The lunch bell rang, slicing through the thick air of the classroom like a blade. Chairs scraped, voices rose, and feet shuffled toward the door. As usual, Lizzie moved calmly, coldly, her face an unreadable mask. She packed her notebook in perfect silence, her mind already halfway through the cafeteria line.
Beside her, Niklaus leaned back in his chair, utterly relaxed.
"Niklaus, right? Want to eat with us?" A girl with fluttering lashes leaned in, giving her best dazzling smile. Her friends giggled behind her.
"You're too cute to eat alone," another chimed.
Niklaus gave them a charming grin. "I'd love to... but Elizabeth here already asked me to eat with her. Desk-mate bonding, you know?" He winked.
Elizabeth froze.
What... did he just say?
All eyes shot to her. She slowly turned, her expression still cold but her gaze razor sharp. "I did not."
Niklaus grinned like a cat who'd just stolen the cream. "Come on, don't be shy now. We're practically partners in crime."
Before she could retort, he was already walking toward the door like nothing happened. Fuming, Elizabeth stepped on his foot—hard.
"Gah!" Nik yelped in pain, hopping once and turning to glare at her, but she was already walking away, her face smooth and emotionless as if she hadn't just nearly crushed his bones.
Nik rubbed his foot and limped after her. "Why do you injure the people you love, ellie?" he asked dramatically, clasping his chest like a wounded knight.
She halted. "Stop following me." Her cold glare could freeze time.
Nik straightened up, realizing the drama act was over. "We're desk-mates. It's a rule. We eat together. Ask Sarah. Right, Miss Smith?"
Sarah, who had been tailing them like a curious duckling, blinked. "Uh… that actually sounds reasonable. I mean... yeah. Desk-mate bonding. Totally normal."
Elizabeth's eye twitched.
By the time they entered the cafeteria, it was buzzing—not with food orders, but whispers.
"Is that the new guy walking with Lizzie Ashford?"
"Did she just talk to him? Voluntarily?!"
"Wait, is he… smiling at her? She didn't slap him?"
Even a few boys shot Nik glares, jealous of the attention he was getting from all sides.
Nik ignored them all, casually walking beside Elizabeth like they'd been friends since birth. Elizabeth kept her gaze locked on the food counter, her jaw tight.
"You're really popular for someone whose name no one knows yet," she muttered.
Nik leaned closer. "Mystery adds flavor. You should try it sometime."
She stopped walking and turned to glare at him—only for her face to slam directly into his chest. Her foot caught on his and she tripped.
Time slowed.
She braced for impact, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the cold cafeteria floor.
But instead of pain, she felt warmth. A hand on her waist, firm and steady.
"Got you," Nik's voice was soft, near her ear.
Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. The world muted, the students vanished, and all she could feel was his arm around her and his eyes—those bright, unsettling blue eyes—watching her like she mattered.
Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes. Her stormy gray ones met his ocean blue. His brows were furrowed in concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
No. She was not okay.
Her breath hitched. Was it the near-fall… or the fact that he was holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world?
Sarah rushed over, panic in her eyes. "Liz! Are you okay?"
Lizzie blinked, startled back to reality. She straightened abruptly, breaking Nik's hold. "I'm fine," she said quickly, voice clipped.
Nik stepped back, smiling. "Don't worry. I saved her."
Sarah gawked at Lizzie's face, her mouth slightly open. "Oh my god… you're blushing."
"I am not," Elizabeth hissed, snatching her tray and marching to a table in the corner.
Nik followed like a happy puppy. He plopped down beside her, while Sarah cautiously took the seat across.
Across the cafeteria, students were frozen in disbelief. Mouths agape. Forks mid-air.
"Did you see that? He caught her."
"Did she blush?! The ice queen blushed?!"
"Is this a new drama? What episode is this?"
Elizabeth stared at her food, cheeks still warm. Her fingers trembled slightly on the fork.
Nik leaned closer, whispering, "You know, if falling for me was that easy, you could've just asked."
She shot him a death glare. "Choke on your food."
He grinned wider. "That's cute. You're worried about me."
Sarah watched them with wide eyes, sipping her juice like she was binge-watching her favorite K-drama.
At the other corner of the cafeteria a shadow saw everything and left the cafeteria like he win the lottery.