After Class
Lia barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw that black car sitting across the street beneath the broken lamp.
Watching.
Waiting.
By morning, she'd convinced herself she was overthinking things.
The city was full of expensive cars.
And Adrian Monteverde—despite how unsettling he was—surely had better things to do than sit outside a scholarship student's apartment building in the rain.
At least that's what she kept telling herself.
Blackthorne University looked unusually bright compared to the stormy weather outside. Students crowded the marble hallways, shaking rainwater from umbrellas and complaining about exams.
Lia moved quietly through the noise with her headphones on, hoping for one peaceful day.
It lasted exactly twelve minutes.
"You're trending."
Lia nearly jumped as Sienna suddenly appeared beside her carrying two iced coffees.
"What?"
Sienna shoved her phone forward dramatically.
A Blackthorne student confession page filled the screen.
SPOTTED: Why was Adrian Monteverde talking to a literature girl AGAIN ??
Another comment underneath read:
She's pretty but like... what does he even see in her?
And another:
That girl better be careful. Monteverde gives serial killer vibes.
Lia groaned softly and rubbed a hand over her face.
"I hate this school."
Sienna snorted.
"No you don't. You hate rich people."
"Same thing."
That earned a laugh.
For a few seconds, the heaviness in Lia's chest eased slightly.
Then her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
Her stomach tightened instantly.
She hesitated before opening the message.
Bring an umbrella today.
Lia stopped walking.
Sienna noticed immediately.
"What happened?"
Slowly, Lia turned her phone toward her.
Sienna read the message once.
Then twice.
"...Who sent that?"
"I don't know."
A strange feeling crawled up Lia's spine.
Because the message arrived only seconds after they talked about the rain.
Almost like someone nearby had heard it.
Sienna looked around instinctively.
"That's creepy."
Lia typed quickly.
Who is this?
The typing bubble appeared immediately.
Someone observant.
Her heartbeat stumbled.
Another message followed before she could respond.
You forgot your umbrella again.
Lia froze completely.
Because she had.
She looked down at her empty hands.
No umbrella.
No jacket.
Nothing.
"How would they know that?" Sienna whispered.
Lia locked her phone immediately.
"Probably someone from school messing around."
But even she didn't believe that.
The rest of the morning passed uncomfortably slowly.
Everywhere Lia went, whispers seemed to follow.
People looked at her differently now.
Curious.
Interested.
Judging.
One girl openly stared while Lia sat in the cafeteria trying to finish an essay.
Another walked past and muttered:
"Homewrecker."
Lia clenched her jaw.
She didn't even know Adrian Monteverde.
Not really.
A few conversations didn't mean anything.
Still...
People always loved creating stories.
Especially about powerful men.
By noon, the rain outside had become heavier.
The windows of the literature building rattled softly from the wind.
Professor Hale dismissed class early after the lights flickered twice overhead.
Students rushed for the exits immediately.
Lia stayed behind to organize her papers.
She preferred waiting until hallways emptied.
Less staring.
Less gossip.
Less anxiety.
When she finally stepped outside the classroom, the corridor was nearly empty.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
Her footsteps echoed softly against polished floors as she headed toward the main staircase.
Then she heard another set of footsteps behind her.
Slow.
Steady.
Not rushing.
Her grip tightened slightly on her bag strap.
She kept walking.
The footsteps continued.
Not speeding up.
Not slowing down.
Matching her pace exactly.
Lia swallowed hard before glancing back.
Nothing.
The hallway stretched empty behind her.
Her chest loosened slightly.
You're imagining things.
She exhaled carefully and continued walking.
Then—
"Ms. Valencia."
She stopped instantly.
Adrian Monteverde stood near the stairwell entrance.
Black coat.
Dark gloves.
Calm expression.
Like he'd been standing there the entire time waiting for her.
Her pulse jumped annoyingly fast.
"You startled me."
"That wasn't my intention."
He looked at her for a moment longer than necessary.
Again.
Always watching.
The intensity of it made her feel strangely exposed.
"You're still not carrying an umbrella," he said finally.
Lia crossed her arms lightly.
"Did you text me this morning?"
A pause.
Then:
"Yes."
Her brows lifted immediately.
"You just admitted that?"
"I rarely see a reason to lie."
That answer somehow irritated her.
"You shouldn't have my number."
"No," Adrian agreed calmly. "I probably shouldn't."
Probably.
Lia stared at him.
Most people would at least pretend to feel guilty.
Adrian looked completely unbothered.
"How did you even get it?"
"You filled out emergency contact forms for Blackthorne."
"That information is private."
"Yes."
The fact he acknowledged that without shame made her speechless for a second.
Rain hammered harder against the tall windows nearby.
Neither of them moved.
Finally, Lia sighed softly.
"You do realize this is incredibly weird, right?"
Something flickered briefly in his expression.
Not anger.
Almost amusement.
"I'm aware."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
Adrian studied her quietly before answering.
"You interest me."
Simple.
Direct.
Honest.
Lia hated how much more unsettling honesty was than manipulation.
Most men flirted.
Most men played games.
Adrian simply observed people like he was dissecting them slowly.
"That's not a normal answer," she muttered.
"Normal is overrated."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"How do you say things like that with a straight face?"
"Practice."
For the first time—
Lia almost smiled.
Almost.
Adrian noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
"There," he said softly.
"What?"
"That expression suits you better."
Her smile disappeared instantly.
His gaze dropped briefly toward her fingers.
"You twist your ring when you're uncomfortable," he added.
Lia immediately stopped touching it again.
God.
"Do you analyze everyone this much?"
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Too easily.
Her stomach tightened slightly.
Before she could respond, thunder shook the windows loudly overhead.
The lights flickered.
And suddenly—
The entire hallway went dark.
A few distant students screamed downstairs.
Lia inhaled sharply as darkness swallowed the corridor completely.
Emergency lights flickered dimly seconds later, casting everything in soft red shadows.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Closer.
Quieter.
More dangerous.
Adrian stepped forward slightly.
Not enough to touch her.
Just enough for her to smell the faint scent of expensive cologne and rain.
"You're shaking," he said quietly.
"I hate thunderstorms."
"Why?"
"My apartment building flooded during one when I was younger."
The confession slipped out before she could stop it.
Adrian's eyes held hers carefully.
As if storing the information somewhere private.
"You're safe here."
The words should have comforted her.
Instead, they made her heartbeat harder.
Because for some reason—
when Adrian Monteverde said things like that...
they sounded less like reassurance—
and more like promises.
The emergency lights buzzed softly overhead.
Neither of them moved.
Then Adrian slowly removed something from his coat pocket.
A black umbrella.
He held it toward her.
"Take this."
Lia blinked.
"I can't take your umbrella."
"You can."
"What about you?"
"I have another one downstairs."
She hesitated.
Everything about him felt dangerous.
But standing there beneath dim red lighting while rain pounded against the windows—
he didn't look dangerous.
He looked patient.
And somehow that was worse.
Slowly, Lia accepted the umbrella.
Their fingers brushed briefly.
Warmth spread instantly up her arm.
Adrian's gaze darkened almost imperceptibly at the contact.
Then he stepped back.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Valencia."
Lia frowned slightly.
"You say that like you already know you will."
"I do."
And before she could ask what that meant—
Adrian turned and disappeared down the staircase.
Leaving Lia standing alone beneath flickering emergency lights...
holding an umbrella that smelled faintly like him.