Evelyn spent the rest of the day distracted.
No matter how hard she tried to focus, her mind kept circling back to the moment in the café—the warmth of Adrian's fingers against hers, the way his gaze had softened when he looked at her drawing. And I like that you drew us.
It wasn't just the words. It was the way he had said them. Low. Intentional. Like he was trying to tell her something without saying it outright.
By evening rolled around, she was no closer to sorting through the tangle of emotions he had stirred up. Claire noticed her spacing out during their study session and made a point about how she was 'mentally making heart eyes at Adrian.' Evelyn had responded by throwing a pillow at her.
She needed air. And maybe a distraction.
An Unexpected Meeting
The campus grounds were quiet, the pathways lit by warm golden streetlights. Evelyn strolled aimlessly, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, trying to clear her head.
She wasn't expecting to run into Adrian.
But there he was, leaning against a bench near the fountain, scrolling through his phone. He looked up as she approached, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Couldn't sleep?"
Evelyn exhaled a laugh. "More like needed a break from my thoughts."
Adrian tilted his head, studying her for a moment. Then he patted the space beside him. "Come sit."
She hesitated only briefly before lowering herself onto the bench. The cool night air sent a shiver through her, and she hugged her jacket tighter around herself.
Adrian noticed. Without a word, he pulled off his hoodie and draped it over her shoulders.
Evelyn stiffened. "Adrian—"
"Just take it." His tone was casual, but there was something firm about it. "You're cold."
She glanced at him, trying to gauge if he realized what he had just done. The hoodie was warm, carrying the faint scent of his cologne. She swallowed, adjusting it around herself. "Thanks."
Adrian smirked. "See? Accepting good things. Lesson one. You're improving."
She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched with amusement. "Should I be keeping track of all these lessons?"
"Obviously." He leaned back against the bench, looking up at the sky. "Though, if I'm being honest, I mostly just make them up as I go."
Evelyn laughed softly. "That doesn't surprise me."
For a while, they sat in comfortable silence. The distant sound of crickets filled the gaps between their breaths, and the occasional breeze rustled the leaves above them. It was peaceful.
Then Adrian broke the silence. "You know… I meant what I said earlier."
Evelyn turned to look at him. "About what?"
His gaze flickered to her, unreadable. "The drawing. I like that you drew us."
Her heart thudded, and she suddenly found it very difficult to hold his gaze. "It wasn't intentional," she admitted, voice quieter now. "I was just… drawing what felt right."
Adrian hummed. "And what felt right was us?"
Evelyn sucked in a breath. He wasn't teasing. His voice was too even, too serious.
She hesitated. Then, finally, she nodded. "Yeah."
Adrian exhaled, a slow, measured breath. "Evie…"
Her stomach twisted at the way he said her name—like it meant something more. Like she meant something more.
She should say something. Make a joke, deflect, change the subject. But she didn't want to. Not this time.
Adrian shifted slightly, closing the small space between them. His arm brushed against hers, and it was such a small, simple touch, but it sent a shiver down her spine.
He noticed. "You okay?"
Evelyn forced a breathless laugh. "Yeah. Just… thinking."
"About?"
She hesitated, fingers tightening around the fabric of his hoodie. "About how things feel different lately."
Adrian was quiet for a long moment. Then, his voice dropped lower. "Yeah. They do."
Evelyn's pulse pounded. "Is that… a bad thing?"
Adrian turned to face her fully, his gaze unwavering. "No," he said. "Not even a little."
Her breath caught. There it was. The unspoken thing, finally slipping between them, no longer hidden behind teasing remarks and casual touches.
Adrian reached up, hesitating for only a second before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear—just like he had the night before. But this time, his fingers lingered against her cheek, warm and careful.
Evelyn didn't move. Didn't breathe.
For a moment, she thought he might close the distance between them entirely. That maybe—finally—he would kiss her.
But then, he let out a chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "We should probably go before someone starts thinking we're planning some late-night rebellion."
Evelyn blinked, still caught in the haze of whatever had just passed between them. It took her a second to process his words. Then she exhaled a laugh, shaking her head. "Right. Wouldn't want to ruin my good student reputation."
Adrian grinned but didn't move his hand from her cheek just yet. "You? The picture of responsibility? I don't buy it."
Evelyn rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she reached up, her fingers brushing against his hand before gently pulling it away from her face. Not because she wanted to—because if she didn't, she wasn't sure she'd be able to think straight.
Adrian let his hand drop, but his gaze remained locked on hers, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "Come on, Evie," he said, standing up and offering her a hand.
She took it without hesitation.
And as they walked back toward the dorms, side by side, fingers brushing ever so slightly, Evelyn couldn't help but think—
They were getting closer.
And this time, neither of them seemed to want to stop it.