Chapter 3: Cracks in the Armor

Ryan Cruz wasn't used to being ignored. He was the kind of guy people noticed—whether it was for the trouble he caused, the effortless charm he carried, or the reckless way he lived his life. He didn't have to try to get people's attention.

But Celeste Ramos?

She barely acknowledged his existence.

And that was starting to get under his skin.

For the past week, Ryan had been keeping an eye on her, watching the way she moved through Section 12 as if she were untouchable. She wasn't cold, not exactly—she was just distant, like she had built an invisible wall between herself and everyone else.

Ryan wasn't sure why, but he wanted to break that wall.

It was another ordinary afternoon in Section 12. The classroom was loud, students chatting, some throwing crumpled pieces of paper across the room while the teacher was running late. Ryan was slouched in his chair, lazily spinning a pen between his fingers, when he spotted Celeste sitting by the window, completely unbothered by the chaos around her.

She was reading again, her dark eyes scanning the pages with quiet focus. She didn't seem to care about the noise, the movement, or even the fact that some of their classmates had started teasing one another across the room.

Then, without warning—

A paper ball flew across the room and hit her shoulder.

The laughter that followed was instant.

Ryan immediately knew who was responsible—Jared and his little group of idiots, always looking for ways to entertain themselves. Normally, Ryan wouldn't care. He wasn't exactly the type to step in and play hero. But something about the way Celeste barely reacted—just calmly brushing the paper off her shoulder and continuing to read—made his blood simmer.

Jared, however, wasn't satisfied with her lack of reaction.

"What's wrong, Ramos? Too good to acknowledge us?" he taunted, his voice loud enough for half the class to hear.

Celeste turned a page in her book, completely ignoring him.

Ryan smirked. Damn, she's got patience.

But Jared wasn't done. "You always this stuck-up, or is it just because you think you're better than us?"

Still, no response.

Ryan saw the way Jared's grin widened, as if he had just found a new game to play. And that's when he knew—Celeste wasn't just ignoring him. She had done this before. She had dealt with guys like Jared before.

And she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Ryan let out a slow breath before finally speaking up. "Damn, Jared, I didn't know you were so desperate for attention. Should I throw a paper ball at you too?"

The class erupted in laughter, and Jared's smirk faltered.

Ryan leaned back in his chair, grinning. "Or maybe she's just ignoring you because you're not worth her time."

Jared scoffed, but Ryan could see the irritation in his expression. He wasn't used to being dismissed so easily—by Celeste or by Ryan. But before he could say anything else, the classroom door swung open and their teacher walked in, putting an abrupt end to the scene.

As the students scrambled back to their seats, Ryan's gaze flicked toward Celeste.

She didn't look at him. Didn't say a word.

But for the briefest moment, he swore he saw something in her expression—just a flicker of acknowledgment.

And that was enough.

Lunch break came faster than expected, and Ryan found himself heading toward the rooftop, the one place in the school where he could actually get some peace and quiet.

But when he pushed open the door—

Celeste was already there.

She was sitting by the railing, her book open in her lap, the wind gently playing with her hair.

Ryan smirked. "Didn't think I'd find anyone up here. This is usually my spot."

Celeste barely glanced at him. "I didn't see your name on the door."

He chuckled, stepping forward. "Fair enough."

She didn't tell him to leave. That was a good sign.

Ryan leaned against the railing a few feet away from her, letting the wind cool his skin. For a moment, they sat in silence, neither of them speaking, just letting the distant sounds of the schoolyard below fill the air.

Then, Ryan nodded toward her book. "What are you reading?"

Celeste hesitated for a second before turning the cover toward him. Wuthering Heights.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "That's… intense."

Celeste shrugged. "I like stories that aren't simple."

Ryan tilted his head. "You like tragic love stories?"

"I like stories with depth," she corrected. "Not everything has to be predictable."

Ryan studied her for a moment. "You know, you're not as unreadable as you think."

Celeste finally looked at him then, her expression unreadable. "And what exactly do you think you've figured out?"

Ryan smirked. "You act like you don't care about anything, but I think you do." He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice. "I think you're just good at hiding it."

Celeste didn't answer right away. Instead, she closed her book, holding it in her lap. "People assume too much," she said finally. "They think they know who you are just because of the way you act."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah. But sometimes, they're right."

She turned away, looking back at the sky. "And sometimes, they're wrong."

Ryan let the silence settle between them again. He didn't push for more. Didn't ask her what she meant.

But for the first time, he felt like he had found a small crack in her armor.

And he wasn't about to stop now.

To be continued…