The moment Nathan held Annabel's hand in the hallway, the entire school seemed to freeze.
Whispers followed them as they walked.
Annabel's heart was pounding so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.
Nathan didn't let go.
Not until they reached the quiet staircase at the end of the building.
Then he finally released her hand.
"Sorry," he said gently.
Annabel stared at him.
"For what?"
"For dragging you away like that."
She shook her head quickly.
"You don't need to apologize."
There was a short silence between them.
Annabel's cheeks were still warm.
When Nathan had held her hand, something inside her had felt safe… and terrifying at the same time.
"I probably made things worse," Nathan admitted.
"For me?"
"For you."
Annabel hesitated.
"You also stopped Clarke."
Nathan leaned against the railing.
"Clarke likes being in control. When she loses that, she gets mean."
"She already is mean," Annabel muttered.
That made Adrian laugh softly.
For a moment, the tension faded.
Then the bell rang loudly in the hallway.
"Guess we should go to class," Nathan said.
Annabel nodded.
But neither of them moved right away.
Something unspoken lingered in the air.
Finally Nathan smiled slightly.
"See you after school?"
Annabel blinked.
"You want to?"
"Of course."
Her heart fluttered.
Okay.
– The School Project
The classroom buzzed with noise as students talked and laughed while the bell for third period rang. Annabel Walker sat quietly near the window, her notebook open in front of her even though she wasn't writing anything.
She rarely spoke in class unless a teacher called on her. Years of teasing had taught her that staying quiet was safer.
Mrs. George walked into the room carrying a stack of papers.
"Alright everyone," she announced, placing the papers on her desk. "Today we're starting a new literature project. You'll be working in pairs."
The room immediately filled with excited whispers.
Annabel's stomach tightened.
Group projects were never easy for her. Most students avoided being paired with her, and the few times she had partners, they usually did the work without including her.
Mrs. George began reading the list.
"David and Jasper… Octavia and Ashley..."
Annabel stared down at her desk, hoping her name would come quickly so the moment would be over.
"Clarke and Murphy…"
Clarke Givenchy flipped her long blonde hair confidently and smiled at Murphy, who looked thrilled.
Then Mrs. George continued.
"Nathan Cole… and Annabel Walker."
The classroom suddenly became very quiet.
Annabel blinked, certain she had heard wrong.
Nathan Cole?
Her heart skipped.
Across the room, several students turned to look at her with surprise.
Nathan was the most admired boy in school. He was intelligent, athletic, and popular with almost everyone. Teachers praised him constantly, and students respected him.
Why would he be paired with her?
Clarke's smile disappeared instantly.
She stared at Annabel with obvious irritation.
Meanwhile, Nathan simply picked up his notebook and walked across the room toward Lena's desk.
Her heart began racing.
He stopped beside her and gave a small smile.
"Hey," he said.
Annabel looked up nervously.
"H-hi."
He pulled the empty chair next to her desk and sat down like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Mrs. George continued explaining the project.
"You and your partner will analyze a classic novel and present your interpretation to the class in two weeks. I expect creativity and effort."
But Annabel barely heard the instructions.
Nathan Cole was sitting beside her.
She had spoken to him only a few times before, mostly in the library where they sometimes studied at the same table.
But being partners was different.
Much more personal.
Nathan leaned slightly toward her.
"So… looks like we're a team," he said casually.
Annabel nodded.
"I guess so."
He glanced at the paper Mrs. George had handed out.
"We get to choose the book," he said. "Do you have any ideas?"
Annabel hesitated.
She loved books. Stories were the one place she felt safe.
But speaking about them in front of others always made her nervous.
Nathan noticed her hesitation.
"You don't have to rush," he added kindly. "We can figure it out together."
His tone was calm and patient.
Not mocking.
Not impatient.
Just normal.
It surprised her.
After a moment she quietly said, "I like Pride and Prejudice."
Nathan's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Jane Austen?"
Annabel nodded quickly.
"It's… a good story about people misunderstanding each other."
Nathan thought about that for a moment.
"Actually," he said with a smile, "that sounds interesting."
Annabel blinked in surprise.
"You… want to do that one?"
"Sure."
He leaned back in his chair.
"I trust your judgment."
No one had ever said that to her before.
The rest of the class period passed quickly as they discussed ideas for their project.
To Annabel's surprise, Nathan actually listened to everything she said.
He asked questions.
He laughed at some of her observations about the characters.
For the first time during a group project, Annabel felt like her opinion mattered.
When the bell rang, students began packing their bags.
Clarke walked past their desk on her way out.
She glanced at Nathan, then at Annabel, her expression cold.
"Good luck with that project," she said sarcastically.
Then she walked away.
Annabel felt the familiar sting of embarrassment.
But Nathan didn't react to Clarke at all.
Instead he turned back to Annabel.
"Want to meet in the library after school tomorrow?" he asked.
"To work on the project?"
Annabel nodded.
"Okay."
He smiled.
"Great."
Then he picked up his bag and stood.
"See you tomorrow, Anna."
As he walked out of the classroom, Annabel sat there for a moment, stunned.
For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel invisible.
And somewhere in the hallway outside, Clarke Givenchy watched Nathan leave the classroom with a growing anger in her chest.
Because Nathan Cole—the boy everyone admired—was choosing to spend time with
the invisible girl.
And Clarke wasn't going to let that happen without a fight.