The next day at lunch, the St. Vincent Academy cafeteria was buzzing with chatter and clattering trays. I found my usual spot by the window, hoping to enjoy a quiet break from the chaos of the day. I unpacked my homemade bento—rice balls, a few slices of fruit, and a small section of pickled vegetables—and braced myself for another "normal" lunch hour.
And then, I heard it.
"Mind if I sit here?"
I looked up, and there he was: Elias Vale, sliding into the seat across from me with that effortless grace that made everyone in school stop and stare. My heart did a strange little flip in my chest, and I almost dropped my chopsticks.
"Uh—sure," I mumbled, trying to act casual but failing miserably. I was suddenly hyper-aware of my thick glasses and the mess of tangled hair that I hadn't bothered to fix that morning. Elias had the same effortless beauty as always—his hair was perfectly styled, his designer blazer pristine, and those impossibly blue eyes that seemed to look straight through me.
He didn't seem bothered by it at all. If anything, he was unfazed by the awkwardness in the air. He just smiled, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I was hoping we could go over the chemistry notes together," he said, leaning in slightly, making my heart race again. "I might need your help. My notes are a mess."
"Sure," I said quickly, trying to act normal even though my brain had short-circuited from the proximity of a perfect guy sitting across from me. "I can—uh, I can help with that."
Before I could settle into the comfortable routine of pretending nothing out of the ordinary was happening, I heard the unmistakable clack of heels approaching.
It was Tiffany Beaumont, the social queen of our class, her flawless curls bouncing with every step. She was followed by Madison Lee, her ever-present sidekick, who had a look on her face like she had just eaten something bitter.
"Elias!" Tiffany purred, leaning in a little too close. I could practically see the cloud of perfume surrounding her. "We were talking about grabbing smoothies after school. You in?"
I watched as Elias shifted a little, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. He offered Tiffany a polite smile. "Thanks, but I've already made plans," he said. "Callie here is going to help me study for the chemistry quiz."
Tiffany blinked, and I could see the flicker of surprise in her eyes. Madison's expression didn't improve, and she made a sound under her breath like she had just sucked on a lemon.
"Are you sure?" Tiffany asked, raising an eyebrow, as if she couldn't believe that Elias would prefer to spend time with a girl who wasn't dressed in the latest designer trends. "I mean, it's just a quiz, right? You could always skip it for something more fun."
Elias's gaze shifted from Tiffany to me, and for a second, I could've sworn I saw something almost protective in his eyes. He smiled again, a little softer this time. "I think I'll be fine. But thanks for the offer, Tiffany."
Madison, always the one to add fuel to the fire, threw me a scathing look. "You're really going to spend time with... her?" she sneered, her gaze lingering a little too long on my glasses. "Good luck with that."
I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. I had never been one to handle confrontation well, especially from girls like them, who could be as vicious as they were beautiful.
Elias, however, wasn't having any of it. He leaned back in his chair, eyes cool but sharp. "You're not my type, Madison," he said, his tone light but direct. "And I don't need a reason to spend time with someone who's helping me out."
I swear, I saw the girls freeze for a moment. It was like a slow-motion scene in a movie—Tiffany and Madison's faces morphed from confident smirks to a slight twitch of surprise. Tiffany was the first to recover, but not without a sarcastic huff.
"Well, don't let us keep you," Tiffany muttered, turning on her heel. Madison followed, but not before giving me another venomous glance.
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but it was short-lived. Elias and I were left in the cafeteria, the tension between us palpable for a moment. I was struggling to hide how flustered I felt when I noticed the smallest, kindest smile tug at Elias's lips.
"Thanks for that," he said, his voice quieter this time. "I don't think they're used to me saying no."
I managed a nervous laugh, my heart still thudding in my chest. "No problem," I said, feeling like I might explode from embarrassment. "I mean, I didn't want to just sit there and let them... you know."
"Good call," Elias said, his smile widening. "Honestly, I think we're better off without all the drama anyway."
Just as I was starting to feel comfortable again, Ava—my ever-loyal friend and defender—popped up beside the table, arms crossed.
"You two want a scene?" Ava quipped, shooting a glare in the direction where Tiffany and Madison had disappeared. "If you're gonna stare at her like that, at least make it obvious. She doesn't bite."
The way Ava always had my back made me smile. Elias chuckled softly at her remark, the atmosphere lightening.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said. He turned back to me, his smile softer now, more sincere. "I'll see you tomorrow, Callie. Don't forget the notes," he added, winking.
I nodded, my heart doing somersaults as he walked away, his perfect figure disappearing into the crowd. Ava leaned in and grinned at me. "Girl, you're on fire."
"I—what? I didn't do anything!" I protested.
Ava just laughed. "If you say so. But Elias Vale? The guy who can have any girl he wants... and he's talking to you like that? I'd say you're doing just fine."
I was still trying to process everything when the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. But as I packed up, I realized something: I wasn't the same Callie Ramirez who walked into the cafeteria that morning. Elias Vale had just changed something in me—if only a little.