The following day, Callie sat at her usual desk near the back of the room, trying her best to stay unnoticed. As usual, she buried her nose in her books, her glasses slipping down just enough to become a constant irritation. She was used to it by now, though—adjusting them every few minutes, just to get through the day.
The bell rang, signaling the start of English class. Callie glanced up and immediately felt her heart race. Elias Vale had just walked in. He was even more striking today—dressed in the school's perfectly tailored blazer and a crisp white shirt, his rich brown hair falling just the right way. As usual, everyone else around him was too busy fawning over his presence to focus on anything else. But not Callie.
She tried to focus on the lesson, but Elias's piercing blue eyes seemed to be everywhere—like he was watching her. She glanced down at her notes, trying to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks.
Then, to her surprise, Elias walked over to the empty desk next to her.
"Looks like I'm sitting next to you," he said, flashing a smile that made Callie's heart thud.
Her mind raced, struggling to form words. "I... uh, I don't mind." She quickly added, "I mean, you can sit wherever you want."
Elias chuckled, and Callie wondered if he was amused by her awkwardness. "Well, looks like it's this desk," he said, settling into his seat.
For the rest of the class, Callie tried her best to focus on the teacher's lecture, but Elias's presence made it impossible. Every time she glanced to the side, she'd catch him looking at her, his smile subtle but genuine.
Finally, the bell rang again, signaling the end of class. Callie stood up quickly, eager to escape the tension in the air. But as she grabbed her bag, she accidentally bumped into Elias's desk, knocking over his stack of papers.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Callie blurted out, crouching to help pick up the papers.
Elias smiled and waved her off. "It's alright, really."
Just then, a couple of classmates walked by, nudging each other with knowing smirks. "Did you see that?" one whispered. "Elias Vale talking to Callie Ramirez?"
Callie's face turned crimson. She hurriedly stood up, embarrassed, but Elias just chuckled softly. "Don't worry about them," he said quietly, his voice reassuring.
With a smile that could melt anyone's heart, Elias added, "I'll see you tomorrow, Callie."
As Callie walked out of class, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was different now. The boy who everyone admired, the one with the world at his feet, had just spoken to her—not because she was someone important, but because… well, maybe because she was just herself.