Chapter 3:Uncharted Territory

Caesar never thought much about routines. He liked predictability—waking up, attending class, avoiding unnecessary conversations, and returning home to study. But ever since Blythe barged into his life, things started shifting in ways he wasn't sure he liked.

For one, she wouldn't stop talking to him.

"Caesar! Over here!"

He winced at the loud voice cutting through the morning air. He had barely stepped onto campus when Blythe ran up to him, a bright smile on her face.

"What do you want?" he asked, adjusting the strap of his bag.

"That's rude. Can't a friend just say hi?" she pouted.

Friend? That word made him freeze. He wasn't sure he'd call her that.

"We're not friends," he said bluntly.

Blythe gasped dramatically. "How dare you! After all we've been through?"

"All we've been through? It was one tutoring session."

"Exactly! That's a life-changing experience." She nudged him playfully.

Caesar sighed. He wasn't going to win this conversation, so he just walked ahead. But, as expected, she followed.

---

Math class should've been the easiest part of the day, but once again, Caesar found himself struggling to focus. Blythe sat two rows ahead, and for some reason, his gaze kept drifting toward her.

Why was she so friendly? Why did she talk to him so much? Most people ignored him, and he was fine with that. But Blythe? She acted like his presence actually mattered.

"Mr. Tiu?"

Caesar snapped out of his thoughts. The professor was staring at him expectantly.

"Solve this problem."

He stood up, walked to the board, and picked up the chalk. Normally, math problems were second nature to him, but today, his mind was scattered.

His hand hesitated for half a second—just enough for a few murmurs to spread across the classroom.

"Is he… stuck?"

"No way, he's a genius, right?"

Caesar clenched his jaw and quickly wrote down the solution. It was correct, of course, but the hesitation was enough to make him uncomfortable.

As he returned to his seat, Blythe turned around, catching his eyes. She didn't say anything, but her expression was clear.

"You okay?"

He looked away.

---

Caesar always ate alone. He liked it that way. The cafeteria was too loud, too chaotic, but sitting in the corner with a book made it bearable.

But today, Blythe had other plans.

"Mind if I join?" she asked, already setting her tray down before he could answer.

"You're going to, anyway," he muttered.

She grinned. "You know me well."

He didn't respond. Instead, he focused on his food, hoping she'd get bored and leave.

No such luck.

"You're weird, you know that?" she said casually.

"And you're annoying."

Blythe gasped. "Rude! But okay, I'll take it. I annoy you, yet you still let me stay."

Caesar stabbed at his food. "Like I have a choice."

She laughed, then leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.

"Do you ever talk about your dad?"

The fork in Caesar's hand froze.

His heartbeat echoed in his ears. No one ever asked him that. Not even his teachers.

"Why would I?" he muttered.

Blythe's expression softened. "Just curious. You don't have to answer."

Silence.

Caesar wanted to tell her to drop the subject, but for some reason, the words wouldn't come out. Instead, he found himself gripping his tray a little tighter.

"He was… a great man," he finally said, his voice quieter than usual.

Blythe smiled gently. "I bet he was."

And just like that, she changed the topic, not pressing any further.

Caesar didn't say anything, but for the first time, he didn't mind her presence as much.

---

The rest of the day was a blur, and soon enough, Caesar found himself back in the library. He was expecting a peaceful study session—until Blythe showed up again.

"Okay, so hear me out," she said, plopping into the seat beside him.

Caesar sighed. "What now?"

"A challenge."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You're always serious and boring. So, for one week, you have to do something new every day."

"No."

"Come on! It doesn't have to be big. Just small things. Like trying a new snack, sitting somewhere different, talking to someone new—stuff like that."

Caesar narrowed his eyes. "And why would I do that?"

Blythe smirked. "Because if you win, I'll buy you five more math books."

Caesar considered this.

On one hand, this sounded ridiculous. But on the other hand… five free books?

After a long pause, he finally said, "Fine. But I pick the challenges."

Blythe beamed. "Deal!"

She held out her hand, and after a moment of hesitation, Caesar shook it.

Little did he know, this challenge would change more than just his daily routine.

---

To Be Continued...