“Oh crap!” I said, muttering silent curses at my pencil. “Hey Caroline, my pencil just broke. Can I borrow one of yours?”

“I only have the one. I forgot to grab an extra out of the locker,” she whispered back. “Sorry, Evey.”

“It’s okay. I might have something in my bag.” Before my hands could slide off the table, a voice stopped me. 

“Here, use mine. I don’t really need it.” I followed the voice to see the new student leaning across the aisle, a pencil in his outstretched hand. My mouth fell open in surprise. The stranger from the gym now sat across from me. I appraised his features before settling my gaze on his bright blue eyes. They reminded me of a pair of brilliant sapphire earrings my mother kept in her jewelry box. “See something you like?” he asked with a wicked smile.

A rush of heat warmed the apples of my cheeks. “Don’t you need it to take notes?” He knew I was blatantly gawking at him, but at this point in time, I didn’t care. The prisoner from my dream wasn’t just a figment of my imagination. He was real, tangible and there was nothing to stop me from reaching out to touch him.

“Nope, I never take notes.” He reached even further. “Seriously, just take it.”

“Thanks,” I replied, stretching toward him. As we exchanged the pencil, something within me snapped and my fingers wrapped instinctively around his wrist. Conrad tugged on my arm gently, pulling us closer to one another. My free hand grazed the side of his cheek. He wasn’t a dream, he wasn’t a symptom of a mental illness; he was reality.

“Evey.” I could hear Caroline whispering my name, but I continued watching the stranger across from me. “Evey!” This time her voice jerked me back to the present. Every set of eyes in the classroom focused on me.

“I’m so sorry,” I muttered, releasing Conrad’s arm. The moment my fingertips fell from his face, I felt a jolt shoot up my arm. After another second, a knot began to form in the pit of my stomach. I swiveled around to hide my humiliation and refocus on the lesson.