CHAPTER 4: My competitor or her friend

"Excuse me." The newcomer's deep and clear voice carried brightness across the room He stood with one hand in his pocket, the other holding a schedule. 

Mrs. Chen stood at her desk and smiled and waved at him. "Um, yes, dear"

"Ma'am, Is that the Business Economics lecture hall?"

Mrs. Chen nodded, her smile warm and welcoming. "Are you new?" she asked. "Yes, Come in " 

He took his time strolling through the room. As the girls moved in their seats, they made a scraping sound against the floor,  some girls changed positions to see better. Whispered voices filled the room with a soft rustling like dry leaves moving in a light wind.

The professor directed her attention to the classroom and declared, "Everyone, please listen." He is our new student" 

Mrs. Chen faced Nate's side, a friendly glint in her eyes. "Why don't you tell everyone a bit about yourself?" she suggested.

"I'm Nathaniel. Just call me Nate," he said, with a small grin, his hand through his already disheveled dark hair. He stood confidently, he looked casual with a white shirt half-tucked into his jeans. His blue eyes swept across the room, and his gaze paused for a second at the back corner where Evangeline sat looking back at him.

The girls in the class couldn't help but whisper among themselves, their eyes noticing his every move.

At the back of the room, Evangeline's friends, Zoey and Luna, exchanged looks. Zoey leaned in and whispered, "He's, totally my type."

Luna, eyes wide with excitement, breathed, "He's every girl's dream! And that ear piercing! He looks just like Hwang In-you*. Finally, after a long time, this year is going to be amazing!

Zoey watching his cupid bow lips and resting her chin on her palm, her expression dreamy, she murmured, "From today onwards, I will never skip a single lecture.".

Luna nodded in agreement, a similar glitter in her eyes, holding a pen. "Yeah... Me too."

Evangeline observed the reactions of classmates girls, especially her friends' desire in their eyes, seriously? You guys never change. She rolled her eyes and sighed quietly as she tucked wavy hair behind her ear. Then, she ignored them and went to focus on her notes, her pen scratching across the page with an air of absent mind.

"Nate, There's an empty seat in the back row," Mrs. Chen said, pointing past the rows of students. "Behind Miss Martinez."

Nate's footsteps echoed in the quiet hall. While he crossed Evangeline's desk, her pencil stilled for just a moment.

He sits behind her, the fine scent of his cologne mixing with air in the hall. The corner of Nate's mouth twitched upward. He leaned back in his chair, all casual confidence, but his eyes kept drifting to Evangeline's shoulders, studying her like a puzzle. why is she so aloof? he wondered himself.

Mrs. Chen cleared her throat, the sharp sound in the quiet room. "Okay, Guys....... Now, as I was saying about the Graphics..."

But the energy in the room had shifted. Everyone was painfully aware of the new current running through their usually mundane Monday morning Economics class.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she adjusted her hair and dress, Evangeline could see and hear her friends chattering behind her, punctuated by the faint sound of running water from the nearby restroom. A toilet flushed in the background.

"Have you seen him in an economics lecture? The new student?" Zoey burst with excitement "I can't even speak! How am I supposed to express my feelings?"

"He looks half Korean or Japanese, doesn't he?" Luna whispered. "It makes me want to talk to him! and want to know more"

"Do you think he is single" Zoey questioned herself.

"Absolutely No..... but... Maybe he is, maybe not..... either way I am ok with that," Luna said.

Evangeline sighed, and turned to them, a slight frown on her face. "He's just a random guy," she said. "You've been talking on about him since this morning. Can we please talk about something else?"

"Uh...Why? We like a handsome man..... You sound like you hate him," Luna observed.

 "What?...... I don't hate him," Evangeline sighed. "I just... you guys are giving me a headache. You're acting like you want to eat him alive! And he probably didn't even see us.

Luna and Zoey exchanged a look of realization. "Oh shit......no," Zoey vocalized. "We have business math!" They adjust their makeup and ask each other "Is everything good on my face," both asked.

"I am going to kill you," Evangeline said, chased them, and played around the restroom.

Three of them, Eve, Luna, and Zoey casually walked into their lecture hall. Mr. Luca was already at the front, his attention fixed on a pile of papers on his desk. They sit in the back row.

The lecture hall was cooler and dim than the boiling day outside. The big windows didn't help with the heat, and the air conditioner worked hard to keep it cool.

A few students were scattered around, just waiting in silence for the lecture to start.

Mr. Luca's voice filled the room, a steady drone proceeded algebraic formulas. The equation ( a^2 + 2ab + b^2 = (a + b)^2 and so on.

Evangeline's eyes were nearly half-closed and half-opened, her head nodded slightly in sleep. Beside her, Luna and Zoey were slouched down in their chairs, fast asleep. Luna's mouth corner opened slightly, with a soft snore escaping while she breathed.

The remainder of the lesson faded into a meaningless background noise. The rest of the class was distracted: some students were texting on their phones, others whispered to each other, and a few tried to follow along with the lecture, their expressions tense.

"Zoey," Evangeline whispered silently, shaking her shoulder gently at her back.

"ZO....Zoey..."

"Um... what?" Zoey mumbled in a husky tone, her eyes still closed.

"Don't disturb me. I'm halfway to dreamland."

I'm going to kiss Nate..." Zoey started, then trailed off, a sigh escaping her lips. "Uh, shit. Even I can't kiss him in my dreams." She fell back against the desk, disappointment etched on her face.

Evangeline's eyebrows lifted in furious. "What? Do you dream about Nate? Leave him alone" she sighed, glanced at her watch, her stomach growling as she stared at Zoey. "Can we go to the canteen? I'm starving."

"What about Mr. Luca?" Zoey asked, finally cracking an eye open.

Evangeline arched an eyebrow on one side. "You guys weren't exactly taking notes."

Zoey smirked, finally awake. "Okay, okay," she said, dragging Luna's hand. "Let's go." The three of them headed out together.

Later, in the cafeteria,  noise of approaching lunchtime filled the air around Nate. Trays clanged, conversations buzzed, and the atmosphere was warm and thick with the mixed aromas of pizza and pasta. He balanced his coffee cup, scanning the crowded room, pretending not to. His eyes glanced at a familiar flash of dark hair near the entrance.

Evangeline stood with her back to him, her laugh echoing out across the space,  her arms around someone. The guy tall, athletic body, wearing a varsity jacket—hugged her back with the easy familiarity of old friends.

"Hey, Aaron!" she called, "Long time no see!" she asked with an elegant smile.

Aaron grinned. "Just half of a month. How were your  holidays at home?"

Evangeline shrugged, "Oh, you know. Just the usual – family, food, and my mom always giving advice, blah blah..."

Aaron laughed gently, "Some things never change, huh?"

"Anyway, you should come home next time," Evangeline said. "My mom misses having someone who can match her sarcasm."

Aaron nodded, "I'd like that. It's been too long."

They settled behind Nate's seat. Zoey and Luna arrived carrying their plates. "So," Evangeline continued, "How was your puppy Jimmy doing?" sipping her juice and watching her friends.

"He's terrible," he said.

A few minutes later of talk, Evangeline laughed at Aaron's joke, but her smile faded slightly. She had the distinct feeling of being watched by someone she thought, her pulse quickening slightly.

She turned casually glancing at the cafeteria, but her gaze locked on Nate. He was staring directly at her, his expression unreadable, she just casually shifted her look to the counter. His build, and his stare, Why I felt all familiar... her mind racing something.