You shouldn't be here

The last member of the group walked toward her slowly, a little unsure of himself. His thin fingers fumbled nervously with the rim of his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose for what had to be the third time in less than a minute. He wore a soft, oversized grey wool cardigan that hung a little too low on his narrow shoulders. His dark trousers were neat but slightly wrinkled and his shoes looked like they'd seen too many library corners. "Um, hello", he said with a small, kind smile, his gentle voice pulled Serena back from her internal spiral, her quick trip to partial insanity as she was calling it now. She blinked, startled to see someone who didn't look like they walked out of a historical portrait of falling angels. " Hi", she said, her voice coming out a little breathless. " Are you in group 7?" he asked, tilting his head a little as he looked at the paper in her hand. She nodded quickly and then pointed behind her without turning fully. " They're also in group 7", she said trying to keep her voice level, motioning to the three boys still chatting behind her. Then she added,a little quieter than before without making any eye contact, " he is too". She meant the one on her right of course. " Oh," he said quietly. Then added quickly"well, this is a tough looking group". Serena let out a dry laugh." Yeah you could say that." He readjusted his cardigan sleeve as he reached out a hand. " I'm Theo by the way. Theo Martin. Literature major. I have never seen you in class before, this must be your first day". " Serena", she replied, shaking his hand with a sense of relief, finally someone normal. " Yeah I got here yesterday". Theo leaning closer to her whispered " well for what is worth don't take there attitude personal most people here are just rude and ill behaved". Serena's heart spiked when he said that, she hoped they didn't hear him. Behind her, one of the boys gave a low chuckle which made her back stiffen. " They haven't said anything to you have they?" She shook her head. " Not a word". Theo's eyes flicked briefly to the left and of her. " Yeah. That's expected how did we end up with them" he muttered, Serena thinking the exact same thing.

" Theo huh? Nice name. What's yours sweetheart?" The voice came from behind her, lazy, smooth and laced with mischief. Serena stiffened, her mind begged her not to turn. But her body didn't listen. She turned slowly and saw him. The blonde one. His messy, shaggy hair fell perfectly around his smug face, his blue eyes sparkilng with something far from kindness. The smile he wore didn't quite reach his eyes. It was playful, but in the same way a cat might toy with a mouse before the pounce. " Serena", she replied quietly, her voice softer than she intended. " Serena Johnson." " Hmm, pretty name", he said drawing out the word like it was some secret only he knew. Since we are in the same group it's only right we introduce ourselves don't you think? He said with a mischievous smirk. " I'm Nathan. That over there is Lucius" he nodded to the brown haired guy lounging against the desk, whose smirk made her skin crawl. " And this cold brooder here is Xavier" he thumbed toward the black haired beside her without missing a beat. Xavier didn't say anything. His eyes seemingly fixed on her, there was no curiosity in them, no kindness, just pure resentment and an emotion if she was crazy she'd call sadness. His eyes searched her with cold calculation, like he was measuring her soul and finding it..... lacking. Serena looked away swallowing hard. The already cold room felt it had dropped ten degrees. Nathan turned his grin toward the last one. " Oh how could I almost forget, that's guy over there, that walking glacier, is Simon. Come on, Simon don't you want to say hi to Serena?". Simon didn't turn right away, his jaw clenched, his emerald green eyes flicked toward her.

One second. That was all it took. Just one glance.

But it hit her harder than anything else had that day. There was no emotion behind his cold eyes but a weight that felt like it might crush her if he glanced longer. She didn't know why their stares seemed to unnerved her so much, but she wished desperately that she could disappear from the group assignment entirely. She looked at Theo who was practically shrinking into his oversized cardigan. He looked about as terrified as she felt. Simon stood up, his eyes darting to the others to follow him, which they did without saying a word. Simon finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, if anything, it was calm. Controlled. But it held a weight, a commanding coldness that sliced through the already troubled class atmosphere.

" We'll start the project some other time. You guys can get started if you want." His voice echoed inside her, like it had been spoken not just to her ears, but something deeper, something within her. Like she had heard it so many times in so many ways but always clear and decisive just like now. She stared at him, frozen as his eyes lingered on her. Not like Nathan's sly interest or Xavier's sharp disdain. No, his eyes lingered on her just long enough to make her feel completely exposed.

Seen. Picked apart. Not just noticed but carefully studied. Simon's stare was searching. Deep. Like he was trying to peel back the layers of her skin and find something buried inside her. And then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving her in the aftermath of that moment. They others followed, as if moving on cue.

All except one

Xavier remained.

Serena barely had time to process it before he leaned in, closing the space between them, he was too close and she could feel the pressure of his presence like an invisible wall around her.

Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure Theo could hear it. His eyes, that unnerving shade of ice blue, were colder up close. Serena's heart leaped into her throat, her pulse hammered in her ears. She wanted to look away, she needed to look away but he body was frozen. It was as if his eyes had rooted her to her seat.

" You shouldn't be here."

The words slid from his lips like frost across glass,quiet but harsh. Her skin broke into goosebumps. Her entire body tensed as his words sank in. He pulled away, his eyes on the door. He stood up, leaving the suffocating room behind with Serena and Theo frozen in place, wrapped in heavy silence.