"The lecture hall smelled faintly of dust and coffee… old wood, worn seats. Nina lingered in the doorway longer than necessary, fingers still curled around the strap of her bag as if she might turn around and leave.
She had promised herself she’d try, at least once. That she would sit through an entire lecture, listen, take notes. Should be easy, right?
The room was already half full. People clustered in familiar patterns, leaning into conversations that seemed to have begun long before today. Nina chose a seat without thinking, somewhere in the middle rows. She slid into the chair, set her bag down, and let her gaze drift over the sea of heads, the soft murmur of voices blending into something almost hypnotic. The professor hadn’t arrived yet.
And then, without quite meaning to, she looked to her right.
I've never seen this dude.
Nina blinked, her gaze lingering a second too long. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about him.
Then, almost immediately, back again.
He hadn’t noticed her. Or if he had, he gave no sign. His attention remained fixed on the empty board, brow faintly furrowed. It felt strangely intimate, observing someone who didn’t know they were being observed.
Stop, you're being weird …
This was ridiculous. She didn’t even want to be here. And yet, she didn’t look away.
She shifted in her seat, straightened slightly, and finally opened her notebook. The professor entered. The room quieted. And still, somewhere at the edge of her awareness, he remained."
