It was still the same day, just sliding into mid-afternoon.
The first morning classes were over, and the hallways were alive with students rushing toward the cafeteria for lunch.
As usual, Joel had sprinted ahead first — to grab a seat (and, more importantly, secure food).
Brandston walked the hallways alone, his pace unhurried.
The buzz of students filled the air, but he tuned most of it out — until something different caught his eye.
A girl.
Not like the others.
Her vibe:
Not interested in popularity.
Stayed in her own lane, untouched by the constant drama of high school life.
Her looks:
Nothing flashy — no bright makeup, no loud clothes.
Just a natural beauty, effortless and simple.
Her personality:
Strong-willed. Independent.
Kind, but not the kind of kindness you could just expect — the kind you had to earn.
Why she stood out:
Because she didn't look at him.
Not once.
While almost every girl in the school couldn't help but sneak glances at Brandston Reid, this girl…
didn't even seem to notice he existed.
Brandston found himself frozen for a moment, his footsteps slowing as his eyes locked onto her.
What is this...? he thought.
The stare became more real, more intense — like he was trying to read her without even realizing it.
It made his heart thud once against his ribs — unfamiliar, uncomfortable.
Before he could get caught staring like an idiot, Brandston shook his head and forced himself to look away, walking faster toward the cafeteria.
"Yo! Over here!"
Joel's voice sliced through the chaos.
Brandston spotted him waving wildly from a table near the back, already halfway through demolishing his lunch tray.
Brandston made his way over and slid into the seat across from him.
As he picked at his food, his mind stayed stuck — stuck on her.
The way she moved, the way she didn't seem to care about anything around her.
The way she didn't look at him.
Joel noticed immediately.
"Yo, man, what's up? You good?" Joel asked, mouth still half-full.
Brandston blinked.
"Erm… it's nothing. Never mind."
Joel shrugged and kept eating.
The rest of lunch passed in the usual way — Joel talking, Brandston half-listening, and the noise of the cafeteria buzzing around them.
Afterward, they returned to class.
The afternoon dragged out, just another normal day in a place Brandston was still trying to call home.
But even as the clock ticked down toward the end of the day…
Brandston's mind kept drifting back.
To her.