Danna was sitting quietly in the library, tucked between rows of shelves, dressed in a soft pink top and a black skirt. Her hair was tied neatly into a ponytail, a delicate bracelet with a tiny butterfly charm glinting on her wrist. The sun filtering through the high windows cast a warm glow around her.
It was right after the first two classes. Natalia had to talk to a teacher, so Danna had wandered in alone, her gaze scanning the shelves.
She paused as a book caught her attention — a worn, old mystery novel. Just as she reached out to grab it, another hand touched the spine at the exact same moment.
Her fingers brushed against someone else's.
Startled, she looked up — and there he was. Garson.
Black shirt. Black jacket. Black pants. And that ridiculously sharp gaze of his that always gave her goosebumps.
She snatched her hand back like the book had burned her. But before she could step away, his voice stopped her.
"You can have it, Miss Coffee," he said, smirking.
Her brows drew together. "What did you just call me?"
"Miss Coffee," he repeated smoothly, locking eyes with her.
Danna tilted her head. "Oh, Mr. Whatever," she scoffed, a smirk playing on her lips. "I have zero interest in talking to you. But you… you seem a little too flattered by me."
Garson stepped just a bit closer, the air between them tense and electric. "You think you don't care, but maybe, deep down… like all the other girls… you want me. Secretly."
She rolled her eyes, but her heart? Yeah, it was doing somersaults.
"Don't think too highly of yourself," Danna snapped, spinning on her heel as she began scanning the next shelf of books.
Garson didn't back off. Of course not.
"You and Natalia are best friends, right?" he asked, trailing her like a shadow.
Danna didn't even look at him. "Yes. But that's none of your business."
Garson chuckled lowly, his voice laced with something unreadable. "That's why she warned me."
That made Danna pause.
She turned, brows furrowing. "Wait. What?"
He leaned casually against the shelf, eyes watching her reaction like it was a game. "Yeah. That day… after she dropped you at the clinic? I was coming back from the principal's office. She stopped me."
Danna's heart skipped. "She… what did she say?"
Garson's smirk faded a little. "She told me to stay away from you. Said you'd been through enough already."
Danna didn't say anything — but her eyes searched his, like she was trying to figure out if he was messing with her.
Garson's gaze flickered, and for a moment, something changed in his expression. Less smug. More… distant.
He remembered it vividly.
It was that day. The day Danna had collapsed in the hallway — pale, shaken, and barely able to stand. Natalia had rushed her to the clinic without a second thought.
Garson had been on his way back from the principal's office, minding his own business, when Natalia intercepted him outside the infirmary like a storm in sneakers.
Her eyes had been blazing. Her voice? Cold. Sharp. Dangerous.
"Oh, rich boy," she'd said, blocking his path. "Be. Away. From my best friend."
Garson had raised an eyebrow, confused. "Excuse me?"
Natalia had stepped closer, practically nose-to-nose. "If you ever try to play one of your little ego games with Danna, I swear I will end you. I don't care how many fancy cars your dad owns. Don't test me."
Garson hadn't known what to say. He just stood there, dumbfounded — not because he was scared of her, but because of the sheer ferocity behind her words. Like she meant every syllable with her whole soul.
And honestly? That had earned her a tiny bit of his respect.
Garson blinked, dragging himself out of the memory.
"She meant it, you know," he said quietly, looking at Danna. "Your best friend doesn't mess around."
Their eyes met again. Danna's hazel gaze locked with his — and Garson's heart did that stupid thing again, thumping way too fast in his chest.
But just as the moment threatened to turn into something real…
"Garson!"
A high-pitched voice cut through the tension.
Before he could react, someone threw their arms around him.
She wore a vibrant green dress that hugged her figure, light red lipstick that matched her dramatic energy, and a designer bag looped perfectly around her wrist. Grace.
"Oh my god, I missed you so much!" she gushed, clinging to him like they were lovers in a cheesy romance movie.
Danna stared for a second. Just stared.Then without a word, she turned and began walking away — her pace steady, her expression unreadable.
Garson's jaw clenched.
"Why are you here, Grace?" he asked, voice flat, all the warmth gone.
Grace pouted, still holding onto his arm. "What do you mean why? Of course I came to see you. As my friend… and soon-to-be boyfriend," she added with a wink.
Garson pulled his arm away. "Grace. We're just friends. We always were. We always will be." He started to walk off.
But she followed. Of course she did.
"Am I not good enough for you?" she snapped. "Every guy in this school would kill to date me, and you just push me away like I'm nothing!"
Garson didn't even stop walking. "Then go date them."
Garson! Stop! Garson!" Grace screamed behind him.
But he didn't look back.
Not once.
His steps stayed steady, jaw tight, heart still caught in the echo of hazel eyes and the girl who walked away without a word.
Grace's voice faded behind him, but he didn't care. Not about her. Not anymore.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
"That's all for today," said Professor Kevin, gathering his papers. "But I've made the pairs for your upcoming presentations. Here's the list — please take a look and let me know if there are any issues."
He passed the sheet around.
Danna scanned the list, and her eyebrows shot up."What the—?" she muttered, eyes narrowing at the name beside hers.
Garson.
A beat later, Garson leaned forward to look at the list himself."…What?" he said, more confused than anything, before realizing what he was seeing.
Across the room, Natalia spotted her own name beside Aiden's. He waved at her with a goofy smile. She rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell out.
Back at the front, Danna raised her hand, calm but firm."Yes, Miss Woods?" Professor Kevin asked.
"I'd like to change my partner," she said, voice steady, face unreadable.
Garson crossed his arms. "Me too."
"Can I ask for what reason, Miss Woods? Mr. Monroe?" Professor Kevin said, raising an eyebrow as he looked between the two.
Danna didn't even hesitate."Because I believe we should work with people who actually have a brain," she said flatly. "And unfortunately, Mr. Monroe does not."
The room exploded with laughter.
Garson clenched his jaw, that familiar annoyance flashing in his eyes."Oh, Miss Woods," he replied, his tone sharp. "I'm honestly amazed how someone can live in their own little world… and forget that literally no one gives a damn about their opinion."
More laughter. A few gasps. Someone whispered, "Daaamn."
The two of them locked eyes — pure, unfiltered hatred sizzling between them like a lightning storm in the middle of a library.
"Alright, that's enough!" Professor Kevin barked. "I'm still standing here, in case you both forgot."
The room quieted. Mostly. A few giggles still bubbled under the surface.
"There will be no partner changes," he said firmly.
"But sir—" Danna started to protest.
"No, Miss Woods." Professor Kevin didn't even let her finish. "This discussion is over. Alright, class dismissed."
And with that, he walked out — leaving Danna fuming, Garson smug, and the whole room buzzing like a live wire.
"Oh, Mr. Whatever," Danna snapped, glaring into Garson's eyes. "Why don't you go talk to the principal? You're rich, after all. Cancel the partnership."
Garson stepped forward, not backing down."I'm not your servant, Miss Coffee," he shot back, locking eyes with her.
Before he could say more, someone grabbed his arm.
It was Grace."Don't waste your breath on trash, babe," she said, rolling her eyes. "We'll handle it another way."
Garson immediately pulled his arm free, jaw tight.
But Danna was already done being quiet."Calling me trash?" she repeated, voice rising. "Girl, please. You look like some unwanted ornament clinging to him like a sale tag he forgot to remove."
The classroom exploded — gasps, giggles, even someone choking on laughter in the back.
"What the hell?!" Grace screeched, totally stunned.
"Let's go, Danna. That's enough," Natalia said, stepping in and grabbing her best friend's hand before things got even uglier.
Danna didn't resist — but she didn't look away either, her eyes burning holes through both of them as she left.