The Space Between

Chapter 5: A Literary Match-Up

The morning sun was barely peeking over the campus buildings as I sprinted across the quad, clutching a decaf coffee from the café in one hand and my notebook in the other. My bag kept slipping off my shoulder, and I could feel my heart racing—not just from the run, but from the whirlwind of yesterday. Emma had introduced me to the campus heartthrobs, and I still couldn’t quite believe it. Mateo Rivera, the guy every girl seemed to be obsessed with, was now someone I’d casually had coffee with. It felt strange, like a scene from someone else’s life.

By the time I reached the English Literature classroom, the hall was already filled with students scrambling to find seats. I quickly slid into a chair near the front, grateful I’d made it in time. As I took a sip of my coffee, I scanned the room and couldn’t help but smirk when I spotted Marcus sitting a few rows behind me. Not far from him, Mateo strolled in, looking as effortlessly cool as ever, but just as late as I was. They both exchanged a quick look of disbelief as they realized they were not only late but stuck in the same class—a compulsory one for sports people, much to their apparent annoyance.

I chuckled to myself, imagining how out of place they must feel. English Literature was one of those subjects I was genuinely excited about; it wasn’t just a requirement, it was something I loved. The professor, an elderly man with wiry glasses and a tweed jacket, raised an eyebrow at the latecomers but didn’t seem too bothered. “Ah, I see we have some of our star athletes joining us,” he said dryly, a hint of amusement in his voice. “I’ll let it slide today since it’s the first day, but don’t make it a habit.”

I caught Mateo’s eye as he made his way to a seat at the back, and he gave me a slight, almost sheepish smile. He seemed more focused on me than on finding his place in the room, and I quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in my notebook. Next to me, a guy named Graham introduced himself. He was studious, with neatly combed hair and an air of quiet confidence. “Sophia, right? I’m Graham. Heard you’re into this class—me too. Finally, something other than stats and strategy,” he joked, his smile friendly and genuine.

As the professor began his introductory lecture, explaining the course syllabus and what we could expect over the semester, I found myself eagerly jotting down notes. The discussion was already sparking ideas in my mind, and I couldn’t wait to dive deeper into the readings. Meanwhile, Mateo, from his seat in the back, seemed distracted. His eyes kept drifting to where I was sitting, and I could feel his gaze lingering, as if he was trying to figure me out from a distance.

I kept my focus on the lecture, scribbling down every word, but the awareness of Mateo’s eyes on me was impossible to ignore. It was like he was studying me instead of the course material, and I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that, in some unspoken way, I was already a part of his world—even if I didn’t want to be.

As the professor wrapped up the introductory lecture, he announced that it was time to form pairs for a group assignment. “For this project, you’ll be analyzing a novel from our reading list and preparing a presentation. By the end of the semester, you’ll also need to complete a more advanced project in pairs, so choose your partners wisely.” He then gave us a few minutes to find our partners.

I turned to my left and saw Graham standing there, flipping through his notebook with a focused expression. “Hey, Graham,” I said, approaching him. “Want to partner up for the assignment?” He looked up, his eyes lighting up with a mixture of relief and eagerness. “Sure, Sofia."

We quickly fell into a discussion about the novels we were interested in. Graham shared his passion for classic literature, while I talked about my love for contemporary fiction. We agreed to analyze a novel that bridged our interests, aiming to blend classic themes with modern perspectives. As we spoke, I noticed Marcus and Mateo in the corner, scanning the room for partners. Mateo seemed to be a bit preoccupied, glancing at Graham and me with a look of mild curiosity, as if he was trying to gauge what we were up to.

After the pairs were announced, the professor reminded us about the advanced project. “You’ll need to choose a more in-depth topic later in the semester,” he said,  “so keep that in mind when selecting your partners.” As the class buzzed with activity, Marcus ended up partnering with a girl named Lydia, who had a friendly demeanor and quickly started discussing their project. Mateo, on the other hand, chose a partner from the front row, and they began chatting animatedly about their chosen novel.

With our partnerships established and our project ideas set in motion, Graham and I started planning our next steps. Despite the initial chaos of choosing partners and the mixed feelings from the others, it felt good to have a solid plan in place. As Graham and I finalize our project details, I could feel a sense of excitement building.