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“I know you’re looking at me, princess,” he says without even glancing up from his phone.

“I’m not.”

“Yeah? Is reading upside down a secret skill of yours?”

I flip the book right side up with trembling hands.

“You okay?” he asks.

“I’m fine.”

“Really? Because you keep frowning at that book like it offended you somehow.”

Don’t let him get to you. But the truth is, he already has. From the moment our lips touched at that party, something shifted inside me.

I slap the book shut. “Don’t you have practice?”

“Will you be joining?”

I hold up my book. “I need to study.”

“Pity, the last time, it gave me extra motivation. I loved you admiring me.”

“I watched Jason.” I kind of did. For five seconds out of an hour? It counts.

“Jason, huh? Are you two together?”

“No! We’re… friends.”

“Friends,” Sebastian repeats. “Is that what you call it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He leans forward, his elbows resting on the table. “Just an observation, princess. You two seem close.”

I scoff, trying to ignore the way my heart races at his proximity. “We are close. As friends. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Isn’t it?” His gaze is intense, probing.

I look away, fiddling with the corner of my book. “No, it’s not.”

“Hmm.” His phone buzzes, and he checks it. “Guess I have to go now.”

“Where?”

“Practice.”

“Oh.”

“See you around, princess.” With a salute, he saunters off, leaving me alone.

Good, he’s gone. I can finally concentrate and breathe again.

Time goes by, and I immerse myself in my reading. But it took me longer than usual to work through the chapters. Already 8 pm, normally, I finish around 5 or 6.

At this hour, the library is eerily quiet, its shadows stretching long and ominous across the book-filled landscape. Spooky.

Most of the tables have emptied out, except for another girl and one guy remaining. The guy is closer and hunched over.

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