Unspoken

AM I FALLING (Part 3)

Selena sat at the large oak table in Daniel's study room, flipping through her notebook. Her voice was calm and confident as she explained the method to solve one of their assignment questions. The others listened intently—or at least pretended to.

"So," Selena said, pointing to the problem on the sheet, "you just substitute this value here, and then simplify. It's not as tricky once you see the pattern."

Lucia nodded, scribbling notes. "Ohhh, I get it now. Thanks, Selena."

As Selena continued to talk, Daniel's eyes weren't on the notebook or the problem—they were on her.

The way her lips moved when she spoke, the way her brow furrowed slightly when she concentrated—it all held him spellbound. She was a mix of brilliance and simplicity, and Daniel couldn't look away.

Alejandro noticed and leaned closer to Daniel, snapping his fingers near his face. "Earth to Daniel! Where's your head at, man?"

Daniel blinked, startled. "Huh? What?"

"You're zoning out. Do you even know what question we're on?" Alejandro teased, smirking.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Daniel said quickly, running a hand through his hair. "I was just... thinking."

Lucia chimed in with a grin, "Thinking about what? Or should I say... who?"

Daniel shot her a look. "Don't start."

Lucia giggled but didn't press further. Instead, she turned to Selena. "So, about this part—why does the equation flip here?"

Selena leaned over to look at Lucia's notebook, her voice soft but assured. "That's because when you divide by a negative, the inequality sign flips. It's just one of those rules you have to remember."

Daniel's gaze never left Selena. Her focus, her patience, the way she explained things so effortlessly—it drew him in. She was completely unaware of the effect she was having on him, which somehow made her even more captivating.

Alejandro elbowed him lightly. "Dude, stop staring. It's obvious."

Daniel muttered under his breath, "Shut up."

Selena glanced up briefly, sensing the exchange, but Daniel quickly looked away, pretending to focus on his notebook. His heart raced, hoping she hadn't caught him.

"Did you say something, Daniel?" Selena asked, tilting her head.

"No, nothing," he said, a little too quickly.

Selena shrugged, brushing it off, and went back to explaining. But Daniel's thoughts swirled. He didn't just want to win the bet anymore—something about Selena had him questioning everything.

The cozy hum of conversation filled Daniel's study as his maid quietly entered, carrying a tray laden with snacks—golden empanadas, crisp chips, and a small jug of fresh orange juice. She placed it down on the side table and gave a polite nod before leaving. The group eagerly dove in.

"Dude, this is really good," Mateo said, munching on an empanada. "Your maid's cooking is top-notch. Speaking of which," he added, smirking, "where are your parents, Daniel?"

Daniel leaned back in his chair, casually reaching for a chip. "Out of town," he said, his tone even. "Business trip. Two weeks."

Alejandro let out a low whistle. "Man, you must be living the dream. A massive house, no parents around. Total freedom!"

But Daniel's face faltered for a brief moment, a flicker of something hidden passing over his eyes. He quickly masked it with a half-smile. "Yeah... maybe," he replied, his voice softer, almost wistful.