The following morning, Travis entered school following his usual pattern—head lowered, gripping his backpack straps, slipping through the busy hallway like a ghost. He had mastered being unnoticed.

At least, he believed he had.

“Good morning, Moreno. ”

The smooth voice caused him to stop abruptly. Jordan Alvarez was leaning casually against the lockers, with his arms crossed and a big smile on his face.

Travis blinked in surprise. “. . . Morning,” he whispered, attempting to continue past.

But Jordan pushed off the locker and walked alongside him, unfazed by the curious looks from other students.

“Do you usually walk this quickly, or are you trying to escape from me? ” Jordan joked, easily keeping pace with him.

Travis adjusted his glasses and glared at the ground. “Maybe a bit of both. ”

Jordan laughed softly. It was low and sincere, not the loud, boisterous laughter he shared with his other friends. “That’s harsh. I like it. ”

Travis's curiosity grew with each step they took. Jordan Alvarez shouldn’t be walking beside him. He was expected to be with his friends, flirting with girls, enjoying life in a social circle Travis could never enter.

So why was he here?

“Let me help with that. ”

Before Travis could say anything, Jordan took the pile of books from his arms with one hand, holding them effortlessly.

“Hey—! ” Travis exclaimed, flustered. “You don’t need to—”

“I want to,” Jordan interrupted, his voice gentler than Travis anticipated. “Just relax. You might hurt your back carrying this stuff every day. ”

Travis halted, staring at him. Jordan smirked, but there was something deeper in his eyes—something serious.

Travis quickly looked away, mumbling, “. . . Fine. Just don’t drop them. ”

Jordan’s smile widened as he returned to his usual confident demeanor. “What do you think I am? Clumsy? ”

“Pretty much. ”

Jordan laughed again. It took Travis by surprise—real laughter, not mean-spirited or loud. Just comforting.

When they reached Travis’s classroom, Jordan carefully placed the books on his desk. A few classmates stared and murmured at the sight of the popular guy hanging out with the class nerd.

Jordan completely ignored them.

“See you at lunch? ” he asked casually, but his gaze was fixed on Travis.

Travis hesitated, feeling uncertain. He wanted to refuse. He should refuse. But the way Jordan looked at him felt different from how others did. There was no disdain, no ridicule. Just… interest.

“. . . Maybe,” Travis said quietly as he sat down.

Jordan’s smile softened a little as he stepped back. “I’ll take that as a yes. ”

As Jordan walked away, Travis stared at the books Jordan had carried for him, his heart beating nervously.

This felt strange. Jordan Alvarez didn’t help others. He didn’t escort shy boys to class.

Yet, he had.

And deep down, Travis despised that a small part of him… didn’t mind it.

By lunchtime, Travis thought that perhaps Jordan had forgotten about him. That was typically how it went—people noticed him once and then moved on.

But when he entered the cafeteria, nervously holding his tray, there was Jordan—sitting at an empty table right in the center of the room.

Waiting.

The sight made Travis hesitate, almost causing him to drop his food. Jordan’s friends were on the other side of the room, motioning for him to come over, but he just leaned back in his chair and nodded his head toward Travis, as if to say: come here.

Soft whispers spread quickly. People turned to look.

Travis felt a knot in his stomach. He disliked being in the spotlight. He should have just walked past and sat in his regular spot, pretending none of this was happening.

But Jordan was looking at him—friendly, calm, and patient in a way that surprised Travis.

Before he realized it, his feet moved him forward.

He took a seat across from Jordan, keeping his gaze low. “. . . You didn’t need to wait for me. ”

Jordan grinned, taking a fry from his tray. “Maybe I wanted to. ”

Travis's eyes shot up. “That’s mine. ”

Jordan unapologetically popped the fry into his mouth. “I guess it’s ours now. ”

Travis frowned at him, but his lips twitched as if he wanted to smile.

From across the cafeteria, Jordan’s friends watched, whispering and chuckling quietly. Travis noticed and tensed up, but Jordan didn't look their way at all. He stayed focused on Travis, leaning in slightly, making it seem like the rest of the room had vanished.

“You know,” Jordan said softly, “you’re different when you’re not hiding behind your books. ”

Travis blinked, confused. “. . . Different how? ”

Jordan’s smile grew softer, almost affectionate. “Better. ”

The compliment impacted Travis more than he expected. He quickly looked away, pretending to fiddle with his fork, wishing Jordan didn’t see how red his ears had turned.

Jordan noticed. Of course he did. And for the first time in a long time, the smile on his face wasn’t just for show.