Mira did not want to think about the garden meeting.
So she didn't.
She absolutely, definitely, completely did not think about:
• the way Adrian looked at her,
• the way he stepped closer,
• or the way he said I can't when she told him to leave her alone.
She thought about none of these things.
Which is why Leo found her aggressively scrubbing her desk in class like she was trying to erase her feelings.
Leo leaned over. "So, how's denial going for you?"
Mira glared. "I'm not in denial."
"You're wiping that desk like it insulted your ancestors."
She dropped the cloth. "It was dusty."
"It's sparkling."
"Then I've achieved my goal."
Before Leo could tease her more, the room quieted abruptly.
Students straightened their backs. Some fixed their collars. A few girls touched up their lip gloss. One boy actually tried to hide behind his textbook.
That only happened when one person entered the room.
Prince Adrian.
Mira braced herself.
He walked in with his usual perfect posture, expression calm and unreadable. His uniform looked like it had been ironed by angels. His hair was insultingly perfect.
He passed rows of students without a glance.
Until he reached Mira's desk.
His steps slowed.
Just slightly.
Almost unnoticeable.
Almost.
He didn't look at her.
He didn't speak.
But Mira felt his attention like a beam of royal scrutiny aimed at her forehead.
He took his seat.
The class exhaled collectively, like they had all been holding their breath.
Leo whispered, "Okay. What was that?"
"Nothing," Mira muttered.
"That was a vibe."
"Don't say vibe."
"A PRINCE VIBE, "
Mira elbowed him before the teacher arrived.
The lecture started, but Mira noticed something strange. Adrian… wasn't acting like his usual cold self.
He wasn't glaring.
He wasn't correcting students.
He wasn't sending death threats with his eyes.
Instead, every few minutes, Mira caught him,
Glancing back at her.
Fast. Subtle. Like he was checking if she was still there.
She narrowed her eyes at him the third time she caught him doing it.
His gaze snapped forward like he'd been caught stealing.
Leo mouthed, He totally likes you.
She mouthed back, He does NOT.
Leo wrote HE DOES in giant letters in his notebook and tilted it her way.
She tore the page out of his notebook.
Adrian turned again, saw her ripping paper, and quickly looked away like he wasn't watching her at all.
It was ridiculous.
Annoying.
Confusing.
And weirdly… flattering?
No.
Absolutely not.
Bad Mira.
Stop.
When class ended, Mira shot up from her seat.
But Adrian was faster.
He stood abruptly, blocking her path.
Not close enough to be intimidating.
But close enough that she felt cornered.
"Miss Lawson," he said evenly. "A moment."
"No," she answered instantly. "I'm busy."
"You didn't even ask what I wanted."
"I don't want it."
He inhaled. "You can't keep avoiding me."
"I can and I will."
Leo was openly recording the moment in his brain.
Adrian lowered his voice. "About the garden, "
"Nope," Mira cut in. "We're not talking about that."
"Miss Lawson, "
"No."
She pointed at him. "Stop being weird."
Adrian blinked. "Weird?"
"Yes. Weird. You're staring at me."
"I am not."
"You are. You've stared more times today than people breathe."
His ears… turned faintly pink.
Pink.
On the Crown Prince.
The future king.
Mira's brain short-circuited for half a second.
Adrian cleared his throat, regaining composure. "I was merely observing."
Leo whispered, "Observing what? Her soul?"
Mira stomped on his foot.
Adrian continued, "We have unfinished business, Miss Lawson."
"We have nothing."
"We do."
"No."
"Yes."
"No, "
"Enough."
His voice dropped lower than she had ever heard it.
Not angry.
Not cold.
Firm.
Serious.
Borderline… emotional?
"I said," Adrian repeated softly, "we have unfinished business."
Mira froze.
He wasn't ordering her.
He wasn't threatening her.
He was… asking.
Genuinely.
Before she could respond, a soft voice called from behind them,
"Your Highness."
Seraphina.
Elegant. Perfect. Smiling with the grace of someone who might stab her rival with a jeweled hairpin.
"Pardon the interruption," Seraphina said sweetly, "but you're needed for the council briefing."
Adrian stepped back immediately, expression snapping to cold neutrality.
"Understood," he said.
Seraphina's gaze slid to Mira.
Unfriendly.
Calm.
Confident.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said, the fakest smile on earth.
"You are," Mira said.
Seraphina's smile tightened.
Adrian hesitated for a second before turning away.
"We'll speak later," he said to Mira.
"No, we won't," she called after him.
He didn't respond.
But she saw his shoulders tense as he walked off.
Leo whispered, "He heard that."
Mira groaned. "I don't care."
Leo grinned. "You absolutely care."
She shoved him again.
But her heart,
Annoyingly, traitorously,
Wouldn't settle.
Especially when Seraphina glanced back at Mira with an expression that said:
This is far from over.
And Mira knew,
She was right.