CHAPTER SIXTEEN: STRANGE

Chapter 16

The first thing Daniel noticed was that Alora wasn’t talking.

Which was strange.

Because Alora always talked.

Maybe not constantly.

Maybe not about important things.

But there was always something.

A complaint.

A joke.

A random observation.

A dramatic speech about how medical school was actively trying to kill her.

Something.

Today?

Nothing.

She sat through the entire lecture with her chin resting on her hand, staring at her notes like they had personally offended her.

Daniel watched her from three rows behind.

By the end of class, he was certain something was wrong.

The problem was figuring out what.

Students began packing up.

The room filled with movement.

Voices.

Chairs scraping against the floor.

Alora shoved her notebook into her bag and stood.

Daniel was beside her before she reached the door.

“You look like you’re planning a murder.”

She blinked.

“What?”

“A murder.”

He nodded seriously.

“Maybe two.”

A reluctant smile tugged at her mouth.

“There it is.”

“What?”

“The smile.”

She rolled her eyes.

Daniel grinned.

For a second, she looked more like herself.

Then the smile disappeared again.

And Daniel’s concern returned.

“Okay.”

He adjusted his backpack.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

“I’m serious.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You are.”

Alora sighed dramatically.

Daniel waited.

Eventually she groaned.

“Professor Reid is annoying.”

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Daniel carefully hid his reaction.

“Professor Reid?”

“Yes.”

“What did he do?”

“He exists.”

Daniel laughed.

Alora immediately pointed at him.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t laugh.”

“You literally said his crime was existing.”

“Exactly.”

Daniel shook his head.

“No jury would convict him for that.”

“I would.”

“Biased.”

“Absolutely.”

Daniel laughed again.

This time she smiled.

A real one.

Small.

But real.

For some reason that felt like winning.

They walked across campus together.

Students moved around them.

Some rushing to lectures.

Others dragging themselves toward the cafeteria.

The afternoon sun sat warm above the university buildings.

Daniel shoved his hands into his pockets.

“So.”

“So?”

“You gonna tell me what actually happened?”

She looked away.

Immediately suspicious.

Daniel noticed.

But didn’t push.

Instead he waited.

Eventually she sighed.

“He kept criticizing everything.”

Daniel frowned.

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Even when you were right?”

“Especially when I was right.”

That surprised him.

Professor Reid was many things.

Cold.

Intimidating.

Impossible to read.

But unfair?

Daniel had never seen that.

“Maybe he was having a bad day.”

“Twice?”

Daniel winced.

Okay.

Fair point.

They continued walking.

For a while neither spoke.

Then Daniel noticed something.

Alora wasn’t heading toward her dorm.

She was heading toward the bus stop.

“You working today?”

She nodded.

Daniel looked surprised.

“You have class until six.”

“I know.”

“And work after?”

“I know.”

“When do you sleep?”

She pointed at the sky.

“God provides.”

Daniel laughed.

“No seriously.”

She shrugged.

“My shift starts in thirty minutes.”

“What shift?”

“You ask too many questions.”

“Occupational hazard.”

“You’re not a doctor.”

“Future doctor.”

“Worse.”

Daniel gasped.

“You wound me.”

Alora finally laughed.

A proper laugh.

The kind that made her eyes brighten.

Daniel felt unexpectedly victorious.

Like he’d completed some impossible task.

They reached the bus stop.

Only then did he realize something.

He actually didn’t know much about her.

Not really.

He knew she was smart.

Funny.

Stubborn.

Terrible at answering messages.

Good under pressure.

But not much beyond that.

And suddenly he wanted to know.

Not in a romantic way.

At least that’s what he told himself.

Just curiosity.

Normal curiosity.

Probably.

The bus still hadn’t arrived.

Daniel sat beside her.

“So where do you work?”

She groaned.

“We’re still doing this?”

“Absolutely.”

“Why?”

“Because now I’m curious.”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

“Good thing I’m not a cat.”

She stared.

Daniel smiled.

Eventually she surrendered.

“I work at a bookstore.”

Daniel blinked.

“A bookstore?”

“Yes.”

“I expected something cooler.”

She looked offended.

“Books are cool.”

“No.”

“They are.”

“No.”

“They are.”

“No.”

Alora smacked his arm.

Daniel laughed.

For a moment she forgot about Professor Reid completely.

Forgot about the weird tension.

Forgot about the frustration.

Forgot about everything.

And Daniel noticed.

Because Daniel noticed things.

Not dramatic things.

Small things.

The way her shoulders relaxed.

The way she smiled when she forgot herself.

The way she twisted a ring when she was stressed.

The way she pretended to be tougher than she actually was.

The bus still wasn’t coming.

Daniel glanced at her.

Then frowned.

“You eat lunch?”

Alora looked away.

Immediately guilty.

Daniel sighed.

“Oh my God.”

“What?”

“You didn’t.”

“I was busy.”

“You forgot.”

“I didn’t forget.”

“You forgot.”

She didn’t answer.

Daniel shook his head.

Then stood.

“Wait here.”

“What?”

“Don’t move.”

“Daniel—”

Too late.

He was already jogging across the street.

Alora watched him disappear into a convenience store.

Five minutes later he returned carrying food.

She stared.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not taking that.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

Daniel sat beside her and placed the bag in her lap.

“Eat.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I know.”

She opened the bag anyway.

Because she was starving.

Daniel pretended not to notice.

Which somehow made it worse.

Or better.

She wasn’t sure.

The bus finally arrived.

Alora stood.

Daniel stood too.

“You don’t have to wait.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you waiting?”

He shrugged.

The answer was simple.

Because he wanted to.

But somehow saying that felt strange.

So instead he smiled.

“Just making sure you get there.”

Something warm settled in her chest.

Unexpected.

Dangerous.

Comforting.

The bus doors opened.

She climbed the steps.

Then turned back.

Daniel was still standing there.

Hands in his pockets.

Watching to make sure she got on safely.

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

For the first time since she’d met him, Alora found herself wondering something.

Not whether Daniel was nice.

She already knew that.

Not whether Daniel was attractive.

She wasn’t blind.

No.

The question was much worse.

When had she started looking forward to seeing him?

The bus pulled away.

Daniel watched it disappear.

Then finally turned.

Only to freeze.

Across the street.

Parked beneath a line of trees.

A black car.

Expensive.

Familiar.

Very familiar.

And behind the wheel—

Professor Dominic Reid.

Daniel stared.

The professor wasn’t looking at him.

Wasn’t looking at the road.

Wasn’t looking anywhere except the bus that had just carried Alora away.

Daniel frowned.

For a strange moment, something felt off.

Not wrong.

Not inappropriate.

Just…

Odd.

Then the traffic moved.

The car drove away.

And Daniel was left standing there wondering why the image bothered him at all.