Luke had never been one to woo girls and was unsure if this gesture would calm Anna down. She held the paper in silence, studying it for a long moment before her eyes met his. A smile spread across her face like a crescent moon, and she declared, “Luke, you're adorable.”

What?

He protested, “I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I'm not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Luke found himself at a loss for words, perplexed by how a six-foot-tall guy could be associated with the word "adorable."

The seat shuffle took less than half a class period, after which the teacher assigned weekend math homework to keep everyone busy. Anna set out her textbooks and study guides, diving into them with a determination to fill in the gaps. She recalled snippets from high school lessons; though a bit faded, they were clearer than the knowledge she'd cobbled together since entering the workforce—perhaps a benefit of her body's memory. However, adapting to a high school-style study routine proved challenging, making the first set of papers arduous.

As the class neared its end, Luke offered her a set of exam papers she hadn't seen before. "These are from a neighboring school's mock exams. Want to give them a try?"

Anna vaguely remembered that Luke's parents were teachers at their school, which probably made these papers easy to get. "Sure."

With a nod, he handed them over, his angular face focused on his own work. Anna couldn't help but feel a tug of admiration.

She leaned in, resting her chin on his arm but careful not to press down. Looking up, she said, “Tomorrow’s the weekend.”

It was almost like a small plea.

Luke glanced at her, waiting without speaking.

“Do you have plans?” she asked.

He shook his head gently.

The proximity was overwhelming.

“Well, now you do,” Anna remarked, pulling back to sit straight, her finger tapping the newly received sheets. “Let's do these assignments together, Luke. Like a timed exam—a little competition.”

The next day, Anna applied a light touch of makeup, and by the time she reached the city library, Luke was already waiting. He was easy to spot, in his signature outfit of a crisp white shirt and black trousers. The fresh, clean lines of his attire and his serious expression added a restrained allure.

Later in life, Luke remained a fan of button-down shirts, though usually paired with a tie and suit, exuding authority but missing a bit of that youthful energy. At moments of intense closeness, he would wear the same kind of shirt, but with a touch of rebellion as he explored her. When his clothes were marked by the chaos of their passion, he'd whisper intimately, "Well, this outfit's a goner."

Anna would feign a kick. “Send it to the cleaners.”

Though the differences were clear, Anna realized she liked both versions of him. She even found herself wondering what it would be like to muss Luke’s pristine white shirt now.

Though the hour was early, the library already bustled with people. They found a spot in the study area; Anna secured a lone table in the corner before Luke settled across from her.

Their shared focus transformed initial distractions into serious study.

Luke placed his watch between them, the quiet letting them hear its ticking. Intent on not losing, Anna had prepped the night before by completing her math homework, and now, her pen moved smoothly. As she reached the final question, she heard Luke flip a page and thought with satisfaction that there wasn't much she’d missed—she was quite good.

The mock exam wasn't too challenging. After a thorough process, she solved the last question. Doing math had become surprisingly therapeutic, soothing the stress of adult life. She finished with a contented sigh, looking up to meet Luke's gaze.

Unsure how long he'd been watching, his eyes darted away, slightly flustered yet still composed.

Anna, in a good mood, smiled at him, mouthing, "Done."

Luke scribbled on scratch paper, “Want to check answers?”

He slid it over, and Anna replied beneath, “Yes.”

Luke compared their work with a standard answer sheet.

Predictably, Luke got everything right, while Anna missed a fill-in-the-blank.

Anna moved the paper with their dialogue over and playfully wrote, “Did you sneak a peek at the answers?”

Luke wrote each letter with deliberate care, “No.”

His world had become quite distracted lately; it wasn't ideal.

Unexpectedly, something wrapped around his ankle, limiting his movement—it was her leg, playfully ensnaring his. She was fancifully childish.

Anna wore a skirt that day, the hem resting mid-calf, leaving stretches of pale skin visible. As she extended her leg, more of it peeked through.

His calm unraveled. His gaze sharpened, connecting with hers, his silent lips forming the words, “Let go.”

Her brow arched in smug defiance, like a proud peacock: “Nope.”

In the next moment, Anna froze. Her leg was suddenly encompassed by a firm grip—Luke's. He'd tightened the space, his pant fabric grazing her exposed skin, inching closer.

Her instinct was to pull back, but Luke moved forward, closing any escape. 

With every subtle move, his presence brushed against her, leaving her utterly pliant.

Yet, they had done nothing more.

Her gaze held his; Luke’s ears blushed a deep red, but he remained steadfast. His eyes held a complex depth, beckoning one to dive right in.