Liam's POV
The hours passed slower than I thought it would. The museum wasn't huge, but every exhibit seemed to hold its own gravity quiet, still, and full of stories older than we could imagine.
Our group was scattered around the hall, working on the project Mrs. Carter assigned. The sound of scribbling pencils and soft footsteps echoed faintly against the marble floor.
Aria sat near the glass window, a small notebook open on her lap as she made sketches of the artifacts. Her handwriting was neat, her lines gentle, focused.
Lila and Noah stood a few feet away, taking notes together. From the corner of my eye, I saw Noah leaning slightly toward her, pointing something out on the display. She nodded, smiling lightly at whatever he said.
Vanessa? Still on her phone occasionally pretending to write something.
I tried to focus on the set of sculptures I'd been assigned to describe, but my attention drifted more often than it should have.
There was something about watching Aria that made everything else blur out the sound, the chatter, the clicking shoes. It wasn't just how she looked; it was how peaceful she seemed in a place filled with so much history.
After a while, I moved to the opposite side of the hall to take a few pictures for our report.
I turned back to the sculpture and scribbled notes that barely made sense.
"Hey," someone said quietly behind me.
I turned. Aria stood there, clutching her sketchbook. "You're… writing sideways," she said, pointing out my slanted notes.
I looked down. She was right.
"Didn't notice," I muttered, half embarrassed, half caught off guard.
Her lips curved into a soft smile. "You're worse at pretending to focus than Vanessa."
I huffed a laugh. "That bad?"
"Pretty much," she teased, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But I'll give you credit, you at least hold the pen."
I shook my head, smiling a little. "You're observant."
She shrugged. "I like details. They tell stories."
"Even about people?" I asked.
Her eyes flickered up to mine. "Especially about people."
Something in her tone curious, gentle made it hard to look away.
But before either of us could say anything more, Noah called from the other end of the hall, "Hey, Aria! Come check this one out!"
" Excuse me." She said
I nodded, watching as she walked away, her footsteps quiet against the polished floor.
A strange tightness formed in my chest not jealousy, not exactly. Just… something heavy I couldn't name.
When I turned back to my notes, Vanessa was suddenly standing near me, arms crossed, a knowing look on her face.
"You've been distracted all day," she said under her breath.
I looked up briefly. "Or maybe you're just imagining things."
She tilted her head, studying me. "Maybe you should pay a little less attention to certain people."
I met her gaze evenly. "Who I pay attention to is none of your business, Vanessa."
Without waiting for a reply, I turned and walked away, not interested in whatever smug remark she had waiting next.
—
By the time Mrs. Carter announced that it was almost time to leave, the sunlight had softened, painting everything in shades of gold. Everyone gathered near the entrance with their completed notes and sketches.
Noah and Aria were still talking quietly, comfortably. Lila joined them, laughing at something he said.
And though I stood a few steps away, pretending to listen to Caleb's group argue about missing pens, my eyes drifted toward her one last time before we boarded the bus.
The ride back was quieter than in the morning.
Most people were tired, their voices low as the bus hummed along the road. The sunset spilled through the windows, washing everything in muted amber.
Aria sat by the window again, sketchbook open, her pencil moving slowly across the page. She didn't talk much this time, just stared outside every few minutes, lost in thought. Noah sat beside her, earphones in, his head tilted against the seat.
I took the row behind them didn't plan it, just ended up there. Vanessa was next to me, though she had her earbuds on, scrolling through her phone. Across the aisle, Lila was half asleep.
The rhythmic sway of the bus made everything blur a little. I leaned back, trying to focus on anything but the faint sound of Aria's pencil scratching against paper.
Every now and then, I caught glimpses of her reflection in the window the same calm expression, that soft focus she always had when she drew. There was something about it that made my chest tighten again.
When we finally reached the dorm gates, the chatter picked up again. Bags rustled, laughter returned.
As we neared the dorm, Aria stepped off first with Lila. Noah stayed back to help Mrs. Carter unload a few things from the luggage compartment. I hesitated for a second, watching her walk ahead the way the wind brushed a few strands of hair across her face before she tucked them behind her ear.
"Hey," Vanessa's voice cut through my thoughts. "You zoning out again?"
I blinked, turning to her. "Just tired."
She gave a small smirk. "Right. Tired."
I didn't bother replying. I just shoved my hands into my pockets and followed the rest of the group toward the dorms, the sunset still fading behind us.
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