Luke settled onto the desk beside Naila, careful not to make a sound. He barely moved, even keeping his breathing slow and gentle, afraid that the slightest disturbance might wake her. After a while, he folded his arms on the desk and rested his head on them, turning his face towards her.
She looked happy. It was there in the little details, the softness of her expression, the faint curve of her lips, the quiet contentment that seemed to settle over her features. She didn't have to say a word; her emotions spoke for her.
Luke smiled to himself.
For once, she seemed at peace, untouched by the thoughts that so often weighed her down. He didn't want to interrupt that moment or draw her attention to himself. So he stayed where he was, his head resting on his folded arms, simply watching her in silence.
Half an hour later, Naila stirred awake from her nap. Still caught between sleep and consciousness, she slowly opened her eyes, and froze.
Luke was right there, sitting beside her, his face only a short distance away.
Her eyes widened in surprise. She parted her lips as if to ask what he was doing there, but quickly pressed them shut, afraid the question might come out louder than she intended.
He appeared to be asleep, his head resting on his folded arms, his face turned towards her. There was something unexpectedly endearing about seeing him like that. The man who always seemed so composed, so effortlessly in control, had fallen asleep right beside her.
What is he doing here?
Curiosity got the better of her. She shifted a little closer, studying his face in silence. With him asleep, she could look as much as she wanted without worrying about getting caught. Or so she thought.
Naila noticed his brows, then his sharp nose. Her eyes then wandered towards his cheek, it appeared he has tiny mole under his left eye which made him look even better. She then noticed his ear studs. He had them on most days. She also noticed anither tiny mole right under his lower lip on the right. Her lips unknowingly curved into a smile.
Her gaze then wandered to his hair. A few strands had fallen out of place, resting carelessly against his forehead. She hesitated, fighting the strange urge to brush them aside.
Eventually, her fingers moved on their own.
She barely grazed his hair before panic took over. She snatched her hand back, her heart suddenly racing as though she had been caught doing something terribly wrong.
Except she had been.
Luke's fingers closed around her wrist before she could retreat any further.
Her breath caught.
His eyes opened slowly, and the moment his gaze met hers, the faintest smile touched his lips. He had been awake enough to catch her, apparently.
"Luke!" she whispered, her voice caught somewhere between surprise and embarrassment.
He didn't answer. Instead, he gently tugged her hand, drawing her closer until she had to brace herself against the desk. Their faces were now only inches apart.
Naila stared at him, unable to decide whether she wanted to escape or stay exactly where she was.
"I didn't do anything," she confessed immediately.
The words came out so quickly that Luke's smile deepened.
"I didn't say you did."
"Then why did you catch my hand?"
"Perhaps I wanted to know what you were planning to do."
Her cheeks warmed. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" he repeated, his voice low with amusement.
She shook her head, refusing to look away even as her heart betrayed her with every passing second.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Their eyes held each other's, and the teasing smile on Luke's face gradually softened. Up close, Naila could see the quiet curiosity in his eyes, the way his attention remained entirely on her. He wasn't rushing her or asking her to explain herself. He simply held her gaze, leaving her to wonder whether he could hear how loudly her heart was beating.
She could feel the warmth of his hand around hers.
And for those few precious seconds, the rest of the world seemed very far away.
"Naila ma'am, please leave. We're closing the classroom." The office staff's voice shattered the moment. The guy stood at the door entrance with a reminder. "I need to lock the room till the reopening day."
Naila sprang backwards as though she had been caught doing something far more scandalous than touching someone's hair. Luke released her hand, but the amused look on his face suggested he was going to remember this for a long time.
She hurried to her feet, desperate to look composed again.
Thud!
Her knee struck the edge of the desk.
"Ouch!"
She bent forward, clutching her knee, the sudden pain making her squeeze her eyes shut.
Luke was on his feet almost instantly. "Naila, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she mumbled through clenched teeth, though the way she stood suggested otherwise.
He looked as if he wanted to check her knee himself, but the presence of the office staff held him back. Instead, he watched her carefully, making sure she could stand without losing her balance.
Meanwhile, she was far too busy wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
First, he had caught her touching his hair. Then he had pulled her closer. And now she had practically thrown herself against a desk in her attempt to escape him.
What a spectacular way to end a nap.
Luke straightened and adjusted his clothes, smoothing down his thin black sweater before settling the maroon oversized shirt over it. As always, three buttons at the top remained undone, giving his otherwise casual outfit that familiar, effortless charm.
Naila glanced at him despite herself.
And there it was again.
That infuriating coincidence.
They looked as though they had planned their outfits together. His maroon shirt complemented the colours she was wearing, just as their clothes had seemed to find a way of matching on previous occasions.
Except Naila hadn't planned anything.
Luke, on the other hand, had.
He had noticed what she was wearing that morning and chosen his outfit accordingly. He hadn't told her, of course. He had no intention of explaining something that would only make her more self-conscious around him.
Instead, he glanced at her, catching her looking.
Their eyes met.
A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Naila immediately looked away, pretending to adjust her bag.
Luke said nothing. He simply fell into step beside her as they left the classroom, carrying his little secret with him.
And perhaps that was what made it so dangerous.
He was beginning to find ways to be close to her without asking for anything in return.
And she was beginning to notice.