THE SPACE BETWEEN US

CHAPTER 1 The Boy Who Wouldn’t Stop Teasing The fan above the crowded lecture hall spun lazily, offering little mercy from the heat. The projector hummed, half the class whispered, and the lecturer’s voice echoed in the background like the sound of rain on a tin roof—steady, but barely heard. Tessa wasn’t even pretending to pay attention anymore. Her pen tapped rhythmically against her notebook as she tried to stay awake. That was, until a folded piece of paper landed on her desk. She blinked, looking around. And of course—there he was. Louis. He sat two rows behind her, that sly smile on his face like he already knew she’d open the note. Against her better judgment, she did. > You look like someone regretting all her life choices right now. 😏 She turned immediately, giving him her fiercest glare. He just leaned back in his seat, mouthing silently, “Prove me wrong.” The audacity. Tessa picked up her pen, scribbled back quickly, and tossed it in his direction. > At least I have life choices. You’re just disturbing peace. Louis unfolded the paper, smirked, and scribbled something that made Adrian—his ever-loyal partner-in-crime—burst into laughter loud enough to earn a glare from the lecturer. Tessa felt her phone buzz under the desk. A w******p message from an unknown number popped up: > Louis😎: So you’re funny now? She almost hissed aloud. He got my number?! She typed furiously: > Who gave you my number? Seconds later, the reply came: > Classified information. 😌 > Also, your angry face is cute. She froze. Then slowly turned again—he was watching her, pretending to pay attention to the lecture, biting the inside of his cheek to hide his grin. And she hated that she smiled. Just a little. The lecturer finally dismissed the class, and the moment students began packing their bags, Louis appeared beside her like he’d been waiting for that exact second. “Hey, Tessa,” he said casually, as if they hadn’t been silently fighting a cold war all through class. “Louis, I’m not in the mood.” He grinned. “You’re never in the mood, yet somehow I’m still your favorite person.” Tessa gasped dramatically. “In what world?” “This one,” he said smoothly, stepping backward as she advanced toward the door. “You always respond. You never ignore me. You even argue in style. Don’t deny it—you like the attention.” Adrian, standing by the door, couldn’t hold back his laugh. “Tessa, just accept it. The man’s got confidence!” “Confidence or confusion?” she shot back, glaring at both of them. Louis clutched his chest in mock pain. “Ouch. My feelings.” “Oh please, those don’t exist.” He laughed, that deep, warm sound that made heads turn. Then he leaned closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “You’ll miss me when I stop teasing you.” Tessa blinked, caught off guard. “Who says you won’t stop annoying me first?” “Guess we’ll find out.” For a moment, they just looked at each other—banter fading into something heavier, quieter. Then Adrian’s voice broke through, clapping Louis on the shoulder. “Bro, if you don’t follow me to submit our report right now, you’ll miss the deadline.” Louis straightened, that easy grin returning. “Duty calls,” he said, backing away slowly. “Don’t miss me too much, Tessa.” She rolled her eyes. “In your dreams.” “Exactly,” he said with a wink, and before she could think of a comeback, he was gone. Tessa exhaled, realizing her heart was beating faster than it should. She told herself it was irritation. Definitely irritation. But as she packed her books, she found herself smiling—just a little. Louis was trouble, she knew that. But maybe… the kind she wouldn’t mind a little more of.