Writers 
The walk out of the library was quieter than Sarah expected.
The hallway was almost empty now. Most students had already gone home, leaving only the sound of their footsteps against the polished floor.
Ryan walked beside her with his hands in his pockets.
“You're quiet,” he said.
“So are you.”
“I was giving you a break.”
“From what?”
“My personality.”
Sarah laughed before she could stop herself.
Ryan looked at her.
“There. You laughed.”
“I did not.”
“You definitely did.”
“It was barely a laugh.”
“It still counts.”
Sarah shook her head.
“You're impossible.”
“You've said that twice today.”
“Because it's true.”
They reached the front entrance, where students were scattered around the school grounds waiting for rides.
Sarah adjusted her backpack.
“I'll see you tomorrow.”
Ryan nodded.
“Same time?”
“For the project?”
“Obviously.”
She gave him a suspicious look.
“Obviously.”
Ryan smiled.
Sarah started walking toward the gate.
“Sarah.”
She turned.
Ryan held up her notebook.
“You forgot this.”
She stared at it.
She hadn't even realized it was missing.
“Oh.”
She walked back and took it from him.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
She turned to leave again.
“Sarah?”
She looked back.
Ryan pointed at the notebook.
“You should probably stop writing your name on every page.”
“Why?”
“I counted.”
She frowned.
“You counted?”
“Only because I was bored.”
“You're weird.”
“And you're predictable.”
Sarah rolled her eyes and walked away.
She could still hear him laughing behind her.
By the time she reached home, she had almost forgotten about him.
Almost.
She dropped her bag beside her bed and changed into something comfortable before lying across the mattress.
Her phone buzzed.
She reached for it.
Ryan: Did you survive the journey home?
Sarah stared at the message.
She typed back.
Sarah: Unfortunately.
His reply came seconds later.
Ryan: Good. We still have a project.
She smiled.
Sarah: You only care about the project.
There was a pause.
Then his response appeared.
Ryan: Mostly.
Sarah raised an eyebrow.
Sarah: Mostly?
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Then finally:
Ryan: Goodnight, Sarah.
She stared at the screen.
That was it?
She frowned and typed:
Sarah: It's not even nine.
His reply came immediately.
Ryan: Exactly. Plenty of time for you to overthink that.
Sarah dropped her phone onto the bed.
“What is wrong with this boy?”
She picked it up again.
Sarah: I don't overthink.
Ryan: Sure.
She rolled her eyes.
Sarah: Goodnight, Ryan.
She placed the phone beside her and tried to focus on her homework.
But five minutes later, she checked her phone again.
No new message.
She frowned at herself.
Why was she checking?
She tossed the phone farther away.
This was ridiculous.
Ryan had only been at Westbridge for one day, and somehow he had already managed to occupy far too much space in her thoughts.
She decided tomorrow would be different.
She would focus on school.
She would focus on the project.
And she definitely would not let Ryan Carter distract her.
Across town, Ryan sat in the back seat of a black car, staring out the window.
His phone was still in his hand.
He opened Sarah's contact again.
He smiled faintly before locking the screen.
For the first time since arriving at Westbridge, he wasn't thinking about how much he hated being there.
He was thinking about her.