lorelei.

chapter 3.

I looked around for Levi, who usually got to the classroom before I did, and spotted him seated on the opposite side of the room from Silas.

Thank God, I thought as I walked towards him.

Silas looked up at me without any acknowledgement as I passed, as if I we hadn't met and conversed earlier this morning.

I internally shrugged. Whatever.

A girl—Liza, I think—was trying to nonchalantly lean on the table next to Levi, twirling her short, brunette hair, and not-so-inconspicuously flirting with him. At the same time, she was throwing glances at Silas, looking him up and down.

I rolled my eyes. Girls like that made me almost ashamed to be one myself.

Levi was obviously not reciprocating, deeply engrossed in something he was writing, and barely gave Liza a second glance. I held in a laugh, slinging my backpack beside him and pulling out the chair next to his.

Liza gave me a glare, and I asked sarcastically, "Do you need something?" making Levi look up for the first time and realize I was there.

Her glare intensified, "Yeah, for you to leave."

I chuckled. "Go find some other guys to stalk."

Her scowl deepened, but she had nothing left to say. She let out a quiet "humph" and pivoted towards the door, striding out quickly.

"Nice one, dude," Levi said, fist bumping me.

"Just can't keep the hoes away, can you?" I laughed.

"It's a curse," he replied, feigning seriousness.

I giggled and couldn't help noticing Silas looking in our direction, still expressionless and stoic but with a hint of something else. Maybe curiosity. Maybe annoyance.

I brushed it off and asked, "Still working on the sketches?" gesturing towards the journal Levi had been so vigorously working in moments ago.

"Yeah...I just can't get the shading on the eye sockets right," he replied, pointing towards the elaborate drawing of a skull with detailed flowers coming out of it.

"Well, it definitely looks good to me." I had always admired his work, as well as Iris's paintings. It intrigued me how they were able to so confidently express themselves in such a unique medium.

He shrugged, closing the journal and throwing it in his shoulder bag.

Shortly after the history class had started, the teacher uttered the most horrendous words he could've, "Find a partner...one that you usually don't work with."

Levi and I tried staying where we were until Mr. Ranford called us out and told us to "broaden our horizons."

I rolled my eyes and groaned, earning a pointed glare from the teacher. I scanned the room for the least annoying person. My options were not great.

While Silas's personality was not actually annoying, his sole presence annoyed me. The only other person left without a partner was a girl named Dixie, who was also not my favorite, but I decided to give Levi the pure joy of meeting Silas.