Beneath The Crimson Gaze

The morning sun filtered through the cracks of Alishia's curtains, casting golden rays across her room. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying last night's events in her mind. Arthur Virelith—how could she have overlooked him for so long? The version of him outside of school was so unlike the quiet, withdrawn boy in the classroom.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. It was a message from her best friend, Sophie.

Sophie: "Hey, wanna hit the mall later? We need to pick outfits for the dance!"

Alishia stared at the message, hesitating. The school dance was a week away, and until yesterday, she hadn't cared much about it. But now... a fleeting thought crossed her mind. What if Arthur went? She shook her head, scolding herself for thinking so much about him.

Alishia: "Sure. Meet you at 2?"

After sending the message, she glanced over at Max, who lounged lazily on her rug. "Guess we're getting out today, huh, boy?" Max wagged his tail, thumping it against the floor.

By the time Alishia and Sophie arrived at the mall, the usual weekend crowd was already bustling through the corridors. Sophie, ever the fashion enthusiast, was brimming with energy, dragging Alishia from store to store.

"So," Sophie started as they walked out of a boutique, "what's the deal with you? You've been zoning out since we got here."

"Nothing," Alishia said quickly, though her mind betrayed her, flashing to Arthur's crimson eyes and that lazy, confident smile from last night.

Sophie wasn't buying it. "You're thinking about someone," she said, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Spill."

"I'm not!" Alishia protested, though the heat creeping up her cheeks said otherwise.

Before Sophie could press further, Alishia's phone buzzed in her pocket. She fished it out to find an unexpected message.

Arthur: "Thanks for keeping Max in line last night. He's fun to be around."

Alishia stared at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. Sophie, ever nosy, peeked over her shoulder.

"Who's that? Arthur?!" Sophie gasped.

Alishia quickly locked the phone. "It's nothing!"

Sophie smirked. "You and Virelith, huh? I didn't think he even talked to people."

Alishia sighed. "It's not like that. We just bumped into each other last night. He found Max when he ran off."

But Sophie's grin widened. "Well, maybe it should be like that. He's got that whole mysterious bad-boy vibe. And those eyes..."

Alishia shoved her. "Oh, stop it!"

Later that evening, as Alishia sat in her room, she found herself typing a reply to Arthur.

Alishia: "Max likes you, probably more than he likes me."

Arthur's reply came faster than she expected.

Arthur: "Hard to compete with a face like mine."

Alishia chuckled, shaking her head. So he has a sense of humor, she thought.

The following Monday, Alishia found herself sneaking glances at Arthur during class. He was the same quiet figure in the back, head down, seemingly uninterested in the world around him. But every now and then, she'd catch him looking her way, his crimson eyes locking with hers for the briefest moment before he turned away.

At lunch, she spotted him sitting alone, as usual. Before she could think twice, her feet carried her to his table.

"Mind if I sit here?" she asked, her tray trembling slightly in her hands.

Arthur looked up, his crimson eyes unreadable. "Sure," he said simply.

As she sat down, a few curious whispers drifted from nearby tables. Alishia ignored them, her focus solely on Arthur.

"Why do you sit alone?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Arthur shrugged. "Easier that way."

"But don't you get lonely?"

He looked at her, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Not anymore."

Alishia's heart skipped a beat. Was he talking about her?

As they ate in quiet companionship, the world around them seemed to fade away. For the first time, Alishia felt like she was seeing the real Arthur—a boy who wasn't just mysterious and aloof, but thoughtful, guarded, and maybe, just maybe, a little lonely too.