The last bell of the day rang out through Lincoln High.
Students spilled into the halls like a flood — some rushing to after-school clubs, others just trying to get home.
Brandston wasn't in a rush though.
He walked calmly toward his locker, backpack slung over one shoulder, scrolling his phone with his free hand.
Trying to stay invisible.
Behind him, Joel was skipping like a clown, swinging his bag and humming the theme song from Rocky.
"We're champs, man! Champs!" Joel sang, punching the air.
Brandston just shook his head, smiling slightly.
He was halfway to his locker when he noticed something...
The hallway was...quieter than usual.
Way quieter.
He looked up — and froze.
There she was.
Vanessa Cross.
Leaning against his locker like she had reserved it by royal decree.
Her arms folded across her chest, long hair cascading over one shoulder, her school sweater slightly off her shoulder like it wasn't even an accident.
Her blue eyes locked straight onto him.
Brandston blinked once, then twice.
Joel — the human airhorn — immediately picked up the vibe and whispered harshly, "BRO. BROOOO. THAT'S HER. SHE WAITING FOR YOU. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"
Brandston stayed cool on the outside... but inside?
Why is she here? What does she want? Why is she looking at me like I'm dinner?
He swallowed casually, then walked up.
"Uh...you're blocking my locker," he said, trying to sound normal.
Vanessa smiled slowly, like a cat finding its next toy.
"Am I?" she said innocently.
She didn't move an inch.
Joel was standing like ten feet back, peeking from behind a vending machine like a spy.
Brandston sighed inwardly.
He could already tell — she wasn't just "bumping into" him.
She planned this.
"You're Brandston, right?" she asked, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"Yeah," he said simply.
She tilted her head, inspecting him like she was picking out a car at a dealership.
"You're...different," Vanessa said.
"Different bad, or different good?" Brandston asked, raising an eyebrow.
She laughed — a soft, dangerously sweet sound.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
There was a beat of silence.
Tension.
Her smile widened.
Then — smooth as silk — she leaned forward slightly and whispered:
"You're cute when you try to play it cool."
Brandston blinked, caught off guard.
Before he could answer, Joel, from the vending machine, accidentally kicked it, making it rattle loudly.
Both of them turned to look.
Joel pretended to stretch aggressively like he wasn't eavesdropping.
Vanessa laughed again, covering her mouth slightly.
"Tell your friend he's terrible at being sneaky," she said.
Brandston couldn't help it — he chuckled.
First real laugh he had all day.
Vanessa finally stepped aside, giving him access to his locker — but not without brushing her hand lightly across his arm as she passed.
Deliberate.
"I'll see you around, captain," she said with a wink, walking away like a scene straight out of a movie.
Brandston stood there for a second, blinking.
Joel RAN up to him the moment she was out of earshot.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Joel yelled, shaking him by the shoulders.
Brandston shrugged, trying to play it off.
"Nothing."
"NOTHING?! BRO SHE WAS READY TO DEVOUR YOU ON THE SPOT."
Brandston just smirked and grabbed his books, trying to hide how fast his heart was pounding.
Nothing, huh?
Yeah...
This year just got a whole lot more complicated.