"Evans. Got a sec?"
Lara looked up from her desk as the rest of the students shuffled out, chatter echoing off the linoleum floors. She tilted her head, strands of her hair catching the afternoon sun.
"Sure," she said, standing slowly. "What's up, sir?"
Callum leaned against the whiteboard, trying to keep his tone casual.
"There's a district math contest next month. I was hoping you'd join."
Her smile came immediately. Not the mischievous one. Not the flirtatious one. Just... warm. "Me? Really?"
"Yes. You've got the scores. You can definitely handle the problems. You might even win."
Lara clasped her hands together like she was flattered. "That's kind of exciting. Okay, sure. I'm in."
"Great," Callum said, relieved. "Just have to submit your birth certificate to the office for eligibility."
And that's when the air shifted.
Something passed over her face. It was so quick he might have missed it if he hadn't been watching her so closely. Her eyes flicked away. Smile dimmed. Not gone, just... thinner.
"Oh..."
He squinted. "What is it?"
Lara laughed, too light. "I just realized I, uh, might not be able to join after all."
That fast?
Callum straightened. "You just said yes."
"I know. I just forgot about something," she said, brushing it off. "I don't have my birth certificate. Can't get it. Complicated family thing."
He didn't answer right away. The discomfort stirred in his gut.
"Is everything okay at home?" he asked.
She looked him dead in the eyes. "Define okay."
He exhaled through his nose. "Look. If it's something I can help with—"
"It's not," she said quickly. "It's fine. I can't join. Just take Nate."
"Nate?"
She nodded, already walking toward the door. "He's great at math. Smart. You know that."
He did. Nate was quiet. Analytical. He finished quizzes five minutes ahead of everyone and read ahead in the textbook like it was a novel. Callum had considered him too—but Lara had the edge.
Still.
"Okay. I'll ask Nate."
"I already did."
Callum raised an eyebrow. "Did you now?"
She gave a crooked little smile. "He'll do it. I'll help him train. We can work together."
She was gone before he could say anything else.
They started practice sessions the next day.
Callum stayed after school, organizing sample problems and past contest questions. Nate arrived on time, polite and focused as always. Ten minutes in, Lara appeared. Like she belonged there.
"Hope you don't mind," she said, slipping into the seat next to Nate. "Promised I'd help."
Callum hesitated. "It's fine. Just don't distract him."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
But he watched her.
Every time she leaned close to Nate to explain a step, every time her fingers brushed the page, every time she twisted her pen between her fingers like it was subconscious. She wasn't even doing anything wrong.
But he felt wrong.
Because her perfume was still the same.
Because he couldn't stop remembering that night. The red dress. The way she smiled at the man.
And worse—the way he had touched himself after.
He cleared his throat, trying to focus.
"Okay," he said. "Let's try a number theory set. Nate, start with problem one."
As Nate worked, Lara watched him. But every so often, she'd glance at Callum. Not obviously. Just a flick of her eyes. Over the page. Up at him. Down again. And maybe it was nothing.
Or maybe it was everything.
Callum sat down at his desk and tried to act normal.
"How's the pace, Nate?"
"Good, sir. Just tricky." He tilted the sheet toward Lara. "You wanna try one?"
She grinned, taking the paper. "Let me show off a little."
Callum watched her pencil fly.
He was aware of everything. The shape of her mouth when she concentrated. The faint line between her brows. The way she kept glancing sideways to make sure he saw how smart she was. And he did.
He saw everything.
And it made his skin itch. His conscience scream. He shouldn't be noticing.
He shouldn't have done anything.
He shouldn't have thought of her like that.
But she didn't look ashamed. She looked... knowing.
Like she had caught him in a dream.
She caught him looking and raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay, Mr. Hayes?"
He straightened. "Fine. Just thinking."
"Dangerous habit."
He ignored that. "You done with that question?"
"Crushed it," she said, handing it back. Nate leaned in to see.
"She did," he said with a grin. "That's right."
"Told you," she teased.
Callum stood. "Alright, that's enough for today. Nate, good work. I'll print more sets for tomorrow."
Nate packed up. Lara was slower.
"You going to say thank you?" she asked Nate.
Nate blinked. "For what?"
"For me helping you win this thing."
"I haven't won anything yet."
"Well," she said, slipping her bag over her shoulder. "Then you better study harder."
They both laughed.
Callum didn't.
He felt like he was being watched, even as she left.
And maybe he was.
By her.
Or by the guilt, sinking deeper into his bones every time she smiled.