Clara's sneakers slapped against the polished floor as she bolted down the hallway, the jingle of her hair clip trailing like a faint echo. Her heart pounded, not from fear but from the thrill of the chase. Who does that guy think he is? she thought, a smirk tugging at her lips despite the adrenaline. She ducked around a corner, pressing herself against the wall, catching her breath. The survey report was still clutched tightly in her hand, its edges crumpled from her grip.Clara hurried to the staff room, shoving the report into her teacher's hands with a quick nod before darting to her classroom. She slipped in just as the new professor strode through the door, their footsteps syncing for a split second. Clara slid into her seat next to Dana, noticing a new girl parked in the spot beside her friend. The girl flashed a shy smile, and Clara returned it, settling in as the lecture began. Her mind wandered, itching for the clock to race so she could shake off the morning's chaos.
Quantum Computing Class
Midday
Matt slumped into the quantum computing classroom, where the free hour had left the place a mess He found a corner seat, his mood still dark, Clara's sharp words—"sob story"—looping in his head like a taunt.
Adrian and Lucas swaggered over, their faces lit with surprise. "Yo, Matt!" Lucas grinned, leaning against a desk with his usual playboy charm, his eyes already scanning the room for his next flirt. "Thought you'd be brooding in that dark room all day."
Matt's jaw tightened, his eyes fixed on nothing. Adrian caught the vibe and nudged Lucas. "What's with the death glare, man? Spill."
Matt exhaled sharply, then recounted the fourth-floor clash—the girl's mocking tone, the tray hitting the window, the whole mess. "She didn't even flinch. Just laughed and ran."
Lucas's eyes lit up, his playboy instincts kicking into overdrive. "Hold up, who's this girl? Sounds like a firecracker. Gimme the rundown!"
Matt shrugged, irritation flaring. "Don't know, don't care. Just some fresher, chirping like a damn cricket."
Lucas leaned in, smirking, clearly more intrigued than Matt wanted. "A fresher, huh? Feisty ones are my type. What'd she look like? Gotta be cute with that kinda attitude."
"Didn't see her face," Matt snapped, his tone sharper now. "And I don't want to."
Adrian snorted, barely holding back a laugh. "Chirping like a cricket? Man, she got under your skin good." He clapped Matt's shoulder, his tone softening. "C'mon, shake it off. She's just some kid mouthing off. Don't let it ruin your day."
Lucas, still grinning, wasn't ready to drop it. "Nah, I'm curious now. Bet I could find her. Girl like that? Sounds like fun." He winked, already plotting his next move.
Matt glared at him. "Leave it, Lucas. Not everything's a game for you to play."
Lucas raised his hands, feigning innocence, but his smirk said otherwise. "Alright, alright, lover boy. I'll behave… for now."
Adrian rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Ignore him, Matt. Guy's got a one-track mind." He nudged Matt again, trying to lighten the mood. "Seriously, though, don't let this girl live rent-free in your head. You're better than that."
Matt didn't respond.
Clara's sneakers slapped against the polished floor as she bolted down the hallway, the jingle of her hair clip trailing like a faint echo. Her heart pounded, not from fear but from the thrill of the chase. *Who does that guy think he is?* she thought, a smirk tugging at her lips despite the adrenaline. She ducked around a corner, pressing herself against the wall, catching her breath. The survey report was still clutched tightly in her hand, its edges crumpled from her grip.
Clara hurried to the staff room, shoving the report into her teacher's hands with a quick nod before darting to her classroom. She slipped in just as the new professor strode through the door, their footsteps syncing for a split second. Clara slid into her seat next to Dana, noticing a new girl parked in the spot beside her friend. The girl flashed a shy smile, and Clara returned it, settling in as the lecture began. Her mind wandered, itching for the clock to race so she could shake off the morning's chaos.
---
Quantum Computing Class
Midday
Matt slumped into the quantum computing classroom, the free hour turning the place into a zoo—students laughing, tossing paper balls, and sprawling across desks. He found a corner seat, his mood still dark, Clara's sharp words—*"sob story"*—looping in his head like a taunt.
Adrian and Lucas swaggered over, their faces lit with surprise. "Yo, Matt!" Lucas grinned, leaning against a desk. "Thought you'd be brooding in that dark room all day."
Matt's jaw tightened, his eyes fixed on nothing. Adrian caught the vibe and nudged Lucas. "What's with the death glare, man? Spill."
Matt exhaled sharply, then recounted the fourth-floor clash—the girl's mocking tone, the tray hitting the window, the whole mess. "She didn't even flinch. Just laughed and ran."
Lucas's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Wait, hold up. Who *is* this girl? Gimme details!"
Matt shrugged, irritation flaring. "Don't know, don't care. Just some fresher, chirping like a damn cricket."
Lucas looked way too excited for Matt's liking, leaning in. "A fresher, huh? Sounds like trouble. What'd she look like?"
"Didn't see her face," Matt snapped. "And I don't want to."
Adrian snorted, barely holding back a laugh. "Chirping like a cricket? Man, she got under your skin good." He clapped Matt's shoulder, his tone softening. "C'mon, shake it off. She's just some kid mouthing off. Don't let it ruin your day."
Matt didn't respond, but Adrian's grin and Lucas's eager chatter chipped away at the edges of his anger, even if he wouldn't admit it.
---
Clara's Class Post-Lecture
The bell rang, and Clara stretched in her seat, grateful the lecture was finally over. Dana turned to her, gesturing to the new girl beside her. "Clara, meet Lila. You ditched me earlier, and she swooped in to keep me company."
Lila waved, her smile warm. "Hey, Clara. Dana was lonely without you."
Clara laughed, but Dana wasn't letting her off easy. "So, where were you? Leaving me to fend for myself?"
Clara's grin faded as she launched into the story—the creepy fourth floor, the guy's anguished muttering, her snappy comeback, and his tray-throwing meltdown. "He was whining about some breakup, so I called him out. Then he lost it. Threw a tray at a window like a total psycho."
Dana and Lila exchanged a look, their faces turning serious. Dana crossed her arms. "Clara, that was messed up. Guy's clearly hurting, and you mocked him? You probably made it ten times worse."
Lila nodded, her voice gentle but firm. "Yeah, what if he's, like, seriously depressed? If he does something drastic—God forbid, like hurting himself—it'd be on you."
Clara's stomach twisted, her bravado crumbling. She shrank in her seat, her voice small, almost childish. "Dana, you think he'd… do something like that?"
Dana shrugged, her tone blunt. "Who knows? But what you did wasn't cool. You barged into his pain and rubbed salt in it."
Lila chimed in, softer but no less pointed. "You didn't just poke fun—you hit him where it hurts."
Clara bit her lip, regret settling heavy in her chest. "Okay, fine. Tomorrow, I'll say sorry," she mumbled, sounding like a kid caught stealing cookies.
Dana raised an eyebrow. "Sorry to who? You know his name? What he looks like? His batch?"
Clara's face fell. "Uh… no."
Lila tilted her head. "Then how're you gonna find him?"
"I'll go back to that room tomorrow," Clara said, her voice firmer despite the uncertainty. "He might show up again. I hope."
Dana sighed, half-smiling. "You're a mess, Clara. But at least you're trying."
Lila giggled, already folding into their easy friendship. "Yeah, good luck tracking down Mr. Tray-Thrower."
Clara managed a weak grin, but her mind was already racing, replaying the guy's broken voice and wondering how she'd fix the mess she'd made.
To be continued...