He sat in the college canteen with his friends, stirring his drink absentmindedly. His expression was a mix of shyness and uncertainty.
"You're in love, dude," one of his friends smirked. "You can deny it all you want, but I know it. Just think—a guy who's never talked to a girl without a reason suddenly goes up to one and becomes friends? Yeah, right."
"I'm not in love," he protested, shaking his head. "How could I be? I don't even know her well. It's just… something about her feels… different. Promising."
"Sure," another friend chimed in with a grin, "and that's why you fought that guy over a badge she ended up returning to you. Totally something you'd do for a stranger you 'don't know,' right?"
He went quiet, lips pressed into a thin line. Without another word, he stood up and walked away, leaving the laughter of his friends behind.