THE TROUBLE I FELL FOR

4- Where Trouble Begins

Cole stopped just outside the library doors, turning slightly to face me with that same maddening glint in his eyes. "And here," he announced like some tour guide with zero training, "we have the sacred temple of silence. Otherwise known as where fun comes to die."

I didn't laugh. Not because it wasn't slightly funny, but because I knew if I encouraged him, he'd never stop. Instead, I gave him a polite nod.

I entered through the library doors and started," The library is open from eight to five, right? It's well-stocked, and Mrs. Patterson, the librarian, is always willing to help if you're-"

"In need of spiritual guidance?" he cut in. He kept walking beside me with his hands in his pant pockets, looking entirely unbothered as he leaned against the wall when I stopped walking, to look through some of the books between the shelves. "Or just to hide from responsibility?" He continued.

I closed my eyes briefly, summoning patience like it was a practiced skill-which, with Cole, it might have to be.

"She's kind," I continued, ignoring the interruption. "And this place is useful if you actually plan to study."

"Ouch." He clutched his chest, mock-wounded. "You think so little of me already?"

"I don't think anything of you yet," I said honestly. "We've just met."

He smirked again, but there was something different this time, less playful, more curious. "Yet," he repeated. "That's promising."

I shifted uncomfortably, not sure if he was always like this or if I was some new puzzle he'd decided to toy with. Probably both. Still, I held my ground. "Let's finish the rest of the tour."

"Can't wait." He pushed off the wall and gestured for me to go ahead. "Lead the way, Miss Tutor."

I gave him a look. Not sharp. Just tired.

But somehow, he kept walking beside me anyway.

We walked side by side down the quiet hallway, our footsteps echoing lightly against the marble floors. I tried to focus on the points I needed to cover. The student lounge, the study hall schedule, but it was hard to concentrate with him looking at me like that. Like he was waiting for me to trip up. Or break.

"You always this serious?" he asked, stretching his neck and crossed his arms on his chest, like he had all the time in the world. "Do you sleep with a planner under your pillow?"

I pressed my lips together, refusing to rise to it. "No. That would just crumple up the pages."

He chuckled, genuinely, and for a second, I caught a glimpse of something less smug in his eyes. But just as quickly, it was gone.

"Careful," he said. "You make too many jokes like that, I might think you actually do have a sense of humor."

"I do," I said calmly. "I just don't feel the need to prove it every two minutes." I said with my voice low, I'm surprised he even heard it.

He let out a low whistle. "Okay. That was... sharp. I'll take it."

I hadn't meant it that way, but the way he grinned, like I'd just thrown him a treat, made my ears warm.

He tilted his head, voice softer now. "So, Alyssa... Do you always follow the rules? Or just when someone's watching?"

That one stopped me in my tracks.

"I follow them," I said carefully, "because they're there for a reason. Not because I'm being watched."

He studied me for a moment, eyes unreadable now. Then, to my surprise, he nodded, almost... approvingly?

"Well," he said, stretching his arms behind his head as he turned away, "this mentorship is gonna be fun." I wasn't so sure. But something about the way he said it made me feel like, he meant every word.

We circled back to the main corridor, the quiet buzz of footsteps and distant chatter settling around us like white noise. The campus tour was officially over, or at least our part of it was. Now all that was left was to wait.

I leaned lightly against the wall near the office, arms folded loosely. Cole stood a few steps away, spinning his ID card around his finger like it was some kind of toy. For someone who'd just been walked through three buildings and a courtyard, he looked entirely unfazed.

"So what's next?" He asked, now directly standing infront of me. I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes, he was much taller up close, a detail I hadn't fully noticed until now. "We need to exchange phone numbers" i said with a quiet sigh, pulling out my phone in the process.

"Right." He said.

Before I could even unlock the screen, he plucked it from my hands with swift, casual confidence. I blinked, momentarily caught off guard as he began typing away like it was the most natural thing in the world.

A few moments later, he handed it back, a self-satisfied glint in his eyes.

I glanced down at the screen. Not only had he saved his number, but he'd also sent himself a message.

"I totally love you already♥️✨."

He sent it from my phone. I stared at it for a second, and deleted the message but I accidently deleted his number too when I got flustered.

He flashed a grin, and gave me a wink, "Just manifesting the future." Heat crawled up my neck to my face and reached till my ears. He saw how red my face had become but didn't comment on it, thank god. I wouldn't know how to react to it if he said something, so I just kept my mouth shut and stared at my feet like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

We stood in silence for a few seconds after that. It wasn't uncomfortable exactly, just quiet. His teasing had simmered down, and for the first time, he wasn't trying to get me to snap at him.

"I didn't think you'd actually take this seriously," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"This whole mentorship thing." He looked at me, more curious than cocky now. "Most people would've just gone through the motions."

"I don't do things halfway."

"Yeah," he said, after a beat. "I figured."

His tone was softer this time, like maybe he was starting to believe it.

Before I could reply, we heard the sound of footsteps and Bianca's unmistakable voice carrying down the hall.

"Brace yourself," I murmured.

He grinned. "For what?"

"She has a flair for dramatic entrances."

And right on cue, Bianca appeared around the corner, chatting animatedly with Meera, who was trailing beside her like a shadow, eyes wide but a small smile playing on her lips.

"...and then he just stood there like a statue! I swear, if you blinked, you'd miss the fact that he was breathing," Bianca was saying, arms waving for emphasis.

"Bianca," I said, a mix of relief and warning in my tone.

She grinned when she saw me. "Hey, I didn't traumatize her, if that's what you're worried about. Meera survived. Didn't you, Meera?"

Meera gave the tiniest nod, glancing between us and Cole with clear curiosity.

"Looks like everyone's still breathing," Bianca added with a mock sigh of disappointment. "I expected more chaos from you two."

"She's been very professional," Cole chimed in from beside me. "I, on the other hand, might've stolen her phone and declared she's in love with me."

Bianca's eyes sparkled. "Already? Wow, Alyssa, you move fast."

I shot her a look, one that begged her not to add fuel to the fire, but of course, that only made her smirk wider. Cole stood there looking far too pleased with himself, as if he'd won some invisible battle only he knew the rules to.

And I, I was trying really hard not to let it show that I was flustered. The teasing, the closeness, the way he always looked at me like he saw through every layer, I didn't know how to handle any of it. So I did what I always did: took a breath, straightened my back, and reminded myself that I was here to mentor him, not be thrown off by him.

Soon enough, the final bell rang through the corridor, signaling the end of the day. Bianca had already begun saying her dramatic goodbyes to Meera, and students were trickling out of classrooms around us. I turned to Cole, shifting the strap of my bag over my shoulder.

"I suppose that's it for today," I said, already mentally planning how I'd summarize all of this in my planner later tonight. "Text me first. So I have your number saved properly."

He raised an eyebrow, that bright grin back on his face. "You don't trust the message I sent to myself?"

" Your number got deleted by mistake so text me properly and I'd just rather not have that message be the first thing I see under your name."

He chuckled lowly, his voice teasing as he stepped back. "Fair enough, tutor. You'll get a very professional message, full sentences and everything."

I didn't reply, only gave a nod before turning to walk alongside Bianca. But I could feel his eyes on me even as we stepped away. And for some reason, that stayed with me longer than it should have.

As soon as we were a few steps out of the school gate, Bianca nudged my shoulder with a knowing smirk plastered on her face.

"So..." she drawled, dragging out the word like she was holding back a laugh. "You and Mr. Tall, Broody, and Smirky looked like you were having quite the moment back there."

I shot her a sideways glance. "It wasn't a moment. We were just... exchanging numbers."

Bianca gasped, mock-offended. "Already on a contact-info basis? Alyssa, you move fast."

I rolled my eyes, though the heat creeping up my neck betrayed me. "Bianca, it's part of the mentorship program. We're supposed to be in touch."

"Right, right," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Totally professional. That's why he grabbed your phone like it was second nature and gave himself a whole introduction text."

I opened my mouth, but.....yeah, I really didn't have a counter for that.

Bianca grinned wider. "Don't worry, I'm not judging. I just never thought I'd see you, Alyssa 'I-only-speak-in-bullet-points' Brooke, getting bantered into blushing."

"I wasn't blushing."

"You were absolutely blushing."

I gave a tiny huff, but couldn't help smiling a little. It was Bianca, after all.

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Back at my apartment, the quiet was a welcome contrast. After having a light dinner, I settled at my desk, pulling my planner closer and clicking my pen open. I hadn't even written "Day One" when my phone buzzed next to me.

Cole.

I blinked at the screen, a mix of curiosity and wariness tugging at me, especially when I saw the message.

Cole: "Miss me yet?"

I stared at the screen, lips parting slightly. Miss him?

Before I could even begin crafting a reply, another one came through.

Cole: "I bet you're writing about me in that cute little planner." "Cole--annoying, but devastatingly handsome."

My face flushed. He wasn't even here and he still managed to get under my skin. I clenched my jaw lightly, typing back with sharp fingers.

Me: "More like: Cole--potential headache. Proceed with caution."

Three dots appeared instantly.

Cole: "You wound me, Alyssa. And here I was, thinking we had a connection."

Cole: "Also, just so you know, your annoyed face is kind of adorable. Made my whole day."

My breath hitched. I threw my face down on the table and rubbed at my temples.

Why was he like this?

I exhaled sharply, tossing the phone aside, not hard enough to break it, but with enough irritation to prove a point. I turned back to my planner, pen poised above the paper, but the words wouldn't come.

His stupid messages were still echoing in my head.

And I hated that they were.

I stared at the screen again, my brows drawing together. Typical. Of course he'd send something like that, casual, cocky, just toeing the line between annoying and inappropriate.

I set the phone down a little harder than necessary and ran a hand through my hair, irritation flickering beneath my calm.

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