Maya’s mind kept wandering back to that moment in the library. The brief touch of Lucas’s hand, the way the air between them had shifted—she couldn’t shake it, no matter how hard she tried. It had been a simple brush of skin, but it felt like more than that. She didn’t want to admit it, but for just a second, Lucas had gotten under her skin. And that annoyed her more than anything.

As she walked down the hallway to their next meeting in the school’s empty classroom, she mentally steeled herself. This project was all that mattered. Lucas was just a distraction. A frustrating, infuriating distraction.

Pushing open the door, she found Lucas already there, leaning back in his chair with his feet kicked up on the desk like he didn’t have a care in the world. Of course.

"You're early," she remarked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"Figured I'd show you I can take this seriously," he replied, flashing that signature grin of his.

Maya ignored the flutter in her chest and sat down across from him, pulling out her notes. "Good. Let’s get started."

Lucas dropped his feet to the floor and leaned in, his eyes flicking to the stack of papers she had spread across the desk. "You've already got an outline?"

"I work fast when I’m motivated."

He smirked. "Well, lucky for you, I’m a quick learner. What’s the plan, then?"

She handed him a sheet of paper. "We need to divide the work. I’ve already started the research, and I was thinking we could—"

Lucas waved a hand, cutting her off. "Whoa, hold on. Why are you assuming you're the only one who can come up with ideas?"

Maya narrowed her eyes. "Because you usually don’t."

"Maybe you should give me a chance before you judge me," he countered, leaning forward, their faces inches apart now.

Maya bristled, but she refused to back down. "Fine. What’s your brilliant idea?"

Lucas’s smirk softened into a serious expression, and for a moment, Maya was caught off guard. "I was thinking... instead of just a presentation, we could make it interactive. Something that gets the class involved."

Maya blinked. That was... actually a good idea.

"I’m listening," she said, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice.

Lucas continued, his tone more thoughtful than she’d ever heard it. "You said yourself this project is important. If we’re going to do it, why not make it something that stands out? Something no one expects from us."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "From us?"

"Yeah." Lucas’s eyes locked onto hers, something challenging but warm in his gaze. "I know you think we’re total opposites, but maybe we could surprise everyone. Even ourselves."

The room felt smaller suddenly, the space between them charged with an energy that Maya couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t just the rivalry anymore. It was something... more.

Her throat tightened. "Okay. Let’s try it."

---

Later that Evening: The Shift

They worked in silence for a while, and for once, Lucas wasn’t cracking jokes or making sarcastic comments. He was focused, and it threw Maya off balance. She kept sneaking glances at him, wondering when he’d break the spell, but he didn’t. He was serious, even passionate about the project.

Maybe I’ve been wrong about him, she thought. Just a little.

When they finished for the day, the classroom was empty except for them. The rest of the school had gone home hours ago, and the soft glow of the setting sun filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the desks.

"Well," Lucas said, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms above his head, "I think we’ve got a solid start."

Maya nodded, packing up her things. "Yeah, I think so too."

She didn’t realize how close he was until she stood up and bumped into him. Her breath hitched as his hand reached out to steady her, his fingers lightly gripping her arm.

"Careful," Lucas murmured, his voice softer than she’d ever heard it.

Maya’s heart pounded in her chest. The closeness between them was overwhelming, and for a brief, dizzying moment, she couldn’t think of a single reason to pull away. She glanced up, meeting his eyes—those deep, brown eyes that were watching her in a way that made her feel warm all over.

"Sorry," she whispered, barely audible.

But Lucas didn’t move. His hand remained on her arm, and his gaze lingered on her face, studying her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken.

"You don’t have to be sorry," he said quietly, his voice low, almost... gentle.

Maya opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Her mind was a blur of confusion and... something else. Something she didn’t want to admit.

It was Lucas who finally stepped back, breaking the spell. He rubbed the back of his neck, his usual smirk returning, but there was something different in his eyes now. Something... softer.

"Well, I should probably get going," he said, sounding almost as flustered as she felt. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Maya replied, her voice shaky.

As Lucas walked out the door, Maya sank into her chair, her mind racing. What had just happened? One minute they were working, and the next...

She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her. It was nothing. Just... an accident.

But deep down, Maya knew it wasn’t just an accident. Something had shifted between them. And she wasn’t sure what it meant.