𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓, ˡᵘᶜᵃˢ ˢⁱⁿᶜˡᵃⁱʳ ¹

05

𝟬𝟱
𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱

The air had a certain stillness to it as the afternoon sun began its slow descent, bathing the schoolyard in a hazy, golden light. Shadows stretched long across the concrete, while clusters of students moved in their usual predictable patterns—chatter echoing faintly against the brick walls, laughter carried by the autumn breeze. Tessa moved through it all, her steps deliberately measured, as if every pace was an afterthought, her hands stuffed in the pockets of her worn jacket. She watched the world with a quiet disinterest, her gaze distant, as though the scene around her existed on the other side of a glass she couldn't quite reach through.

As she crossed the courtyard, something caught her eye. Beyond the chain-link fence that separated the school from the edge of town, Dustin was standing, his posture eager, animated. He was talking to another boy—a figure she hadn't seen before. Taller than Dustin, with a lean frame and a cool, guarded expression that contrasted with Dustin's usual burst of enthusiasm.

Tessa's steps slowed as she observed them from a distance, her curiosity faint but present. Dustin's hands flailed as he spoke, his usual energy radiating off him, while the other boy remained still, almost immovable, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

It wasn't until Dustin's voice broke through the noise of the courtyard that Tessa felt herself pulled into their orbit.

"Hey, Tessa!" Dustin's call rang out, slicing through the idle conversations around them, drawing a few glances. "Come over here!"

For a brief moment, Tessa hesitated, her feet almost rooted to the spot. She considered turning the other way, slipping into the flow of students heading home. But the quiet urge to at least see what Dustin wanted won out. She altered her path, weaving through the remnants of the crowd toward the two boys by the fence.

As she approached, Dustin's smile broadened. "I want you to meet someone," he said brightly, his voice practically buzzing with excitement. "This is Lucas." He gestured to the boy beside him with a quick nod, as though the introduction itself carried more weight than it appeared.

Lucas's eyes flicked to her, the briefest glance, but it was enough for Tessa to catch the faint glint of skepticism in his gaze. His arms stayed crossed over his chest, his stance steady and firm, as if ready to face whatever—or whoever—came his way. He didn't say anything at first, just took her in with a glance that felt more like an assessment.

Tessa, unfazed by the scrutiny, tilted her head slightly, her hands still comfortably buried in her pockets. "So," she said, her voice low and smooth, "you're one of the famous friends?"

A beat passed before Lucas's lips twitched, just barely. He didn't fully smile, but there was something close to amusement in the way he responded. "Famous? Not sure about that."

The quiet between them wasn't tense, not for Tessa anyway. It was more like a shared silence, the kind that didn't demand to be filled. She let her gaze drift, watching a few kids kick around a soccer ball on the far side of the field, the dull thud of feet hitting leather filling the air.

Dustin, however, was clearly more concerned about keeping the conversation going. He shifted on his feet, glancing between the two, his grin faltering for a moment. 

Lucas shot him a quick glance, a look that said more than words. Dustin, ever the optimist, ignored it and pressed on. "We're usually up to something," he added with a shrug, clearly hoping to build some connection between the two.

Tessa barely reacted, her expression as neutral as ever. She could feel Lucas's gaze slide back to her, this time with a touch more curiosity, though it was well-masked behind the same cool demeanor.

"So," he said after a moment, his tone carefully measured, "what's your deal?"

Tessa raised an eyebrow, more out of habit than actual surprise. "My deal?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied, his arms still crossed, though he shifted his weight slightly. "You new here or something?"

Tessa shrugged. "Well, yeah."

Lucas didn't push for more. Instead, he seemed content with the bare answer, as though he didn't really need the details. The slight breeze that picked up tugged at the edges of Tessa's jacket, but she remained still, unmoved by the wind or the subtle tension hanging in the air.

"You don't seem all that excited about it," Lucas noted, his voice carrying the faintest edge of challenge, though his face remained mostly neutral.

Tessa smirked, the corner of her mouth lifting just enough to show she wasn't taking the bait. "Should I be?"

For the first time, Lucas seemed caught off guard, just slightly. His eyes narrowed in a way that suggested he wasn't used to being matched so easily. But after a moment, he snorted softly, more to himself than to her. "Fair enough," he muttered.

Dustin, sensing the slight shift, grinned wide again. "We should all hang out sometime," he offered, oblivious to the undercurrent between Lucas and Tessa. "It'll be fun. You'll see."

Lucas's look to Dustin was almost imperceptible, but Tessa caught it—a subtle mixture of exasperation and something close to reluctance. But he didn't outright disagree.

"We're around," Lucas said finally, his tone a little more dismissive, as if to say it wasn't a big deal either way.

Tessa could see the offer for what it was—a half-hearted invitation, more for Dustin's sake than anything else. She met Lucas's gaze, cool and steady, before replying, "I'll think about it."

Lucas didn't reply, but the faint shift in his stance told her enough. He wasn't going to push for more, and that suited her just fine. As the breeze picked up once more, tousling her hair, Tessa turned on her heel, heading off with her usual steady, unhurried pace.

Lucas watched her go, his expression hard to read, but she could feel the weight of his stare even as she moved further away. There was something about him—something guarded, something cautious. She didn't mind that. In fact, she understood it. Maybe that's why she didn't feel the need to try harder.

She was used to people keeping their distance. And Lucas Sinclair seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't mind doing just that.

.ೃ࿐ IRIS SPEAKS !

idk how to feel about their meetingg, but we love middleman dustin 

BTW references are very rare bc im not multi fandom and idk how i managed to watch stranger things since tiktok completely fried my attention span

but dont forget to comment and vote, as always, kissess xoo