Eli never liked being the center of attention.

In fact, he had spent most of his life trying to blend into the background, avoiding unnecessary interactions. But as he stepped into his new classroom, he could already feel the weight of curious stares pressing down on him.

He clutched the strap of his backpack tighter, keeping his gaze low as the teacher gestured for him to introduce himself.

“My name is Eli Hayes…” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I just transferred here.”

A wave of whispers followed his introduction.

“He’s so pretty…”

“Look at his eyes—hazel, right?”

“I hope he sits next to me!”

Eli’s shoulders tensed. He hated this kind of attention. Flustered, he quickly turned to the teacher. “Can I sit in the back?” he asked hurriedly.

The teacher, seemingly unfazed, nodded. “Go ahead.”

Relieved, Eli quickly made his way to the last row, trying to ignore the excited glances from his new classmates. He pulled out his chair, exhaling softly—

Only to realize someone was already there.

A boy, tall and broad-shouldered, was sprawled across the desk, his head resting on his arms. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his breathing steady. He was asleep.

Eli hesitated, unsure whether to wake him or not. But before he could decide, the boy suddenly stirred, lifting his head lazily.

Piercing blue eyes locked onto Eli’s.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Eli swallowed nervously and forced an awkward smile. “Uh… hi.”

The guy simply stared at him blankly, as if debating whether acknowledging him was even worth the effort. The silence stretched, making Eli shift uncomfortably.

Then, without a word, the guy turned his head back and closed his eyes again.

Eli blinked. Well… okay then.

He slowly took his seat, trying to focus on class. But no matter how hard he tried, he could still feel that presence beside him—unbothered, unreadable, and oddly captivating.

And that was his first encounter with Jaxon Reed—the school’s most notorious heartthrob.

---

Lunchtime rolled around, and Eli barely had time to escape when a new presence slid into the seat across from him.

“Well, well,” a deep, amused voice drawled. “You’re the new kid, huh?”

Eli glanced up—and immediately regretted it.

The guy in front of him exuded danger. He had sharp features, an undercut, and multiple piercings decorating his ears and brow. His uniform was worn with zero regard for the rules, the tie loose and the sleeves rolled up.

“Zane Carter,” the guy introduced himself smoothly, resting his chin on his hand. “Jaxon’s best friend.”

Eli’s stomach sank. Great. Another one.

Zane smirked at his expression. “You look nervous. Don’t worry, I don’t bite… much.”

Before Eli could think of a response, someone else suddenly dropped a notebook onto the table beside them.

“Teacher told me to give you this,” the new arrival said flatly, not even sparing Zane a glance.

Eli blinked up at him. The boy was neat and polished, with thick glasses and an air of quiet intelligence. He looked like the kind of student teachers adored—studious, reliable, and disciplined.

“Noah Sinclair,” he said curtly, adjusting his glasses.

Eli nodded hesitantly. “Thanks…”

But then, Noah finally turned to Zane, his expression unimpressed. “Shouldn’t you be bothering someone else?”

Zane chuckled. “Shouldn’t you be pretending to be a good person?”

Noah smirked slightly. “At least I don’t waste my time picking up lost puppies.”

Eli blinked between them. What… is happening?

Zane rolled his eyes and leaned back. “Relax, I’m just getting to know our new little classmate here.” He turned his sharp gaze back to Eli, who tensed. “You sure picked an interesting seat, newbie. Sitting with Jaxon? Bold move.”

Eli had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but judging by the way Zane was watching him like he was a puzzle to be solved, he had a feeling his life at this school was about to become very complicated.

The classroom felt too loud, too bright, and too suffocating. Eli Carter stood at the front, fidgeting with the sleeves of his sweater as the teacher introduced him.

“This is Eli Hayes, our new transfer student. I hope you all make him feel welcome.”

A ripple of whispers swept through the room. Eli felt them more than heard them. The way the girls leaned toward each other, their eyes flickering over him like he was something to be analyzed.

"He’s so pretty!"

"Did you see his eyes? Hazel with flecks of gold."

"I hope he sits next to me!"

Eli’s stomach twisted. Attention made his skin crawl. He hated it. He had spent years perfecting the art of being unnoticed, and now, in mere seconds, that effort was undone. With a hesitant step forward, he turned to the teacher and, in the softest voice, requested, “Can I sit in the back?”

The teacher, oblivious to his discomfort, simply nodded. “There’s an empty seat in the last row.”

Eli exhaled in relief and made his way down the aisle. The whispers continued, but he ignored them, clutching the strap of his bag like it was a lifeline. The eyes on him felt suffocating, burning into his back as he moved. When he reached the last row, he let out a small breath, thinking he had escaped.

Then he heard it—a groggy sigh, a rustle of movement.

Eli froze. He wasn’t alone back there.

His eyes darted to the seat beside him. A guy was slumped over, arms crossed, head tilted against the desk like he had been peacefully asleep—until Eli’s arrival disturbed him and then he move facing toward him.

And then, those blue eyes opened.

A sharp, striking blue that reminded Eli of ice on a winter morning. The guy blinked, clearly not pleased about being woken up, his gaze locking onto Eli’s face with unreadable intensity.

Eli swallowed. “Uh… hi?” His voice came out awkward and unsure.

The guy just stared at him blankly. No words, no expression. Just a slow blink before he turned away, as if Eli wasn’t even worth a response.

Eli felt his face heat up in embarrassment. Okay. Cool. That went well.

Deciding it was best to pretend that never happened, he shifted in his seat and focused on the lesson. He needed to blend in, stay invisible. The last thing he wanted was trouble.

But as the bell rang for lunch, and students rushed out of the classroom, Eli couldn’t shake the feeling that the boy with the piercing blue eyes had been watching him just a little too closely.

And for the first time since he arrived, Eli had the unsettling realization that maybe—just maybe—he hadn’t gone unnoticed after all.

Author’s Note:

Hey everyone!

First of all, thank you so much for checking out my story. This is my first time writing, and honestly, I’m both excited and a little nervous to share it.

Since I’m still learning, I’d really appreciate any feedback you have . Feel free to point them out! Your thoughts and suggestions will help me improve.

Thanks again for giving this story a chance. I can’t wait to share more with you!

Eli could still feel the weight of that gaze on him, even as he tried his best to ignore it. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sweater, his mind racing. Why was he staring? Did I do something wrong?

Before he could spiral further, a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Hey, the teacher told me to give you a school tour."

Eli turned, relieved to see a boy with thick glasses standing beside him, his expression neutral but not unfriendly. Without hesitation, Eli grabbed the chance to escape the classroom, mumbling a quick "Thanks," before following the guy out in a hurry.

As they walked through the hallways, the boy introduced himself. "I’m Noah. Second-year. Not much of a tour guide, but I’ll do my best."

Eli nodded, grateful for the distraction. Noah started explaining things—class schedules, the library, where to avoid during free periods—but Eli wasn’t really paying attention. He just let the words wash over him as he focused on calming his nerves. He had barely been here a day, and already, things felt... off.

Then Noah fell silent. The air grew thick with awkwardness.

Eli bit his lip. Say something. Anything.

“…Uh, so… about my deskmate.” He hesitated. “Who is he?”

Noah adjusted his glasses, exhaling as if he had expected this question. “Jaxon Reed,” he said, voice lower than before. “And if you’re smart, you’ll stay away from him.”

Eli blinked. “Why?”

“He’s not the kind of guy you want to be around,” Noah muttered. “He doesn’t care about rules, does whatever he wants, and people who get too close to him… well, let’s just say it never ends well.” He gave Eli a meaningful look. “Avoid him as much as possible.”

Eli swallowed. Great. Just my luck to be stuck with someone like that.

As they continued walking, Noah’s voice dropped even further. “Look, I don’t know why he was staring at you earlier, but if I were you, I wouldn’t think too much about it. Jaxon doesn’t just stare at people for no reason. If he’s interested in you, that’s probably not a good thing.”

Eli felt a chill crawl up his spine. Interested in me? That sounded way worse than just casual curiosity.

By the time they reached the cafeteria, Eli felt lighter. The crowd of students, the sound of chatter—it was comforting in a way. Normal. He grabbed his tray of food and sat across from Noah, finally allowing himself to relax.

But then—a hand landed on his shoulder. Firm. Unignorable.

Eli stiffened.

“Don’t you think deskmates should have lunch together?”

That voice—low, smooth, and dangerously amused—sent a shiver down his spine.

Eli turned slowly, meeting those same piercing blue eyes from earlier. Jaxon Reed stood behind him, one hand resting on his shoulder, the other stuffed casually into his pocket. His posture was relaxed, but there was something in his gaze—something unreadable, almost calculating.

But what made Eli's stomach churn was the look Jaxon gave Noah—a sharp, warning glare that sent an unspoken message.

Noah tensed beside him. His fingers gripped his fork a little tighter, his expression carefully blank.

A slow smirk curled at the corner of Jaxon’s lips. “What’s wrong? You’re not avoiding me already, are you?”

Eli swallowed hard. He suddenly had the feeling that staying away from Jaxon Reed wasn’t going to be as easy as Noah had .