sharp, fiery glare from across the room, her eyes burning with barely concealed anger.
Danna caught the look, rolled her eyes with subtle defiance, and thought, "Drama queen much?"
She didn't bother to respond—some battles just weren't worth the fight.
Garson sat in the library, eyes closed, books spread out before him, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Danna's voice cut through the quiet.
"Are you out of your mind? What scene did you create in the lecture hall?" she said, clearly annoyed.
He opened one eye, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Just keeping things interesting, Miss Coffee."
Garson laughed, eyes twinkling.
"By the way, you believed what I said — just like everyone else," he teased.
Danna frowned. "What do you mean?"
"That staring thing and all that…" Garson chuckled softly.
"I would never say that about you."
Danna just stared at him, unimpressed.
"The class was boring, and I just wanted to get out, so I acted," he added with a cheeky wink.
"Well, thank God it's nothing like that—or else I'd be at a loss," Danna said with a smirk, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"You!" Garson growled, jaw tightening as he tried to hide the sting her words caused.
He didn't know why, but something about that little tease unsettled him more than he expected.
Garson stood up suddenly, his eyes locked onto hers — a flicker of anger mixed with something deeper burning in them.
Danna didn't flinch. She smirked, arms still crossed, loving the way he was clearly riled up.
He stepped closer, closing the distance between them, his voice low and edged.
"Miss Coffee… your lips always seem to have something to say."
He leaned just a little closer, his gaze fixed.
"One day, you might have to pay for the words you throw so casually."
Danna's heart thundered in her chest. Her breath caught.
But she didn't look away.
They stood there, inches apart — eyes locked, the air between them thick and magnetic.
She could hear her pulse in her ears. He could see the flicker of hesitation in her eyes.
Neither moved. Neither spoke.
Just… tension.
"Ahmm… ahmm," Aiden coughed dramatically from the side, trying to break the charged silence.
Danna blinked and took a quick step back. Garson clenched his jaw, exhaling sharply.
Natalia stood beside Aiden, arms folded, wearing the biggest knowing smile.
"There's so much tension in the air, I'm surprised the books aren't catching fire," she said, eyeing both.
Garson didn't say a word. His eyes flicked to Danna one last time before he turned on his heel and walked off — jaw tight, footsteps heavy, anger simmering under his skin.
Danna watched him leave, her smirk fading slowly… replaced with something she couldn't quite name.
Natalia smirked at Danna while Aiden went after Garson.
"So, what's the update, bestie?" Natalia asked, appearing beside Danna like she had teleported, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
Danna blinked, snapping out of the tension-filled moment with Garson.
She stepped back, clearing her throat and trying to play it cool.
"Nothing," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just… academic war, as usual."
Natalia raised a brow. "Uh-huh. That looked more like a romantic thriller than a history discussion."
Danna rolled her eyes.
"I must meet Miss Loren, so… I'm leaving now," Danna said quickly, her voice calm but her steps just a little too fast.
Natalia crossed her arms, watching her best friend disappear between the bookshelves.
"Running away from answers, huh?" she muttered under her breath with a smirk.
Garson stormed toward his car, fists clenched, jaw tight. The tension in his steps could crack the pavement.
Aiden caught up behind him.
"Yo, what happened to you?" he asked, confused. "Why are you so mad?"
Garson turned sharply. "That girl—she just says anything without thinking!"
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing.
"You know what she said? That she'd be in loss if I was ever interested in her. Like—bro! Girls die for me. And she just—talks like I'm some background character."
Aiden blinked… then started laughing.
"Okay… but isn't that just her perspective?"
Garson glared.
Aiden raised both hands. "I mean—come on! It's the first time a girl told you that being with you would be the worst-case scenario."
He burst out laughing again. "Honestly, iconic. You met your match, man."
"Shut up, Aiden. And my match? Never," Garson snapped, glaring as he yanked open the car door.
Aiden just smirked, leaning against the car.
"Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that," he said, crossing his arms. "Meanwhile, your blood pressure spikes every time she smirks."
Garson slammed the door shut and muttered,
"She's not even my type…"
"Now where are you going?" Aiden asked, raising a brow.
"Home," Garson muttered, sliding into the driver's seat.
He started the car, his jaw still tight, knuckles gripping the steering wheel a little too hard.
Aiden watched him with a half-smile.
"Sure, drive safe... Mr. Not-At-All-Bothered."
Garson didn't reply. He just drove off — but the flicker of Danna's smirk was still playing in his mind like a loop he couldn't shut off.