Lost in your Fire.

Chasing Fire.

Chapter Three: Chasing Fire

(Adrian’s POV)

The thing about sparks is that if you ignore them, they fade. But if you feed them, even just a little, they can turn into something you can’t control.

That was Maya for me.

Ever since our not so friendly run in by the fountain, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. The way she looked at me sharp, guarded, like she’d already figured me out and decided she wanted no part of it should’ve stung my ego. But instead, it stuck in my mind like a challenge I didn’t know how to walk away from.

So, I didn’t.

The next day, I made sure to cut through the library after class instead of heading straight to practice. And sure enough, there she was at a corner table, headphones in, a stack of books practically swallowing her whole.

I grabbed the nearest book off a shelf it was something about medieval trade routes, definitely not my scene and slid into the chair across from her.

Her eyes flicked up, widened when she saw me, then narrowed.

“You again?” she said, tugging her headphones out.

“Me again,” I said smoothly, flipping the book open like I actually cared about European grain markets in the 1400s. “I needed some… scholarly inspiration. Figured you’re the perfect person to sit next to if I want to soak up some academic energy.”

She gave me a look that could peel paint. “This is a library. Not a social club.”

I leaned back, resting my arms over the chair. “Why can’t it be both?”

Her sigh was the kind of sigh that said she regretted every life choice that had led to this moment. She shoved her headphones back in and dropped her gaze to her notes, effectively shutting me out.

I let her. For a little while.

But the thing was, I didn’t need her to talk to me yet. Just being near her, watching her focus so intensely on something, felt like a win. She wasn’t looking at me like the other girls did no giggles, no batting lashes. She was just… herself. And it made me want to see more.

Two days later, I “accidentally” showed up at the diner where she worked nights.

I’d heard a couple of teammates mention grabbing burgers there after a late game, so I figured, why not? And okay, maybe I timed it perfectly so I’d arrive during her shift.

Maya was weaving between tables with a tray balanced on one hand like it was nothing, her apron tied loosely around her waist. Her hair was falling out of its ponytail, strands framing her face in a way that made my chest tighten. She looked exhausted. But she still moved with this quiet determination that caught me off guard.

I slid into a booth by the window. When she noticed me, her whole body stiffened.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered, heading my way.

“What?” I asked innocently when she stopped at my table. “Can’t a guy crave a greasy burger and fries at midnight?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Out of all the diners in this city, you pick this one?”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “What can I say? I go where the fireflies are.”

Her lips pressed into a line. “You really need to drop that.”

“Not happening.”

She sighed, scribbled on her notepad. “Fine. What do you want?”

“You.”

The word slipped out before I could stop it. Her head snapped up, eyes wide, cheeks flushing just slightly. I quickly covered with a grin. “I mean you know, your recommendation. What’s good here?”

She gave me a look that said she knew exactly what I’d done but wasn’t going to dignify it with a response. “The cheeseburger. Fries. Milkshake. Classic.”

“Perfect. I’ll take all three. And sit with me when you’re not too busy.”

“I don’t sit with customers.”

“Then make an exception.”

She walked off without answering, but I caught the tiniest shake of her head, like she was amused despite herself.

When she came back with my food, she lingered just a second too long, her fingers brushing mine as she set down the plate. My pulse jumped. Maybe it was an accident. Or maybe not.

I didn’t push. Not yet.

It went like that for a week. Little “coincidences.”

I’d pass by the coffee shop near campus in the mornings, just in time to see her behind the counter, fighting the ancient espresso machine. I’d show up to study in the library, always managing to find the table closest to hers. Sometimes she ignored me completely. Sometimes she threw a sarcastic remark my way. But every time, I felt the spark burn a little brighter.

The guys on my team started noticing. “Man, you’ve gone soft,” one of them joked after practice. “Always wandering off instead of hitting the parties. Who’s the girl?”

I just smirked. Let them guess. They wouldn’t understand anyway. Maya wasn’t like anyone else.

And that was the whole point.

One night, after a late diner shift, I caught her on her walk home. She jumped when I fell into step beside her.

“Relax,” I said quickly, hands raised. “It’s just me.”

She exhaled, shaking her head. “Adrian, do you follow me everywhere?”

“Not everywhere. Just the interesting places.”

She gave me a look. “You think this is fun for me? Having you show up out of nowhere all the time?”

I hesitated, suddenly unsure. “Do you want me to stop?”

She opened her mouth… then closed it. For a moment, something unguarded flickered in her eyes. Loneliness, maybe. Vulnerability.

“I just don’t get it,” she said finally, voice softer. “Why me? You could have anyone.”

I stopped walking, forcing her to stop too. The streetlight overhead bathed her in a pale glow, her shadow stretching long across the cracked pavement.

“Because,” I said simply, “you’re the only one I can’t stop thinking about.”

Her breath hitched. For once, she didn’t have a quick comeback. She just stared at me, eyes wide, lips parted slightly like I’d knocked the air out of her.

Then she shook her head, breaking whatever was between us. “You should go home, Adrian.”

She turned and walked faster, leaving me in the glow of the streetlight. But I didn’t feel rejected this time.

Because I’d seen it the spark.

And I knew I wasn’t imagining it anymore.