Anna's POV:
The movie plan I'd agreed to with Davis's friends confused me. Why was I going with them—people I barely knew? Sure, Davis had asked me to come, and his urging was hard to resist, but it still felt odd to tag along with a group where I didn't belong.
Meanwhile, Addy had exciting news. She'd been selected for the sports club and joined the basketball team. I was happy for her, but her new commitment meant she'd get busier. Between classes and practice sessions, she was rarely free for a few days.
After class, I wandered into the cafeteria again. This time, I spotted Davis's friends sitting together. They waved when they noticed me, but I hesitated. Without Davis there, I didn't feel like joining them. The boys seemed caught up in their own conversations, and I didn't want to intrude.
I had one more class scheduled two hours later, it was frustrating to wait along. Addy was at practice, and Davis—well, according to his friends, he was busy with Sasha working on their project. That thought lingered, nagging at me in ways I didn't fully understand.
With nothing else to do, I grabbed a coffee and wandered outside to the garden. The campus was warm that afternoon, bathed in the soft, light of winter sun. I found a bench and sat down, scrolling mindlessly on my phone. After a while, I stretched out and let the stillness lull me. Before I knew it, my eyes grew heavy, and I dozed off.
"...Marshall? Hey. Wake up!"
The voice startled me. I blinked faintly, adjusting to the brightness as I sat up. Davis stood there, slightly leaning over the bench, a grin tugging at his lips.
"Sleeping in the garden? On a bench? Couldn't you find a better place?" he teased, his chuckle light and familiar.
Rubbing my eyes, I shifted upright. "I was really tired, and bored." I muttered, still shaking off the haze of sleep.
"Bored why?" He asked. "Because Addy's busy in the sports club practices."
"You could've called me," he said, his tone casual but laced with something warm as he sat next to me on the bench.
"I thought you were busy with your project with—"
He cut me off mid-sentence. "I'm never so busy for you. Come on! I thought you were in class or hanging out with Addy or something."
I pursed my lips into a smile and looked around nonchalantly. "Yeah, I know."
...
Davis was buzzing with excitement about the upcoming movie. Our routine midnight conversations had naturally shifted to discussing the Marvel Universe. I quickly realized he was an expert on the subject, while I could barely connect the dots between the characters and plotlines.
"You don't like Marvel or what?" he asked, his tone teasing but genuinely curious.
"No, it's not that. I find it interesting, but I just haven't watched most of them. I saw a few a long time ago," I admitted.
"Ohhh... no problem," he said, as if coming up with a genius plan on the spot. "There's still three days until 'No way home'. I have an idea."
"What is it?" I asked, already sensing he was up to something.
"We can do a movie marathon together. I mean, we're going to watch the new Spider-Man movie, right? So, you can at least catch up on some previous Spider-Man films with me for now."
"Woah, woah..." I tried to keep up with his enthusiasm.
"Isn't that a great idea?" His texts carried a grin that was practically visible through the phone.
I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, okay. So, when and where?"
"Library. Tomorrow." He replied.
...
"Are you done with your project and all?" I asked, settling into the chair next to him as he queued up the movie on his laptop.
"Nah. Not really. But Sasha will manage it," he said casually, leaning back.
"Oh," I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
"Yeah, you know what? She actually said she'll do it for both of us—even my part," he continued, chuckling lightly. "I mean, I gave her some ideas, but she said she'd handle it. Honestly, I think she likes me."
That caught me off guard. "Oh?" I mumbled, my eyes glued to the screen, even though the movie hadn't started yet.
"Yeah, like, she picked me as her partner, you know? And she's been really... clingy. It kinda feels like she's interested or something. What do you think?"
"I don't know," I said quickly, pretending to be deeply engrossed in the opening credits.
I could feel his gaze on me, waiting for some kind of reaction. But I didn't look at him. My chest felt tight, though I didn't understand why. After all, Sasha liking him shouldn't matter to me. Right?
The movie started, the familiar theme music filling the quiet study corner of the library. Davis, as expected, dove right into trivia.
"Did you know this version of Spider-Man's suit was inspired by the original comics from the 60s?" he said, gesturing toward the screen.
"No, I didn't," I replied.
"Yeah, and that web-shooting pose? It's actually modelled after how Spidey's drawn in the comics—totally iconic," he added, leaning a bit closer as if sharing a secret.
"Interesting," I said with a nod, finding his enthusiasm oddly infectious.
The screen lit up with vibrant colors as Spider-Man swung into a dramatic fight scene. Davis perked up. "This scene is one of my favorites. Look how he uses his environment—everything becomes part of the action."
I found myself smiling at his excitement. His commentary wasn't distracting—it added to the experience. For someone who claimed to be "not that into Marvel," I was surprisingly hooked. By the end of the movie, I felt like I'd been properly introduced to Spider-Man's world, with Davis as my guide.
I nodded, feeling his proximity. His excitement was contagious, but there was an odd weight in the air—something unspoken.
When the movie ended, he turned to me, practically buzzing with energy. "So? What did you think?"
I smiled, genuinely. "I loved it. Spider-Man's amazing. I didn't think I'd enjoy it this much."
He grinned wide, clearly pleased. "I told you! Spider-Man never disappoints. Wait till you see the next one—it's even better."
Just then, Davis's phone buzzed. He checked it, then glanced at me. "Sasha texted. She and the guys are in the cafeteria. They're grabbing something to eat. Let's go?"
I hesitated, my stomach knotting at the mention. "I... I should probably head home. I have assignments to finish," I said, standing and gathering my things.
"You sure? I mean, you can do it later, right? Just grab a quick bite with us."
I shook my head, offering a weak smile. "No, really. I have to get started."
His expression faltered, but he didn't push. "Alright. Let me know when you're home, okay?"
"Yeah, I will," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder and walking away.
YOU ARE READING
Invisible String.
Romance"She built a fortress around her shattered heart, each stone laid with ache of love lost. But someone knew her before the walls were raised, he knew her far beyond than anyone else. Even though, she always kept him at arm's length, he danced with h...
