You and Mattheo never really talked, and when you did, it was either because he needed notes or just wanted to tease you. Whenever he was bored, he found amusement in picking on you during class—whether it was pulling your hair or throwing paper balls at your desk.

Like now. Clearly bored, he’d resorted to his usual antics and was tossing paper balls at you again. You clenched your jaw, turning around to glare at him.

“Can you stop? You’re so mean.”

But instead of looking guilty, he just gave you a small, teasing grin. “If only you’d read them, you’d realize I’m actually not that mean.”

You frowned in confusion, glancing down at the crumpled paper ball on your desk. Curious, you unwrapped it—expecting nonsense or another joke—but what you saw made your expression shift completely.

“New haircut looks good on you. You look even prettier.”

The words were scribbled in his messy handwriting, but clear enough to make your heart skip a beat. The shock faded into something softer as you slowly looked back at him, unsure of what to say.