The moment Sophie Richards spoke, Elian froze.
Her voice wasn't what he expected.
It was warm.
Kind.
There was no sneer, no judgment.
Only curiosity.
And a touch of something that felt... real.
He stood there for a moment, his mind racing.
What was he supposed to say?
What was he supposed to do?
Sophie closed the book in front of her and leaned back in her chair, her green eyes locking onto his, studying him. There was no one else around — the library, usually bustling with students trying to escape the chaos of high school life, was now eerily quiet. Elian felt like they were the only two people in the world.
"I, uh... I didn't expect to see you here," he stammered, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears. "I mean, I didn't think you'd be in the library."
Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Why? Because I'm one of the 'elite girls' who's supposed to hate books?" She smiled, and for a moment, Elian wondered if he was dreaming. Could this really be happening? Could someone like Sophie actually be talking to him?
"No," he replied quickly, his face flushing. "I just... I didn't think you'd be alone."
She chuckled, a sound that seemed to warm the cold corners of his heart. "I'm not always surrounded by people, you know. Sometimes, I like to be alone. It's the only time I can really think."
Elian nodded, suddenly aware of how much he wanted to talk to her.
But he didn't know how.
He had never been good at this.
He had always been invisible.
He had always been the one people ignored, the one who never mattered.
"So, uh... what are you reading?" he asked, hoping it wasn't a silly question.
Sophie glanced down at the book in her hands. "It's a classic. Pride and Prejudice. Have you read it?"
Elian blinked, surprised. "Um, yeah. I think I read it a while ago. It's... it's good."
Sophie smiled. "I love it. The way it explores human nature and relationships... I think there's a lot we can learn from it."
There was a pause, and Elian felt the weight of his own thoughts pressing in on him.
This wasn't normal.
He wasn't supposed to be here.
This wasn't his world.
But the way Sophie looked at him, the way she spoke... for the first time in a long while, Elian felt like he belonged.
"So, uh... why are you talking to me?" Elian blurted out before he could stop himself. The question hung in the air, too loud and too awkward. He regretted it immediately, his face burning with embarrassment.
Sophie didn't flinch. She didn't laugh. She didn't mock him. Instead, she leaned forward, her expression thoughtful.
"Why not?" she asked, her voice soft. "Just because you're not in the same social circle as me doesn't mean you don't matter. I've noticed you around school, Elian. You're not invisible. You just don't try to fit in with everyone else."
Elian swallowed hard.
She noticed him.
Sophie Richards noticed him.
"But... I'm not like you. I don't have... what you have," he murmured, his words barely audible. "I'm not rich. I'm not popular. I'm just... nothing."
Sophie shook her head slowly, her gaze never leaving his. "You don't have to be any of those things to matter. The world doesn't work like that. People like you, Elian, they're rare. You have something different. Something valuable. And that's why I'm talking to you."
Elian didn't know what to say.
He was still in shock.
Sophie Richards, the girl who everyone adored, the girl who could have anyone she wanted, was actually sitting here with him — talking to him like he was someone worth talking to.
"But... why now?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Why are you talking to me now?"
Sophie leaned back in her chair, her expression becoming more serious. "Because I'm tired of pretending. Tired of living in a world where everything is about popularity and status. I want something real, Elian. Something real for once."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken meaning.
Elian didn't know how to respond.
This was too much.
Too confusing.
Too... overwhelming.
"Okay," he said quietly. "I understand."
Sophie smiled again, her eyes lighting up. "Good. I'm glad. I just wanted you to know... that you matter. You're not invisible. Not to me."
Elian's heart raced. He didn't know what was happening. He didn't know how to process any of this.
But one thing was certain — his world was shifting.
Things were changing.
For the first time in a long while, Elian felt like he was standing at the edge of something. Something that could change everything.
And then, just as suddenly as it had started, Sophie stood up, collecting her books. "I have to go," she said with a soft sigh. "But we should talk again sometime."
Elian nodded, his throat tight. "Yeah. I'd like that."
Sophie gave him one last smile before walking away, her footsteps echoing in the quiet library.
Elian watched her go, his mind spinning with a thousand thoughts. He felt like he was dreaming. This couldn't be real. Sophie Richards, the most beautiful and popular girl in school, had just spoken to him like he was... someone.
But deep down, Elian knew it wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.
Things were just beginning.
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