Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The soft, artificial light of the library's reading lamps cast a warm glow on the wooden study tables, highlighting the scattered textbooks and loose papers. The hushed ambiance of the library was punctuated only by the occasional shuffling of pages or the low murmur of students studying. My own study area was a cozy nook tucked away near a row of tall bookshelves, with a large window allowing a faint, golden light to filter in from the late afternoon sun.
It was supposed to be a focused study session, the kind where you buckle down and tackle assignments. But ever since Renee walked into the library and slid into the chair across from me, it had been nearly impossible to concentrate. She had settled comfortably, her legs casually draped over the armrest of the chair, her notes spread out on the table. The gentle rustle of her notes and the rhythmic tapping of her pen against her lips were driving me to distraction. The quiet hum of the air conditioning provided a steady backdrop, but it did little to mask the allure of Renee's presence.
We'd been friends for a while now, ever since our shared classes had forced us into group study sessions. What had started as a simple academic collaboration had turned into an easy-going friendship and, lately, something more complicated, at least for me. We had a comfortable rhythm when we studied together—Renee's teasing banter balanced with my attempts to stay on task. But today, with her so close and her movements so effortlessly provocative, it was harder than ever to concentrate.
"Are you even paying attention?" Renee's voice, soft but teasing, cut through the quiet of the library, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint. It was clear she knew exactly what she was doing to me.
Caught off guard, I quickly looked down at my textbook, trying to ignore the flush rising in my cheeks. "Yeah, of course," I mumbled, though my voice betrayed my uncertainty.
Renee smirked, leaning forward just enough to give me an unobstructed view. Her shirt shifted slightly, revealing a hint of skin, and I could feel my concentration slipping away. "Really? Because it looks like your mind is somewhere else."
