**Encounter**

The evening sky bled into soft hues of lavender and gold as Maya Evans stood on the rooftop, her gaze lost in the distant skyline. The city, bathed in the quiet aftermath of a summer thunderstorm, felt almost surreal. From here, on the building's rooftop shaped like a slide, the noise of the world below seemed muted, the air cooler. She could hear her own breathing and the whisper of the wind rustling the pages of her sketchbook. 

This was her sanctuary—a place where the clutter of everyday life could not reach her. Maya wasn't interested in being a part of the world of glitzy social gatherings, trendy events, or the drama that her classmates thrived on. She preferred solitude, a quiet world where she could think, reflect, and create. Architecture and design were her escape—her dream. 

As she sat cross-legged on the edge of the rooftop, her sketchbook sprawled open in front of her, the pencil in her hand moved steadily across the page, capturing the curves of a building she had imagined.

"Mind if I join you?" 

Maya froze, her fingers stilling on the paper as she looked up. 

Aiden Cross stood a few feet away, his hands casually stuffed in the pockets of his jacket, a soft smile playing on his lips. He had the effortless air of someone who was always in control, but there was something about him—something magnetic—that seemed to draw people in without him even trying. 

He wasn’t just another student in her design class. Aiden was... well, everyone knew who he was. Charismatic. Handsome. Smart. People gravitated toward him without him lifting a finger. But there was something different about the way he was looking at her, something that made her heart skip a beat despite herself. 

"Sure," Maya replied, trying to sound casual as she tucked her sketchbook into her bag. The words felt forced, even to her own ears. 

Aiden approached, sitting down beside her on the edge of the rooftop. He didn't speak at first, just let the silence linger between them. Maya tried to ignore the way her pulse quickened in his presence. 

"I always find this place peaceful," Aiden finally spoke, his voice breaking the silence. "No one really comes up here." 

Maya glanced at him, surprised. "You’ve been up here before?" 

He nodded. "A couple of times. It’s the only place I can think straight." 

There was a pause, and for a moment, Maya almost felt like she could relax. Almost. 

"You’re different," Aiden said after a while, turning his head slightly to look at her. "You don’t seem like the others." 

Maya shifted uncomfortably at his observation. "How do you mean?" 

Aiden shrugged. "Everyone else at school is either trying to get noticed or out for something. But you? You just... exist. Like you’re not part of all that noise." 

Maya wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. She didn’t respond, unsure of how to. Instead, she let the wind carry the words away, letting the quiet settle between them again. 

Aiden broke the silence, his voice playful. "You know, I think we could make a pretty good team. You’ve got some serious design skills." 

Maya raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were already the school’s golden boy." 

Aiden laughed softly. "I wouldn’t say golden boy. But I could definitely use someone like you on my team." 

Her heartbeat picked up at the thought, but she tried to push it away. She couldn’t afford to get distracted—not now, not with her final project coming up. 

Before Maya could respond, a figure appeared at the top of the stairs that led to the rooftop. 

Dante. 

She didn’t have to turn around to know it was him. He had a certain way of moving—quiet, almost invisible. The shy, reserved guy who rarely spoke unless it was about design. Dante was different from the others, too, in his own way. But unlike Aiden, he didn’t have the power to draw attention to himself. He was content to sit in the back, to go unnoticed. 

Dante seemed to hesitate when he saw Aiden, his eyes flickering uncomfortably between Maya and the other boy. 

"Uh... I, uh, brought these up for you, Maya," Dante said, holding out a folder. His voice was soft, barely audible, and his fingers gripped the folder tightly as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. 

"Thanks, Dante," Maya said, taking the folder from him with a smile. She couldn’t help but notice the faint blush creeping up his neck. Dante was one of the few people she had never quite figured out—shy, introverted, yet always observant. 

Aiden’s gaze flickered to Dante, his expression unreadable. Dante avoided looking directly at him. 

"Well, I should go," Dante muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He quickly turned, retreating back down the stairs. 

Maya watched him go, something tugging at her chest. Dante was different from Aiden in more ways than one. There was something about him—something hidden—that always intrigued her. But it was clear he wasn’t comfortable around Aiden. 

"I didn’t think you’d make friends with someone like him," Aiden said quietly after Dante had disappeared from view. 

Maya looked at him sharply. "Why? Because he’s not like you?" 

Aiden shrugged, unbothered. "I didn’t mean anything by it. He’s just... different. Seems like he has a lot on his mind." 

Maya didn’t respond, feeling a strange discomfort at Aiden’s casual dismissal of Dante. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something about the way Aiden spoke of Dante didn’t sit right with her.