Writers 
Chapter Four
The following morning, Amara told herself she had forgotten about Adrian.
She hadn't.
Not even close.
I am not curious.
She opened her notebook.
I am simply observant.
She tapped her pen against the desk.
And maybe slightly nosy.
“Amara?”
She looked up.
Tessa was standing beside her desk.
“You've been staring at the same page for five minutes.”
Amara glanced down.
The page was completely blank.
“I was thinking.”
“About?”
“Nothing.”
Tessa smiled knowingly.
“Adrian?”
Amara nearly dropped her pen.
“What? No!”
“Your face says otherwise.”
“My face says I'm tired.”
“Your face says you're interested.”
Amara rolled her eyes.
“Please. That boy is annoying.”
“Yet you keep looking for him.”
“I do not.”
Tessa pointed behind her.
“Then why did you just look toward the door?”
Amara slowly turned back.
Traitor.
Before she could answer, the classroom door opened.
Adrian walked in.
Their eyes met for half a second.
He looked away first.
Amara frowned.
Interesting.
He usually acted like nothing bothered him.
Today, he looked distracted.
He took his usual seat several rows away.
The lecturer began speaking.
Amara tried to concentrate.
She really did.
But halfway through the lecture, Adrian's phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
Again.
That same guarded look.
He immediately stood.
“Sir, may I step outside?”
The lecturer inodded.
Adrian left.
Amara stared at the door.
Don't follow him.
She looked back at her notes.
Seriously, Amara. Don't.
Thirty seconds passed.
She sighed.
Fine. I'm just getting some air.
She slipped out.
The hallway was empty.
She looked left.
Nothing.
Right.
Nothing.
Then she noticed a door at the end of the corridor slightly open.
Voices came from inside.
One belonged to Adrian.
The other was unfamiliar.
Amara took a few steps closer.
“You shouldn't have come here,” the stranger said.
Adrian's voice was low.
“I didn't have a choice.”
There was silence.
Then the stranger said something Amara couldn't hear.
Adrian replied immediately.
“Don't mention her.”
Amara froze.
Her?
Her heart started beating faster.
She leaned slightly closer.
The door suddenly opened.
Adrian stepped out.
They nearly collided.
His eyes widened when he saw her.
“Amara?”
She swallowed.
“Hi.”
He stared at her.
“What are you doing here?”
She held up her notebook.
“I… forgot my pen.”
He looked at the notebook in her hand.
“You have three pens.”
Amara glanced down.
Oh.
“Backup pens.”
Adrian almost smiled.
Almost.
Then his expression became serious again.
“Go back to class.”
Amara raised an eyebrow.
“Are you giving me orders now?”
“No.”
He paused.
“I'm asking.”
Something about his tone made her stop joking.
She looked past him toward the room.
The stranger was gone.
“Who was that?”
Adrian said nothing.
“Adrian?”
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he quietly said,
“Someone from my past.”
He walked away before she could ask anything else.
Amara stood there.
Someone from his past.
She looked back at the empty room.
For the first time, she wondered if Adrian's secrets had anything to do with why he kept everyone at a distance.
And somewhere inside her, curiosity whispered the same thing it had been whispering since yesterday:
Find out.