Betrayal by love-Chapter 4 - : My competitor or her friend.

"Excuse me." The newcomer's voice deep and resonant, carried freshness across the room without effort. He stood just inside the doorway with one hand in his pocket, the other holding a schedule.

Mrs. Chen stood at her desk and gestured towards the front of the room. "Ah yes,"

"Is that Business Economics lecture hall?"

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

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

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

Mrs. Chen faced Nate, 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 quick grin as he raked a hand through his already disheveled dark hair. He stood with easy confidence, his white shirt half-tucked into his jeans, a look that somehow managed to be both casual and put-together. His blue eyes, strongly hinting at his Asian heritage, swept across the room, pausing momentarily at the back corner where Evangeline sat.

The girls in the class couldn't help but whisper among themselves, their eyes following 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-youp. This year is going to be amazing!

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

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

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

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

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

He slid into the seat behind her, the subtle 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 the rigid set of Evangeline's shoulders, studying her like a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. why is she so aloof? he wondered.

Mrs. Chen cleared her throat, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "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 as she adjusted her hair, Evangeline could 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 gushed. "I can't even speak! How am I supposed to express my feelings?"

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

Evangeline 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... You sound like you hate him," Luna observed.

"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 dawning realization. "Oh no," Zoey mouthed. "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 settled into their usual spot in the back row.

The lecture hall was cool and dim, a nice escape from the bright, blazing day outside. The big windows didn't help with the heat, and the air conditioner worked hard to keep it comfy.

A few students were scattered around, just hanging out in silence as they waited for the lecture to kick off.

Mr. Luca's voice filled the room, a steady drone reciting algebraic formulas. The equation ( a^2 + 2ab + b^2 = (a + b)^2 and the rest of the lesson blurred into a meaningless background hum.

Evangeline's eyes were nearly half-closed, and her head nodded slightly in sleep. Beside her, Luna and Zoey were slumped in their chairs, fast asleep. Luna's mouth hung open slightly, with a soft snore escaping each time she breathed.

The rest of the class was a mix of boredom and distraction: some students were glued to their phones, others whispered among themselves, and a few attempted to follow along with the lecture, their expressions strained.

"Zoey," Evangeline whispered, shaking her shoulder gently.

"Zoey..."

"Um... what?" Zoey mumbled, 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 slumped back against the desk, disappointment etched on her face.

Evangeline's eyebrows lifted. "What? You dream about Nate?" she 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. "You guys weren't exactly taking notes."

Zoey smirked at the corner of her lips, finally awake. "Okay, okay," she said, grabbing Luna's hand. "Let's go." The three of them headed out together.

Later, in the cafeteria, the cacophony of near lunchtime surrounded Nate. Trays clattered, conversations buzzed, and the air was thick with the mingled scents of pizza, pasta, and something vaguely floral. He balanced his tray, scanning the crowded room, pretending not to. His eyes snagged on a familiar flash of dark hair near the entrance.

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

"Hey, Aaron!" she called, her voice cutting through the noise. "Long time no see!" she asked with an elegant smile.

Aaron grinned. "It's been a while. How was your trip back home?"

Evangeline shrugged, a playful glint in her eyes. "Oh, you know. Just the usual – family, food, and my mom always giving advice, blah blah..."

Aaron laughed, loud enough to draw a few glances. "Some things never change, huh?"

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

Aaron nodded, tucking a small notebook into his jacket pocket. "I'd like that. It's been too long."

They settled behind Nate's seat. Zoey and Luna arrived carrying their plates, and the aroma of their food caught everyone's attention. "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, 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 as if simply surveying the cafeteria, but her gaze locked on Nate. He was staring directly at her, his expression unreadable. His build, his posture, and his stare, Why I felt all familiar... A jolt of something – recognition? dread? – shot through her.

Suddenly, fragmented images flashed in her mind. A cold, night. Streetlights cast long shadows. She saw a figure in a black hoodie standing across the street, just watching her.

She paused, a shiver running down her spine, glancing around nervously. No one here, please calm down Eve.... she thought, trying to calm her racing heart. But then, she saw him again, closer this time, his face still obscured by the hood.

Who's he? Or is he following me, I am the one who standing in an empty street, she realized, panic rising. She broke into a run, her footsteps pounding on the deserted street. Behind her, she heard footsteps, pounding closer now.

'Please... God, I have to reach my house, give me strength. Run, run... Eve run... ' she thought, her own silent scream echoing in her mind, close behind her. The empty street stretched out before her, silent and still.

She stumbled, nearly falling, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She reached her gate, trying to open the gate speedily, her fingers trembling. She burst through the gate, slamming it shut behind her, leaning against the gate, her chest heaving.

After a pause, she looked back, but there was no one.

Evangeline blinked back to reality, the image dissolving in the air, replaced by the clatter of trays and the murmur of conversations in the cafeteria. She pinched her leg sharply, grounding herself in the present. It was just a memory, she told herself, but the fear lingered, a cold knot in her stomach.

She turned back to Aaron, forced a small smile, and sipped her juice absently. She then picked up her phone, feigning absorption in its screen, though her mind questioned, is that him? or was I just overthinking?