The canteen buzzed with chatter, the smell of samosas and instant coffee hanging in the air. Elena stood quietly in line, eyes scanning the menu. She hated crowds—too loud, too many stares.
Just as she reached the counter, a boy cut in front of her.
"Excuse me," she said, frowning.
He turned around, a lazy smile on his face. "Relax, topper. I'm just grabbing a coffee, not your rank."
Elena blinked. "You should wait like everyone else."
"Too many rules already. Coffee's the only thing keeping me awake these days," he said, rubbing his eyes dramatically.
She noticed the guitar pick hanging from his neck, the headphones tucked into his shirt collar.
"You're Joel, right?" she said flatly. "The one who thinks exams are optional?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Fame travels fast. And you must be Elena—the one everyone's suddenly worshipping."
"Only in your imagination," she said coolly, stepping aside.
Joel watched her walk away, her head high, expression unreadable.
He smirked. "Definitely not average."