PAIRED PROJECT

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, I gathered my things and stood up, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I was eager to get out of there and process everything that had just happened.

But as I turned to leave, I felt a hand on my arm, holding me back. I turned to see Xavier standing beside me, his eyes fixed on mine.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and rough. "You okay?"

I was taken aback by his question, and for a moment, I just stared at him, unsure of how to respond. But then I nodded, feeling a sense of surprise at his concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, trying to sound casual. "Thanks for... standing up for me back there."

Xavier's expression didn't change, but I saw a flicker of something in his eyes, something that looked almost like... approval.

But then he just nodded and dropped his hand from my arm. "Let's get out of here," he said, turning to walk away.

I watched him go, feeling a sense of confusion and curiosity. What was going on with Xavier? And why did I get the feeling that there was more to him than met the eyes?

Just as I was trying to process what had just happened with Xavier, Olivia appeared beside me, a concerned look on her face.

"Hey, Luna, are you okay?" she asked, eyeing me with worry. "What happened with Sonia? That was pretty intense."

I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Olivia for checking in on me. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, trying to brush it off. "Just a little shaken up, I guess."

Olivia nodded sympathetically. "Don't worry, Sonia's just jealous," she said, rolling her eyes. "She's always been a bit of a drama queen."

I smiled, feeling a sense of relief at Olivia's words. Maybe this whole thing was just a big deal over nothing.

But as I glanced over at Xavier, who was now standing by the door, watching me with an unreadable expression, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this situation than met the eye.

Olivia walked up to Xavier, and I trailed behind her, curious about what was going to happen next.

Xavier's eyes flicked to Olivia, and then to me, before he spoke. "We've got a project to work on," he said, his voice low and even. "We should get started on it. Let's go to the library."

Olivia nodded, and I followed suit, feeling a sense of trepidation. Working on a project with Xavier and his friends was not exactly what I had in mind, but I supposed it was better than working with Sonia.

As we walked to the library, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. What was it going to be like, working with Xavier and his friends? And what did they have planned for this project?

We walked to the library in silence, the only sound being the rustling of leaves and the distant chatter of other students. I trailed behind Xavier and Olivia, feeling a bit like an outsider.

As we entered the library, Xavier led us to a quiet corner table, where Alexander and Gabriel were already seated, laptops open and ready to go.

"Alright, let's get started," Xavier said, taking a seat and nodding at us to do the same.

Olivia sat down beside him, and I took the seat across from them, feeling a bit awkward.

Alexander and Gabriel exchanged a look, and then Alexander spoke up. "So, what's the plan for this project?"

Xavier leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We'll work together to come up with a presentation. Luna, you're new here, so you'll probably bring a fresh perspective."

I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. Maybe this project wouldn't be so bad after all.

But as I glanced around the table, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on here, something beneath the surface. And I had a feeling that Xavier was at the center of it all.

As we sat down to work on the project, Gabriel turned to me and smiled. "You know, Luna, you're really beautiful," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I looked away, trying to play it cool. "Thanks, Gabriel," I said, trying to sound casual.

But before I could say anything else, I caught Xavier's eye. He was staring at Gabriel, his expression unreadable. But for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes - something that looked almost like... warning.

Gabriel, oblivious to the tension, just chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "What, Xavier? You're not going to congratulate me on my excellent taste?"

Xavier's expression didn't change, but he did raise an eyebrow. It was a small movement, but it spoke volumes. Gabriel, sensing that he had overstepped, looked away, clearing his throat.

The atmosphere around the table had become awkward, and I could feel the tension building. I wondered what had just happened, and why Xavier had reacted that way.

" But she's really a beauty can I have your number huh Alexander said with a flirty wink

I felt my face grow even hotter as Alexander asked for my number, and Gabriel chimed in with another compliment. I was starting to feel like I was on the spot, and I didn't know how to handle it.

But before I could respond, Xavier spoke up, his voice low and even. "No," he said, his eyes locked on Alexander. "She's not giving you her number."

I felt a surge of surprise at Xavier's words, and I turned to him, wondering why he was intervening. But he just kept looking at Alexander, his expression unyielding.

Alexander raised an eyebrow, looking taken aback by Xavier's response. "What's it to you, Xavier?" he asked, his tone light, but with a hint of challenge.

Xavier's expression didn't change, but I saw a flicker of something in his eyes. "Just drop it, Alexander," he said, his voice firm.

"We are here for the project," Xavier added, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at Alexander and Gabriel. "Let's focus on that."

The atmosphere around the table shifted, and Alexander and Gabriel exchanged a look before nodding in agreement.

"Right, sorry about that," Alexander said, clearing his throat. "Let's get started on the project."

Gabriel nodded, opening his laptop and pulling up the project guidelines. "Okay, so we need to come up with a presentation on... "

As Gabriel began to discuss the project, I couldn't help but sneak glances at Xavier, wondering why he had intervened earlier. Was he just trying to keep us on track, or was there something more to it?