Chapter 10 Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Chapter 10
THIRD PERSON POV

Lydia was scribbling notes on her notebook, leaning over the page while Callahan rattled off ideas for their group project.

“…and if we split the research like this, we should be able to finish by next week,” he said, pushing his glasses up.

“Mm,” Lydia murmured absently, her pen tapping against the paper. Her mind wasn’t on the project. She was still trying to process the chaos from yesterday.

The door swung open, and a wave of cool air swept into the room. Lydia looked up, expecting the usual latecomer. Instead, she froze.

Adrian was standing in the doorway, one hand casually in his pocket, the other holding a notebook like it was nothing. His grin hit her like a punch. And then he winked at her.

Her pen slipped from her fingers.

Callahan noticed and nudged her. “Uh… Lydia? You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she muttered, clenching her jaw. Her face burned hotter than the sun outside.

The professor cleared his throat. “Class, this is Adrian Vale. He’ll be joining us midway through the semester to complete his credits before graduation. Please make him feel welcome.”

Lydia’s eyes narrowed so sharply it could have cut steel. She muttered under her breath, “Of course. His father probably bribed someone to get him in.”

Adrian’s grin widened as he strolled toward the seats. He didn’t hurry. He didn’t sit at the back. He sauntered directly toward her, heels clicking against the floor with maddening precision.

Callahan leaned toward her, whispering, “Uh… he’s coming right for you.”

Lydia tensed. Her pen rolled across the desk as Adrian dropped into the seat beside her. Not just beside her—directly between her and Callahan.

“Morning, sunshine,” he said softly, voice low enough that only she could hear, a teasing edge in every syllable. “Miss me?”

Lydia scowled at him. “Don’t even think about it,” she muttered, trying to focus on her notes.

Adrian leaned back in his chair, close enough that she could feel the faint brush of his sleeve against hers. “Relax,” he said, mock innocent. “I’m just here to… study. Purely academic, you know.”

Her pen snapped in her hand as she tried not to glare too hard. “Uh-huh. Totally.”

Callahan looked between them and sighed, muttering, “Why do I feel like I just walked into a soap opera?”

Adrian smirked, leaning slightly toward her again, and whispered, “You’re still mad about yesterday, huh?”

Lydia’s eyes shot daggers at him. “Mad? Me? Never.”

He chuckled softly, and she resisted the urge to shove her notebook at him.

The professor cleared his throat again, drawing everyone’s attention. Adrian settled back but didn’t take his eyes off her. She could feel the weight of his gaze, the teasing warmth in it, and despite herself, her stomach tightened.

She buried her pen in her notes and muttered under her breath, “I hate him.”

Adrian caught the words and grinned wider, just enough to make her blood boil.

The professor droned on about the project guidelines, but Lydia couldn’t focus. Adrian’s presence beside her was like a live wire. Every time she shifted in her seat, his arm brushed hers. Every time she looked down at her notes, she could feel his gaze lingering.

“So,” Adrian whispered, leaning slightly toward her, “we’re in the same group now. Lucky us, huh?”

Lydia glared at him, keeping her voice low. “Lucky? Hardly. I was fine without you.”

He chuckled, soft and teasing, brushing a stray hair behind her ear without asking. “Oh, come on. Don’t pretend you weren’t thinking about me.”

“I wasn’t,” she hissed, shoving her notebook toward her chest like a shield.

“Uh-huh,” he said, mock skeptical, his dark eyes gleaming. “Sure. Totally believable. You clung to me like a koala yesterday, and now you’re acting like a cat avoiding me. Funny how that works.”

Lydia’s jaw tightened. “I was not clinging to you!”

“Were too,” he countered, leaning closer, the faint scent of his cologne teasing her senses. “Like a tiny, panicked koala.”

Her cheeks flamed. She muttered something under her breath and turned to Callahan, hoping he would rescue her from this torture.

Callahan just smirked. “Yeah, she’s right,” Adrian added, whispering directly into her ear. “I did hold you. You were… ridiculously cute.”

Lydia groaned and pushed at his shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble slightly. “You are unbelievable.”

“I know,” he said smoothly, eyes teasing, lips twitching. “And you love it.”

Her pen rolled off the desk. She bent down to grab it, trying not to look at him. He leaned down at the same time, their heads almost touching. Her heart jumped, loud and fast, and she could feel his breath brushing her hair.

“Stop… teasing me,” she hissed, her voice trembling slightly.

“Can’t,” he said softly, grinning like he knew exactly how much he was getting under her skin. “You’re too easy to mess with.”

Lydia slammed her notebook shut, giving him a pointed glare. “You are so going to regret this.”

Adrian leaned back, still smirking, his fingers drumming on the desk. “Or maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll enjoy it.”

The class went on, but Lydia could hardly concentrate. Every little movement, every shift in her seat, every soft chuckle from him beside her made her pulse spike. And Adrian, of course, was fully aware of it.

By the time the professor called for group discussions, Lydia had already accepted that today would be pure torture. Adrian leaned in just a little too close, his elbow brushing hers as he whispered a suggestion about the project. She flinched, but he didn’t pull back. Instead, he smiled faintly, like he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Pay attention, sunshine,” he murmured, and his voice was low enough that only she could hear. “I want you awake for this part.”

Lydia’s chest tightened, her heart thudding in a way that made her want to cover her face. She glared at him, but the glare didn’t reach her eyes. He noticed, of course, and his smirk widened just slightly.

Every small movement he made, the casual way he leaned in, the way he pointed at her notes, the brush of his fingers against hers when passing her a pen felt charged. Her pulse raced, and she had to fight the urge to shove him away or maybe pull him closer.

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, trying to focus on the project, but her mind kept drifting to the way his gaze lingered on her, the way his smirk made her pulse stutter. She could feel him watching her from the corner of her eye, and even without looking, she knew that playful glint, the one that made her want to scream and sigh all at once.

Finally, the bell rang, and everyone started packing up. Adrian stayed seated for a moment, just watching her straighten her bag. “You know,” he said casually, leaning back with his usual carefree grin, “this is going to be fun. Working together. I mean, I like seeing that flustered little glare of yours.”

Lydia froze, her hand halfway into her bag. “I….I am not flustered,” she stammered, trying to sound convincing, but her voice betrayed her.

“Sure you’re not,” he said softly, but the amusement in his voice was unmistakable. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Her stomach twisted as she grabbed her bag and walked out, feeling his eyes following her every step. Adrian leaned back, fingers drumming on the desk, a slow, satisfied smile curling across his lips. Today was just the beginning, and he knew exactly how much she hated and maybe secretly couldn’t resist it.