A few days later, in the softly lit classroom where the walls were lined with ancient texts and symbols, Sara took her usual seat for Ancient Runes. The desks were arranged in neat rows, each offering a sanctuary of solitude and study. She placed her books down, a quiet sigh escaping her lips as she prepared for the lecture. Her eyes occasionally drifted towards the door, expecting Pansy to walk in at any moment and join her.
However, as the room began to fill and chatter bubbled up around her, it wasn't Pansy who approached but Mattheo. His presence was always preceded by an invisible ripple of interest and whispers, yet today, his stride was purposeful, directed towards her. Sara's brow furrowed in confusion as he slid into the empty seat beside her, his casual ease at odds with the unusual choice.
"Lost your usual partner?" she asked, a hint of amusement coloring her tone.
Mattheo chuckled, a wry smile playing at his lips. "Theodore ditched me for Caroline today," he explained, nodding towards where Theodore was now sitting next to a girl with bright, attentive eyes. "Seems he's got a bit of a thing for her. Saw the empty seat next to you and figured it's better than sitting alone. Hope that's alright.""
"Yea, of course," she replied.
A short nod was Mattheo's only response to her reassurance. It didn't take long for the room to become fully occupied, leaving only the barest of space between occupied desks. Now that so many students were in the room, Mattheo seemed more conscious of his proximity to Sara, as if trying not to encroach on her personal space.
The two were silent for several minutes, Mattheo keeping his attention on the professor up front while Sara did similar. She did sneak a couple glances at him out the corner of her eye, though it remained subtle.
"Did you get a note on the last thing he said? He's talking so fast I can't get everything down," Sara whispered to Mattheo talking about the professor's lesson.
Mattheo glanced over at her when she spoke, his expression turning to one of amusement upon seeing her scribbling.
"Yeah, I got the basic idea," he said quietly, "The last thing he said was about the symbols he's marked on the board that he said signify dark and evil magic. He said we should pay some extra attention to them because we're learning more about that sort of thing."
"Shit, can I copy yours?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, sure," he replied, tilting his parchment towards her briefly without looking over so she could copy what he wrote.
"Thanks Matty," Sara smiled as she copied his last note about the symbols.
"You're welcome," he smiled back.
There was another stretch of quiet between them, only the sound of whispering among other students being heard. Mattheo continued to keep his attention on the professor, who was still talking about the more nuanced differences between different kinds of rune magic.
As the bell signaled the end of the Ancient Runes class, students eagerly packed their belongings, relieved to stretch their legs after a long, intricate lecture on the symbolism behind ancient magical scripts. Sara and Mattheo joined the stream of students exiting the classroom, their movements synchronized in a rhythm developed over years of shared classes.
Mattheo adjusted his bag on his shoulder, casting a quick glance back at Theodore, who was still chatting animatedly with Caroline, a rare blush coloring his cheeks. "Can you believe that?" Mattheo nudged Sara with his elbow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Theodore, all flustered over a girl. It's like watching a completely different person."
Sara laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as they stepped into the bustling corridor. "I know, right? He's usually Mr. 'I don't do feelings, only fun.' And there he is, practically tripping over his own feet to impress her."
