Evan had no idea Noel was coming.
Swimming practice had started twenty minutes ago. The water was crisp, the echo of shouted times bouncing off the walls, and Evan was focused — or at least, he had been — until he saw the familiar silhouette near the bleachers.
Noel Chandra. Hoodie, dark jeans, hair still slightly damp from whatever weather he'd walked through to get here. And holding a paper cup of tea like it was a shield.
Why is he here?
Evan blinked water out of his eyes and tried to keep his strokes clean, heart suddenly thudding harder than it should. Maybe Ren invited him? Maybe he was just curious?
Or maybe — and this thought struck Evan like a slap of cold chlorine — maybe Noel came for someone else.
After a few more laps, Coach blew the whistle and barked something about drills. Evan hauled himself out of the pool, muscles aching and throat dry. As he toweled off, he risked a glance toward the bleachers—
And saw it.
Noel, still awkwardly holding his tea... and someone else.
Some guy. Blond, tan, lean, with the kind of gym-rat confidence that made you want to both punch and date him. He was standing close, too close, one foot on the bleacher below Noel's, chatting like he owned the space.
Evan couldn't hear what they were saying, but the guy leaned in with an easy smile. Noel was nodding, not smiling, but not walking away either. That quiet unreadable expression Evan both loved and hated.
And just like that, Evan's stomach twisted.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't dramatic. It was quiet, sharp, like a pinprick behind the ribs.
He's just talking to someone, Evan told himself. It's not a big deal. You're not even dating. You're not even—
"Jealousy suits you," came a voice beside him.
Evan startled. Ren was there, sunglasses on indoors for no reason, sipping a pink smoothie and watching him with an all-knowing smirk.
"I'm not jealous," Evan muttered, dragging his towel over his face.
"Uh-huh. And Noel's not the literal constellation you orbit."
Jun arrived next, holding a clipboard and looking mildly annoyed to be breathing pool air.
"We break this up?" Jun asked.
Ren gave an exaggerated sigh. "Not because Evan's jealous. But because he's annoying."
They walked off before Evan could protest. Across the pool, Blond Guy was now sitting beside Noel, still chatting. Evan pretended to fix his swim cap while spying.
Ren bounded up with zero subtlety. "Heeey, Noel! Fancy seeing you here!"
Noel blinked. "You invited me."
"Details. Anyway, this guy bothering you?"
Blond Guy frowned. "Excuse me?"
Jun stepped in like a judgmental shadow. "You're in the swim program?"
"Uh, no," the guy said, clearly thrown. "I'm... visiting. Just chatting."
"About what?" Jun asked flatly.
Noel, sensing the slow social strangulation happening around him, stood up. "He was just asking about the astrophysics department."
"Oh," Ren said, blinking dramatically. "Well, now you can ask us. We're more fun."
Before Blond Guy could say anything else, Ren looped his arm through Noel's and physically turned him away, leading him up the bleachers like it was choreographed. Jun lingered just long enough to give the guy one final don't-you-dare look.
Evan tried not to smile as he dove back into the pool, letting the water rush over him in a satisfied wave.
When practice ended, Evan was wringing water from his hair when Noel appeared beside him, Ren and Jun trailing behind like overprotective older siblings.
"I didn't know you were coming," Evan said, casually, like his heart wasn't doing Olympic-level flips.
"I didn't plan to," Noel said. "But Ren said you had a meet coming up. I wanted to see you swim."
Evan's fingers slowed. "Yeah?"
"You're good," Noel said simply. "Like… physics-defying good."
Evan felt his ears warm. "Thanks. You looked like you were making a new friend."
Noel blinked, then gave him that tiny, infuriatingly sincere smile. "Not really. He was nice. But... not you."
Evan's breath caught.
Behind them, Ren whispered to Jun, "They're going to make out behind the towel rack, aren't they?"
"No," Jun said, sipping his smoothie.
"...Should we stop them?"
"No."
Evan looked down at the puddle forming at his feet, then up at Noel again. "You coming to the meet next week?"
"If you want me to."
"I do."
Noel nodded once, then turned to leave. But halfway up the stairs, he paused.
"Evan?"
"Yeah?"
"You make swimming look... peaceful."
And then he was gone.
Evan stood there, dripping, heart too warm for how cold the air was. He smiled to himself.
He noticed.