To Be With You : Beneath Your Paradise

Chapter Eight

                             Jack

                              ~☯~

The corridor outside Room 2.14 was too quiet now.

The lecture had been going on for what felt like forever, and I wasn’t even in it. I lean against the wall, arms crossed, one boot pressing lazily against the cold tile, watching the door like it owed me something.

Every now and then, a student passes. A couple of girls glances at me, one whispering something to the other. They giggle. Typical. I didn’t move. My eyes stays locked on that damn lecture room door.

Then it opens.

A slow wave of students trickles out ,some chatting, some glued to their phones. Then she steps through.

Anastasia.

She freezes.

Right there on the spot like she’d been caught stealing air. Her eyes locks on mine, wide and unreadable, and for a split second, the entire corridor holds its breath.

I see her gaze drop.

To the side of my pocket. The corner of her student ID—her ID—peeking out at her.

She sees it once again.

And I see her reaction.

I reach down, slowly pulling the fob free. Let it dangle between my fingers, the sunlight from the high window catching on the plastic. Her photo, her name—hers. A slow smirk creeps onto my face.

I toss the fob up.

Her eyes widen. She jolts forward like a reflex, rushing to catch it before it could bounce down the stairs behind me. But before it could fall, I catch it.

And now… she was right there.

Kneeling awkwardly in front of me, face tilted up, cheeks flushing. Just a breath between us. My heart thuds louder than it should have.

She stands up quickly, brushing invisible dust from her jeans, trying to play it cool.

“I think that fob is mine,” she says, eyes finally barely meeting mine.

I tilt my head down, lowering myself just a bit to meet her gaze.

“You think?” I murmur, voice low and teasing.

“It is,” she shot back, a bit too quick. A bit too defensive.

I nod slowly, grinning. My fingers twirls the ID once, then paused.

I look at it. Her face, printed and laminated, staring back at me.

Then I look up. At the real thing.

"You do look similar," I say, just above a whisper. “Only the one in front looks much better.”

I dangle it just out of reach, playful, daring.

But before she could reach for it

Another hand snatched it from mine.

“Stop playing with her.”

We both turn.

Eden.

Were they in the same major?, he's messy hair, calm face, soft eyes full of something that always put me on edge. He hands the ID to her gently, like it was made of glass.

Anastasia mumbles a quiet, “Thanks,” her fingers brushing his.

Eden turns to me. “Why are you here?”

I scoff, eyes flicking from Anastasia to him. "You forgot? My parents invited you to dinner today."

“I didn’t forget.”

“Was your lecture that long, huh? Felt like hours out here waiting for you, bro.” I sling an arm around his shoulders casually, still watching Anastasia from the corner of my eye.

Eden turns to her. “See you next lecture,” he says with that easy smile.

And she smiles back. No hesitation. Not a trace of nerves.

She looks him in the eyes.

And me? She couldn’t even look at me without flinching.

I saw it.

And yeah—it bothers me.

“Let’s go,” I mutter, tugging Eden forward.

I don’t say goodbye.

Didn’t need to.

But as I walk away, I didn't quite look back. I see her from the corner of my eyes.

She was still standing there.

Alone. Holding her ID in one hand, fingers curled tightly around it.

And for the first time… I couldn’t quite read her face.