AFTER HOURS
1499 Words
By Monday morning, Sienna had almost forgotten about the bet.
Almost.
She was halfway through her breakfast when her phone buzzed.
LUCA:
Don't forget Friday.
Sienna stared at the message.
She typed back.
SIENNA:
I haven't forgotten.
LUCA:
Good.
SIENNA:
You seem very confident for someone who lost.
LUCA:
Lucky shot.
Sienna smiled.
SIENNA:
Keep telling yourself that.
She put her phone down.
Maya, sitting across from her, had been watching the entire exchange.
“Was that him?”
“No.”
“You're a terrible liar.”
Sienna sighed.
“It's Luca.”
“What did he want?”
“He's reminding me about the rematch.”
Maya grinned.
“You two are already texting outside the project.”
“It's about the bet.”
“Of course.”
Sienna ignored her and continued eating.
The rest of the morning passed quickly.
By noon, she was sitting in her journalism class, taking notes while Professor Daniels explained the importance of building relationships with sources.
“Good journalists don't simply collect information,” Professor Daniels said. “They learn how to understand people.”
Sienna wrote the sentence down.
She wasn't sure why it stayed in her mind long after class ended.
Maybe because she had been thinking about Luca lately.
Not in the way Maya thought.
She wasn't attracted to him.
At least, she didn't think she was.
She was simply curious.
There was clearly more to him than the confident hockey player everyone seemed to know.
And curiosity wasn't the same thing as feelings.
Right?
Her phone buzzed.
LUCA:
Community project meeting moved to tonight.
Sienna frowned.
SIENNA:
Tonight?
LUCA:
Seven.
SIENNA:
Why?
LUCA:
The athletics coordinator wants our revised proposal tomorrow morning.
Sienna sighed.
SIENNA:
Fine.
LUCA:
I'll meet you outside the library.
She stared at the message.
Seven p.m.
That was late.
But if they wanted the project to succeed, she couldn't complain.
SIENNA:
Okay.
---
At 6:55 p.m., Sienna stood outside the library with her laptop tucked under her arm.
The campus was quieter than usual.
Most students had already gone back to their dorms or were heading toward the dining hall.
She checked the time.
6:58.
Then she saw Luca walking toward her.
He wore a navy hoodie, athletic pants and a backpack.
“You're early,” he said.
“You're late.”
He checked his phone.
“It's 6:59.”
“Exactly.”
He laughed.
“Come on.”
They went inside.
The library was nearly empty.
They found a table near the back and opened their laptops.
For the first twenty minutes, everything was normal.
They reviewed the proposal.
They adjusted the budget.
They discussed sponsors.
Then Sienna noticed Luca staring at the same page without typing anything.
“What?”
He looked up.
“What?”
“You've been staring at that document for five minutes.”
“I have not.”
“You have.”
He leaned back.
“I'm thinking.”
“About?”
He hesitated.
“The team.”
Sienna closed her laptop slightly.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
She waited.
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because you look worried.”
He gave a small smile.
“You notice a lot.”
“It's my job.”
“Journalism?”
“Exactly.”
He looked down at the table.
“Coach is making some changes.”
“Changes?”
“With the lines.”
Sienna understood.
“You're worried about your position?”
“Not exactly.”
“But?”
Luca sighed.
“I'm a freshman. Everyone expects me to prove myself immediately.”
“You're already good.”
He looked at her.
Sienna realized what she'd said.
“I mean... from what I've seen.”
His smile returned.
“Thanks.”
“Don't get used to compliments.”
“Too late.”
She rolled her eyes.
He returned to his laptop.
For a while, they worked in silence.
It was comfortable.
Sienna hadn't expected that.
She was used to having to fill silence whenever she was around someone new.
With Luca, she didn't feel like she had to.
After another hour, they finally finished.
Sienna stretched.
“Done.”
Luca closed his laptop.
“Finally.”
She checked the time.
“It's almost nine.”
“You hungry?”
“A little.”
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Dining hall.”
“It's almost closed.”
“We'll make it.”
They hurried across campus.
The dining hall was nearly empty when they arrived.
Luca grabbed two sandwiches and handed one to her.
Sienna stared at it.
“You bought this?”
“You said you were hungry.”
“I can pay you.”
“No.”
“Luca.”
“It's a sandwich, Hart.”
She smiled.
“Thanks.”
They sat near the window.
For a few minutes, they ate quietly.
Then Luca looked at her.
“Why journalism?”
Sienna paused.
“What?”
“Why did you choose it?”
She thought for a moment.
“Because I like stories.”
“That simple?”
“Not exactly.”
She looked out the window.
“My mom always said I asked too many questions.”
Luca smiled.
“That doesn't surprise me.”
She ignored him.
“I think I just like understanding people. Everyone has a story. Sometimes people just need someone willing to listen.”
Luca was quiet.
“That actually makes sense.”
“What about you?”
“Hockey.”
“I know.”
“That's it.”
“You've been playing since you were four. There has to be more.”
He leaned back.
“I don't know.”
Sienna waited.
He looked down at his hands.
“When I was younger, hockey was the one thing I was good at. Then people started expecting me to keep being good at it.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“Sometimes.”
“Do you still love it?”
He looked at her.
“Yeah.”
The answer came immediately.
That told her enough.
“Then maybe that's what matters.”
Luca smiled.
“Maybe.”
They finished eating.
When they left the dining hall, the campus was almost completely quiet.
Sienna pulled her jacket tighter around herself.
“It's freezing.”
Luca noticed.
“You didn't bring a proper jacket?”
“I thought my jacket was proper.”
He took off his hoodie.
“Here.”
She stared at it.
“No.”
“Why?”
“I'll be fine.”
“You're shivering.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
Before she could argue, he held the hoodie out.
Sienna hesitated.
Then took it.
“Thanks.”
“Don't mention it.”
She slipped it on.
It was warm.
And it smelled faintly like his cologne.
Sienna immediately regretted noticing.
They continued walking.
“You know,” Luca said, “you're different when you're not arguing with me.”
She looked at him.
“How?”
“Quieter.”
“I can be quiet.”
“I noticed.”
She smiled.
“And you're different when you're not trying to annoy me.”
He laughed.
“Maybe I just enjoy annoying you.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Sienna looked at him.
Their eyes met.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Luca looked away.
“We should probably head back.”
“Yeah.”
They continued walking.
---
When they reached the dorm entrance, Sienna stopped.
“Thanks for tonight.”
“No problem.”
She started taking off his hoodie.
“Keep it.”
She looked at him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Bring it Friday.”
“For the rematch?”
“Exactly.”
She smiled.
“You're really not letting that go.”
“Never.”
Sienna laughed.
“Goodnight, Luca.”
“Goodnight, Hart.”
She walked inside.
At the elevator, she looked down at the hoodie in her hands.
She should return it tomorrow.
Instead, she held it a little tighter.
When she reached her room, Maya was sitting on her bed.
She looked up.
Then her eyes landed on the hoodie.
She slowly smiled.
“Whose is that?”
Sienna froze.
“No one's.”
Maya stared at her.
“Sienna.”
“It's just a hoodie.”
“With a Wolves logo?”
“Yes.”
“And it happens to be Luca's size?”
Sienna sighed.
“He gave it to me because I was cold.”
Maya's smile widened.
“Interesting.”
“Don't.”
“I didn't say anything.”
“You're thinking it.”
“I definitely am.”
Sienna dropped the hoodie onto her chair.
“It was just a long project meeting.”
Maya nodded.
“Of course.”
Sienna climbed into bed.
She told herself the same thing.
It was just a project.
Just a hoodie.
Just a long night.
Nothing more.
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