I settled into a chair near the library window, trying to focus on my textbook. The library's soft buzz surrounded me - the whisper of pages turning, the occasional stifled cough, the distant hum of the heating system. I had barely opened to the right chapter when her laughter cut through the ambient noise.

Not too loud, just bright and musical enough to instantly catch my attention. My eyes lifted involuntarily toward the sound. There she sat at a nearby table with her friends, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders as she leaned forward, coffee cup in hand.

I shouldn't have listened. I should have returned to my studies, respected her privacy. But something rooted me to the spot.

"Ugh... he makes me so nervous," she groaned, fingers tracing her cup's rim. Her friends leaned in eagerly. "Every time he looks at me with those calm, serious eyes, my brain just... short circuits. I can't think straight."

Her friends giggled. I felt my pulse quicken, heat rising to my cheeks despite my best efforts to remain composed.

"And the way he remembers tiny things about me," she continued, voice lowering to an excited hush. "Last week, he brought me caramel coffee without me asking, just because he 'thought I might need it'... I swear my heart almost exploded. Who does that?"

Her cheeks glowed rose-pink as she buried her face in her hands briefly. When she looked up again, her expression held equal parts panic and thrill.

"I try so hard to act normal around him, but the moment he smiles... God, my whole chest gets tight and I forget how to speak. What if he notices? What if he already knows?"

One friend nudged her playfully. "Girl... honestly? I think he likes you too. No guy acts that sweet without a reason."

I held my breath as she bit her lip and glanced directly toward my table. For a split second, our eyes might have met before she quickly looked away, cheeks burning brighter than ever.