It was just an ordinary Tuesday afternoon when Lai Ferrer found herself staring at the blank Word document on her laptop. The sound of keyboard clicks and hushed conversations filled the classroom. Research time, they said. But all Lai could think of was how this project became her new favorite part of the day.
"So, what do you think?" Raj asked out of nowhere, breaking the silence.
Lai blinked, her thoughts interrupted. "Huh? About what?"
Raj flashed his signature smirk. "About me having a crush on this girl from Section Sterling."
Her heart sank for a second, but she quickly hid her disappointment. "Oh? And who's the unlucky girl?"
Raj leaned closer, watching her reaction. "You sound jealous, Lai."
Lai rolled her eyes, trying to keep it casual. "Jealous? Please, Rodriguez. Get over yourself."
But deep down, Lai couldn't help but wonder—was Raj just messing with her, or was there something more?
Raj leaned back in his chair, a playful glint in his eyes. "You're seriously not curious? I thought girls loved hearing about secret crushes."
Lai crossed her arms, pretending to be unfazed. "Raj, I'm here to finish this research, not to play 'guess who's crushing on who.' Besides, if I wanted to know, I could just ask her. I know people."
He chuckled, the sound of it oddly contagious. Raj had this way of turning the most mundane conversations into something fun. It wasn't just what he said—it was how he said it. The way he'd drop a joke with perfect timing, his smirk always on the verge of laughter. And when he laughed, it was hard not to laugh with him.
"I don't know, Ferrer," he said, nudging her with his elbow. "You don't seem the type to care about that stuff. You're more like... the brainy, no-nonsense type. But," his voice dropped lower as if he were sharing a secret, "I think you care more than you let on."
Lai's pulse quickened. There he was again—turning everything into a game, into a joke. But his humor was magnetic, the kind that pulled her in before she could even realize it.
"Oh, please. Don't flatter yourself," she shot back, but a small smile tugged at her lips. She hated that he could make her smile like that, even when she tried not to. "What are you even talking about?"
Raj's grin grew wider, and he turned to face her fully. "You look like you want to know who it is."
She raised an eyebrow, refusing to give in. "You're bluffing. You don't even have a crush in Section Sterling. You're just making it up to see if I'll react."
"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not," he said with a mischievous wink. "But wouldn't it be more fun if you found out?"
There it was again—his charm. Raj knew exactly how to play with words, weaving humor and intrigue like an expert. And as much as Lai wanted to brush him off, she couldn't deny the way her heart fluttered every time he spoke.
"Fine," she finally said, leaning closer. "I'll play along. But if this turns out to be some stupid prank, I'm deleting your part of the research."
Raj laughed, the sound loud and carefree. "You've got yourself a deal, Ferrer. Let the games begin."
As they both returned to their work, Lai couldn't shake the feeling that Raj wasn't just playing around. Maybe there was something behind those jokes, something more than just teasing. But for now, she'd play his game—and maybe, just maybe, figure him out along the way.
👾
Later that evening, Lai had just gotten home, mentally exhausted from their research session with Raj. She dropped her bag on the floor, heading straight to her bed when her phone buzzed. It was a notification—a video call request from Raj.
