Classroom Romance and a Surprise Boyfriend?

Right before Mr. Johnson, the literature teacher arrived, Matthew slid into the classroom and stood still for a few seconds scanning the entire room. As his eyes noticed Cereus, he made his way to her. Usually, Matthew sits with his group of basketball buddies near the last benches, but today, he is heading towards Cereus's desk, and he doesn't fail to notice that she has an empty seat beside her, and makes a mental note to thank Molly. 

As Matthew made his way towards her, the butterflies in her stomach erupted, and warmth flooded her entire face. As he drew closer, Cereus felt a wave of shyness wash over her. Her carefully planned witty remark for him, saved for when they both meet evaporated, leaving her tongue-tied and speechless. All she could do was watch, captivated, as he slid so casually into the empty seat next to her as if he had done it a thousand times. 

Before Cereus could even attempt to calm the frantic dance of her heart, Matthew reached out, his hand brushing against hers under the desk. The unexpected touch was like a spark igniting that sent her a jolt, and her cheeks flushed crimson, as a surprised gasp escaped her lips.

Cereus stared at their intertwined hands, a mixture of shyness and exhilaration coursing through her veins. This wasn't part of the daydream she'd been replaying in her head all morning. This was real and oh-so-wonderful. 

A hush fell over the room, a beat of surprised silence as the class absorbed the scene. It was a brief pause, barely a breath held, but at that moment, a silent understanding passed through the room. Cereus and Matthew were dating. Then, the dam broke. The classroom erupted in a flurry of whispered conversations and pointed glances. "Did you see that?" someone hissed. "They're sitting together!" Laughter rippled through the air with a mix of amusement. Matthew's corner resulted in the loudest reaction. His friends, the basketball club guys, who were perpetually on the verge of chaos, whooped and hollered, their delight tinged with a bit of envy. One of them, a freckled redhead named Dylan, even yelled out a mock congratulations, earning a playful look from Matthew.

Cereus shared a look with Molly, whose look teased her, she saw Molly grinning widely, but her eyes holding a hint of something else – something she could not decipher in the spur of the moment, but so quickly gone, that she didn't have the time to think about it. Cereus couldn't help but grin. The sudden attention was a little overwhelming, but it was a public declaration, a secret shared with the whole class. Suddenly, the doorknob rattled. Mr. Johnson, their literature teacher, entered the room with a stack of papers clutched under his arm. His booming voice shattered the pre-class chatter, starting today's class.

The sound should have jolted Cereus back to reality. But even as Mr. Johnson started teaching her mind remained firmly planted in the world created by Matthew's touch. His hand, warm and reassuring, felt like a secret language spoken only by them. Every stolen glance, every brush of their fingers sent shivers down her spine. Beside her, Matthew seemed equally lost in his own daydream. His gaze, usually glued to the window or his doodling hand, kept flickering towards Cereus. A shy smile played on his lips, and occasionally, his fingers would twitch under the desk, as if to play with her hand.

__ __ __

The bell's shrill shriek shattered the classroom's electricity. Freed from the confines of their seats, Cereus and Matthew navigated the hallway, a tangle of nervous excitement and stolen glances. They were trailed by a smattering of whispers and playful nudges from their classmates, the novelty of their public declaration still fresh.

Reaching the cafeteria, they found Molly waiting at their usual table, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Well, well, well," she drawled, a playful jab aimed at Cereus. "Looks like someone finally snagged herself a prince charming. "Cereus rolled her eyes, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "About time, right?" Matthew chimed in, his voice brimming with nervous confidence. He nudged Cereus playfully, and she couldn't help but smile at him. They settled into their usual spots, the clatter of cafeteria trays and chattering students creating a familiar background hum. As they dug into their lunches, a comfortable silence settled between them, punctuated only by the occasional stolen glance and whispered joke.

Suddenly, Molly cleared her throat, her mischievous grin growing wider. "Alright, you two lovebirds aren't the only ones with exciting news," she declared. Cereus and Matthew exchanged surprised looks. "Spill already, Mol, you said you wanted to tell me something, but you never did!" Cereus urged, her curiosity piqued. Molly leaned forward, a conspiratorial air around her. "So, remember how I've been complaining about being stuck in the library all the time?" she began. Both Cereus and Matthew nodded, eager to hear her secret.

"Well," Molly continued, her voice dropping to a whisper, "turns out, all that online browsing paid off. I met this really cute guy named Leo! He's a sophomore, the same college, but in the engineering program. "Cereus's eyes widened in surprise. "You never mentioned online dating!" she exclaimed. Molly gave a sheepish grin. "Well, I wasn't sure how it would go, you know? But we started chatting a few weeks ago, and things just clicked. We finally met up last week, and…" she trailed off, a blush creeping up her cheeks, "let's just say, it was amazing."

A wave of relief washed over Cereus. She'd been worried about Molly's muted reaction to her and Matthew's news. But now, seeing the genuine excitement in her friend's eyes, Cereus couldn't help but feel happy. "That's incredible, Molls!" Matthew exclaimed the first one to break the surprised silence. "We need to hear all about him. "Cereus mirrored his enthusiasm. "Seriously, tell us everything! "Molly's face lit up, the playful glint back in her eyes. "Oh, you two are going to love Leo. Instead of me telling, why don't you meet him?" she paused, a playful smile teasing her lips, " Let's have a double date this weekend?"