Page 90 of Seeking Shadows

Mia:[image attached]

Zane:On my way.

He replies instantly. Like, suspiciously fast.

I blink at the screen, then laugh—because there’s no way.

Mia:lol

Mia:unless you’ve mastered teleportation, I call bluff

Mia:but hey, A+ for enthusiasm, tattoo boy

I smirk at my phone, staring at Zane’s message for a second longer than I should.

Then I lock the screen, toss it back into my bag, and look up at the guy still grinning across from me.

“Sorry about that,” I say, leaning in a little, playfully. “Just teasing someone who thinks he’s intimidating.”

He laughs. “Boyfriend?”

“Something like that,” I shrug. “Let’s call it a science experiment.”

I fold my arms on the table, tilting my head.

“Oh right, you were telling me you’re a college kid,” I say. “So, is it cool like the movies? Or is it just a bunch of late-night caffeine and questionable decisions?”

I raise an eyebrow, waiting for his answer.

He hesitates a moment, unsure if he should even engage. But then he starts talking.

“It depends on what you think is cool. If you like parties and messing around, then yeah, it’s cool. But if you’re really into learning, it’s a different story.”

“Do you really want to learn?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

He gives me a half-smile, not meeting my eyes. “Yeah, and no. Some days I love it, some days I hate it. But I like understanding things. Figuring out how they work.”

“Like what?” I’m genuinely interested.

“Science, mostly. I’m studying engineering, so it’s a lot of math, physics... that kind of stuff.”

I let out an impressed “ooh.” “Engineering? Sounds complicated.”

“Yeah,” he shrugs, “but it’s kind of addictive. Solving a problem after hours of trying—it's like beating a hard game.”

“I’ve never been much of a student,” I admit, swinging my legs absently. “But I think I get what you mean. I like solving problems in a different way.”

He looks at me curiously. “What kind of way?”

I smile, tilting my head slightly. “Let’s just say I’m good at negotiations.”

He looks at me for a long moment, trying to figure me out. Finally, he nods, still thoughtful.

“Negotiations, huh? Sounds interesting.”

“It can be, if you know how to play it right.”

“So you like to play?”

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