018. Curious

His eyes widened in disbelief as they landed on the last person he expected to see standing beside him.

'Seraphina?'

She tapped him lightly on the shoulder, though her fingers lingered there a moment longer than he had expected—just long enough for him to notice.

"Ohh, hey!" he murmured, his voice slightly caught off guard as he instinctively raised a hand to the back of his head, fingers raking through his hair in a nervous gesture as he spoke.

He glanced briefly at her fingers still resting on his shoulder, and the moment their eyes met, she withdrew her hand without a second thought, as if suddenly aware of how long it had lingered.

She parted her lips to speak, but just then, Joe barged in, unintentionally cutting through the moment and walking straight into their conversation.

"Hey br—" Joe began, his usual grin in place, but his eyes landed on Seraphina, who hadn't even gotten a word out yet.

He sidled up to Kael and leaned in, pulling him a little closer with too much familiarity.

"Bro! No way you're just casually talking to her after you just met her yesterday."

Kael immediately shrugged off his arm and took a deliberate move back, putting distance between them.

"We're barely talking, Joe," he said flatly, glancing briefly at Seraphina before folding his arms, as if to make it even clearer he wasn't looking for company.

Joe glanced back and forth between Kael and Seraphina, suspicion flashing briefly across his face before he gave Kael a hard, almost playful tap on the shoulder—one Kael instinctively shrugged off without hesitation.

"You've got to be kidding me, bro," Joe said, incredulous. "There's no way you're 'barely talking.'"

Then, as if trying to smooth things over, he turned to Seraphina with an overly wide grin, raising his hand for a handshake while his other hand scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Hi, I'm Joe. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Seraphina gave his outstretched hand a brief glance, then met his eyes, her voice soft yet resonant—a melodic tone that seemed to hush the air around them.

"Sorry, I don't shake hands. And I'm here to talk with him," she said, gesturing toward Kael.

Joe's smile faltered. He awkwardly dropped his hand, retreating with a muttered chuckle, though the flush in his face said enough. Kael, meanwhile, wasn't the least bit surprised—this was typical Joe, always trying to insert himself into situations he didn't understand.

"It's fine, I understand," he chuckled, trying to hide his visible pain.

Kael dropped his gaze from Joe, no longer interested in whatever reaction might follow, and turned to face Seraphina, who still stood beside him—unmoved and composed, as if Joe's interruption hadn't fazed her in the slightest.

Her posture remained relaxed, but there was a quiet focus in her eyes now, one that made Kael feel like whatever she was about to say actually mattered.

"So… what is it you'd like to discuss?" Kael asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her expression, looking for any hint of what she might be hiding behind that calm voice.

"Not here. It's something private," she replied without missing a beat. And before he could respond or brace himself, she reached out and grabbed his hand, tugging him upward from his seat in one smooth motion.

Kael stumbled slightly as he stood, caught off guard by the sudden shift in her energy. His pulse kicked up—not just from her touch, but from the dozens of eyes now turning toward them.

Even Joe, who had been standing off to the side, looked visibly stunned, the edge of envy creeping into his face.

The room buzzed with unspoken questions, a low murmur rising in the background. But Seraphina didn't seem to notice or care.

Her fingers wrapped around Kael's with a firm but unhurried grip, and she began to lead him out of the classroom. It wasn't forceful—if anything, it felt deliberate, like she was giving him the chance to pull away if he wanted to, but he didn't.

His gaze dropped to their joined hands, then slowly lifted back to her face, but she just kept walking, calm and assured, as though the two of them weren't being watched by everyone in the room.

Kael followed, silent, curious, and just the slightest bit breathless. Whatever this was, it was happening fast, and he wanted to know why.

They moved together down the hallway, side by side, her hand still loosely wrapped around his. The hum of murmured whispers followed them—students turning their heads, pausing mid-step or mid-sentence to watch them pass.

The stares weren't aggressive, just curious, laced with silent speculation. Kael noticed, of course, but didn't pull away. He didn't see the need to.

Instead, his voice came low and even, cutting through the quiet tension between them.

"Where are you taking me, if I must ask?"

She didn't stop walking. Just glanced at him from the corner of her eye—calm and unreadable—before she gave her answer without a pause.

"We're heading to the cafeteria. Should be better to discuss there without any interruptions."

Then her gaze snapped forward again, composed as ever, and she continued moving like none of it—the stares, the questions, the grip on his hand—meant anything out of the ordinary.

He smirked softly, almost unconsciously, as he watched her move ahead of him—her steps light, deliberate, and almost melodic, as if each one carried its own rhythm.

There was something strangely captivating about the way she moved, like she was in control of the moment even without saying much.

He already had a good idea of what she was going to ask. The weight of it hovered in the space between them, silent but unmistakable. Still, he made no effort to bring it up himself.

He wanted her to ask the questions—to be the one to break the silence. Because truthfully, he was curious too.

Not just about her, but about what exactly she had seen during that split second when the vortex had nearly struck.