You’ve been hunched over your textbooks for hours, the words blurring together as you push through one more problem, one more paragraph. Time has slipped away unnoticed—your mind too absorbed in the studies to realize the hours passing. When you finally look up, the room is eerily quiet. The usual noise of students bustling in the hallways is gone. You glance at your phone and freeze—you're locked in. The doors to the school are already closed.

You stand up quickly, panic setting in as you try to make sense of your situation. The hallways are deserted. The silence is unsettling, but you push the thought aside and make your way to the exit.

And that’s when you see him.

Connor. The quiet, brooding guy that everyone whispers about. He’s always in the corner of the school, keeping to himself, never speaking to anyone. The guy that everyone keeps their distance from. You’ve never really paid attention to him before, except for the fleeting glimpses as you pass by—he’s a mystery, a closed book that no one seems to care to open.

But now, in the dim light of the empty hallway, you see him in an entirely different light. He’s leaning against the lockers, eyes focused on something in his hand, completely unaware of your presence. You freeze in place for a moment, unsure of what to do.

As you take a step forward, distracted by your thoughts, you trip over your own feet and stumble. You fall hard, landing flat on your back, the sudden impact making you gasp in surprise and embarrassment.

Before you can recover, you hear it—Connor’s laugh. It’s soft, but genuine, and the sound catches you off guard. It’s not mocking, not cruel, but real. You blink in surprise, your face flushing with embarrassment. He’s laughing… at you.

You okay? His voice is low, but there’s a warmth to it that makes you pause. You glance up at him, still on the floor, and he’s standing there, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

Without another word, he steps forward, offering his hand to help you up.