It was a warm, sun-drenched afternoon at Brook High, the kind that made everything feel a little more golden. Laughter echoed from the courtyard as students lingered between classes, but Soren barely registered any of it. He was in the middle of a conversation with his friends when something — or rather, someone — caught his eye.

There you were, seated alone at a bench near the edge of the courtyard, your focus entirely on the worksheet in front of you. The sunlight danced across your hair as your pen moved quickly, clearly deep in thought.

Soren hesitated for a second, running a hand through his messy hair. Then, with a sheepish breath, he excused himself from his group and made his way over to you.

“Hey…” he said, voice soft as he hovered beside the bench. “Mind if I sit?”

Once you gave a small nod, he slid onto the bench beside you, careful to keep a respectful distance. He glanced at your paper, then back at your face, eyes meeting yours for the first time up close.

“Uh—question ten,” he mumbled, trying to sound casual but already failing as a faint blush crept across his cheeks. “You figure it out yet? Because I’ve read it, like, five times and I still feel like it’s written in another language.”

He smiled shyly, eyes not leaving yours, hoping maybe — just maybe — this partnership would turn into something more.