You walked down the corridor, the familiar hum of morning chatter enveloping you as you made your way to your first class of the day. The air felt crisp, each step echoing softly against the walls as you adjusted the strap of your bag, your thoughts preoccupied with the latest rumor. You'd heard that your class would be getting a new student today, and while the idea wasn't exactly thrilling, there was a sense of curiosity stirring within you. Truth be told, the guys in your class never really sparked your interest. They were nice enough, but none of them stood out in a way that made your heart race. So, the thought of meeting someone new—someone outside of your usual circle—was a welcome change. Maybe this new arrival would offer something different.

You finally arrived at the classroom door, the soft murmur of voices growing louder as you pushed it open. The familiar faces of your friends greeted you immediately, some waving, others offering cheerful "hellos" and "good mornings." A few of the boys gave you a quick glance, followed by a smile and a compliment—"You look pretty today, Luna." The usual. You'd long since grown accustomed to the attention, especially since you were the oldest in the class. Your classmates often affectionately called you 'elder,' or 'Luna'—a nickname that, in some odd way, had come to feel like a part of you.

As you slid into your seat, your best friend Isabel was quick to join you, grinning ear to ear. "Hey Y/N," she said, her voice light and playful, as she took her seat beside you. You returned her smile, both of you slipping into an easy conversation about the latest gossip, a shared look of amusement crossing your faces as you vented about the newest drama in the grade.

Then, the door creaked open, and your attention turned toward the front. The teacher entered, her presence commanding the room's focus, and she was followed by someone you hadn't anticipated. A guy. He was standing there, awkwardly yet confidently, in front of the class. His eyes scanned the room, and a strange sense of familiarity washed over you. He had freckles scattered across his face, the kind that made his smile seem warmer, more inviting. His brown curls were messy but effortlessly cool, the strands falling just enough over his forehead to give him a laid-back, almost mysterious aura.

But there was something about him—something oddly familiar—that nagged at the back of your mind, as though you should have recognized him. Still, you couldn't quite place him. Was it from a previous class? A family member of someone you knew? Whatever it was, you couldn't quite figure it out.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Don't fashion me into a maiden that needs saving from a dragon. I am the dragon.

_______________________________________________________________________________

"Hey, hey, miss!" The familiar voice rang out behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned around, surprised to see none other than the new guy—Luke—standing there, a bit hesitant, but with an eager look in his eyes.

I couldn't help but smile warmly at him, sensing his awkwardness. "Yes?" I asked, my voice light as I shifted to face him fully.

Luke shuffled a bit on his feet, his gaze dropping to the floor as if he was shy or maybe a little unsure of himself. "Uh... could you show me to dance class?" His words came out with a nervous undertone, as though he wasn't used to asking for help. "By the way, my name's Luke."

The moment the name clicked, I realized where I'd seen him before. Luke Ross. Of course! He was a Ross kid, one of the well-known families in town. No wonder his looks were so striking. It all made sense now. I suppressed a small chuckle, amused by the coincidence.

Offering him a friendly hand, I grinned. "I'm Y/N; nice to meet you, Mr. Ross." He looked up at me, catching my gaze for a moment, and then shyly took my hand with a small, appreciative smile. "Sure, follow me, I have dance class too."

I led the way down the corridor, hearing the soft echo of our footsteps as Luke followed closely behind, probably a little out of his element but trying his best to blend in. When we reached the dance room, I noticed how quickly he found a group of people to sit with, already making friends. A part of me felt relieved—he wasn't as awkward as he seemed at first glance.

Sliding into my usual seat next to Donut, she raised an eyebrow at me. "Hey Y/N, what took you so long?" Her voice was playful, and I shrugged nonchalantly, pointing over to where Luke had seated himself with a group of new friends.

Donut nodded knowingly and chuckled. "Ooh, our Luna finally catching the eye of someone, huh?"

I rolled my eyes, swatting at her arm in mock irritation. "I haven't developed any feelings for that kid, not yet anyway. And honestly, I don't think I will."

Beli leaned over, her grin mischievous as she wiggled her eyebrows. "What do you mean? He's about your age, right?"

I nodded absently, my mind momentarily wandering back to Luke's shy smile. Then, I suddenly felt a flicker of panic. "No, no, I will not ask him out!" I whispered loudly, my voice tinged with a mix of exasperation and a hint of embarrassment.

The room burst into laughter at my outburst, and it wasn't long before the whole class was looking in our direction, amused by the scene we were causing. I quickly glanced around, a faint blush creeping up my neck, but thankfully, the teacher entered soon after, restoring order to the room and silencing the chatter.

I couldn't help but feel a little flustered, but at the same time, the playful energy of my friends and the new, somewhat mysterious presence of Luke Ross kept my mind racing. Would he end up being just another passing face, or would he stir up something unexpected in my world?

__________________________________________________________________________

Our group had time to dance, so we darted out on the floor, and I started the song.

https://youtu.be/yz5hrlhbaYI

(You're the first girl who came up, so the girl with blue hair, or you can choose whoever you want:)

Luke's POV

The music echoed through the room as the beat dropped, a smooth rhythm filling the space. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze, the sound of the beat becoming all-consuming as the energy of the room shifted. The girls on the floor were undeniably good, moving with fluid precision and confidence. But there was one who stood out to me more than the others—Y/N. Her blonde wavy hair bounced with each turn, the strands catching the soft light from the overhead lamps, almost glowing in the dimly lit room.

Her blue eyes—clear and striking—reflected the light, almost making them seem brighter than the rest of the room combined. I hadn't expected her to be this... beautiful. It was like I was seeing her for the first time, despite having just met her earlier. She was commanding, graceful, and so completely at ease in her element. Watching her move, I couldn't help but feel a little mesmerized by the way she effortlessly commanded the dance floor.

Suddenly, I felt a nudge in my side, a sharp poke that pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to see Elias, one of my friends, with a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

He was clearly amused by something, and I didn't need to be a genius to figure out what it was. I tilted my head, my brows furrowing in confusion. "What? Is there something on my face?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice low enough not to disturb the ongoing dance.

Elias just chuckled softly, shaking his head in response. "Nothing, man. Just... keep your eyes on the floor," he said before turning back to the dancers, clearly finding this whole thing hilarious.

I stood there, momentarily bewildered by his cryptic response, but I didn't have time to think about it much longer. The rhythm of the song was pulling my attention back, and soon enough, I was focused on the movements of the dancers once more. But there was something in the way Elias had laughed, something in his eyes that made me wonder if he had noticed my... moment of distraction. Was it that obvious? Was I really that captivated by Y/N?

I shook off the thought and tried to focus on the dance floor, but the memory of her dancing, of her glowing presence, lingered in my mind. Something told me that this class would be a lot more interesting than I had initially expected.

______________________________________________________________________________

 Later that day-

Later that day, you were sitting at the table with your friends, enjoying your meal and the usual banter that filled the air around you. The conversations were lighthearted, full of jokes and laughter. Suddenly, a tap on your shoulder interrupted the rhythm of the moment. You turned around with a curious expression, finding Elias standing behind you.

His face was flushed, eyes flicking nervously to the side as he shifted on his feet. You tilted your head slightly and raised an eyebrow. "What do you want, Elias?" you asked, a hint of amusement in your voice.

Elias stammered, his voice barely audible at first. "I-I was wondering if you would want to eat with us...?" His words trailed off as he looked down at the ground, his usual confidence evaporating. One of his friends gave him a playful nudge, and Elias cleared his throat, trying to recover his composure.

Your friends glanced at each other, giving you an indifferent shrug. They weren't bothered by it, so you decided to play along. "Sure, come on," you said with a smile, standing up with your tray of food in hand. Elias's eyes lit up with gratitude, and a soft smile tugged at the corner of his lips as you passed him. You smiled inwardly at his reaction, feeling a warm sense of satisfaction at making him feel a little better.

When you sat down at the 'boys' table,' the atmosphere immediately shifted. The moment Elias joined you, the buzz of conversation started up again, and you found yourself settling into the quiet rhythm of the lunch period. It wasn't long before you noticed Luke sitting across from you. His eyes met yours, and you caught the brief glance he sent your way. You smiled at him, and he returned the gesture, his own smile lighting up his face. There was something in the exchange, a connection that made the rest of the room fade into the background for just a moment.

As you began to eat, trying to focus on the meal, Jørgen suddenly spoke up, his voice laced with mischievous humor. "Oh god, you're okay?" Elias exclaimed, his eyes widening in concern as you choked on your food, caught off guard by Jørgen's comment.

You quickly grabbed the glass of water Elias handed you, sipping it to clear your throat, but you couldn't help but wonder what had caused that outburst. "So, what did you say?" you asked, looking at Jørgen, your voice still a little hoarse.

Jørgen's grin only grew wider, and this time, a smirk replaced his playful smile. "I said: you like Elias, don't you?" His words were like a spark to the fire, and your cheeks flared with color. You quickly composed yourself and let out a sigh, trying to ignore the way your heart seemed to beat a little faster at his words.

"I don't know," you said, shrugging slightly. "I mean, he's handsome, but he's not really my type. And, to add on, he's younger than me." You looked down at your food, suddenly feeling the weight of the conversation. The atmosphere around the table seemed to shift, the playful tension becoming more serious.

Turning your attention to Elias, you saw his expression fall, a flicker of sadness in his eyes. Your heart twisted at the sight. You hadn't meant to hurt him, and it was clear you had. The weight of your words lingered in the air, and you couldn't stand it. Without thinking, you reached out and gently stroked his arm in a gesture of comfort. He looked up at you in surprise, his lips curling into a soft, appreciative smile.

You could feel Luke's eyes on you, watching every move you made, but at that moment, you didn't care. Elias was your friend, and you knew that if you had hurt him, it was something you needed to fix.

After a few moments of silence, you stood up, silently leading Elias toward the rooftop. It was a quiet, secluded spot where you could both clear your minds and have a real conversation away from the noise of the cafeteria. You pushed open the door to the rooftop, stepping into the cool air and heading toward the bench in the corner.

You sat down beside him, the weight of the moment settling over you. You turned to face him, your expression soft with concern. Elias could see the worry in your eyes, and, after a moment, he reached up, gently brushing his hand across your cheek in a gesture that melted your heart.

"I'm sorry I made you worry, Luna," he said quietly. "It's just... in my heart, I really hoped you liked me..." His voice trailed off again, just as it had earlier.

You chuckled softly and pulled him into a warm hug, your arms enveloping him in comfort. For you, it was a simple, friendly gesture, a way to let him know you cared. But for Elias, it was something more. You could feel his heart racing, a tremble in his breath as he pulled you closer.

You felt it. His heart fluttering in a way that made your stomach tighten. Gently, you pulled away, concern flashing in your eyes. "Elias?"

"Hmm?" he hummed, turning to face you with a slight tilt of his head.

"I like you," you said, the words coming out a little more hesitant than you intended. "But... I don't know if we should be together. You're one year younger than me, and we don't share the same interests. I don't think I'm your type." You gave him a sad smile, caressing his hands in yours.

Elias nodded slowly, processing your words. You noticed the quiet sadness in his eyes, but he didn't argue. You leaned forward, and instead of a kiss on the lips, you placed a soft kiss on his cheek, then his nose, and finally, his forehead.

Elias's breath caught in his chest, but instead of smiling, a slight irritation flickered across his face. It was clear he had hoped for more, but you didn't want to lead him on.

He smiled faintly, but you could see the edge of disappointment in his expression. "It's okay, Luna," he said, trying to smile through the ache in his chest. "I understand."

You gave him one last, reassuring smile before standing up. The conversation was over for now, but you couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the end of Elias's feelings for you. And somewhere deep inside, a part of you wasn't quite sure what you wanted either.

--------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: nice cliffhanger, eh? well, I will continue tomorrow; I promise

-Saph