WHAT'S LOVE?

The dim light from the library's emergency lamp cast long, eerie shadows on the shelves. The ticking of the old wall clock was the only sound breaking the silence. Alex stirred awake, blinking groggily as he realized he'd dozed off on an open textbook. He sat up with a start, glancing at the clock. It was past 9 PM.

"Wait... what?" His voice cracked.

The library was empty, the chairs and tables untouched except for the one beside him. His eyes landed on Mia, the class captain, who was still asleep with her head resting on her arms. Alex froze.

He debated waking her, but his heart thudded too loudly in his chest. Mia was known for her no-nonsense demeanor. She was sharp, precise, and utterly unapproachable. She didn't tolerate distractions, and Alex had long accepted that she probably thought of him as one.

As he sat there, unsure of what to do, Mia stirred, lifting her head slowly. She blinked a few times before her eyes landed on him.

"Alex?" she muttered, her voice low and irritated. "What are you still doing here?"

"Uh... I think we're locked in," he stammered, gesturing to the darkened library. "The guard must've closed up without checking."

Her expression darkened instantly. She stood and marched toward the library doors, rattling them forcefully. "Locked," she hissed. "Great. Just great."

Alex swallowed hard, standing awkwardly near the table. "I mean, it's not that bad-"

"Not that bad?" she snapped, spinning around to face him. "We're stuck in here all night because someone couldn't bother to double-check! This is ridiculous."

He shrank back, her sharp tone cutting through the already tense atmosphere. "I'm sorry..."

Mia sighed, rubbing her temples. She pulled out her phone, only to scowl at the lack of signal. "Perfect. Just perfect."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them. Alex shifted nervously, his gaze flickering toward Mia as she paced in frustration. He had always admired her-her confidence, her leadership, the way she never seemed to need anyone. But now, seeing her so visibly irritated, he wondered if it was a mistake to say anything at all.

But then he thought, If not now, when?

"Hey, Mia," he began, his voice trembling slightly.

"What?" she snapped, not even looking at him.

"I... I need to tell you something," Alex said, his heart pounding in his chest.

She stopped pacing and turned to him, arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on his. "What is it? Make it quick."

Alex hesitated, feeling the weight of her stare. But he clenched his fists, forcing himself to speak. "I like you."

Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

"I like you," he repeated, his voice firmer now. "I've liked you for a while."

Mia stared at him, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, she scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me."

Alex blinked, caught off guard. "I'm not kidding."

"Alex," she said, her tone laced with disbelief and irritation. "You're eighteen. You barely pay attention in class, you're always cracking jokes, and you think this is the time to tell me you 'like' me? In a locked library? Seriously?"

"I know I'm younger than you," he said quickly, his cheeks burning. "And I know I'm not exactly your type, but I just-"

"You don't know what my type is," she interrupted coldly. "You don't know me. You see what I do in school, but that's it. You don't know the first thing about who I am outside of being your class captain. And honestly, Alex, this is just... immature."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, but he stood his ground. "I know it might seem that way, but I'm serious, Mia. I think you're amazing, and I wanted to be honest about how I feel."

Mia let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. "Amazing? You don't even know half of the things I deal with. You're just projecting some fantasy version of me because I'm the 'class captain.'"

Alex felt his throat tighten. "That's not true," he protested weakly.

"Alex," she said, her tone softening just slightly, though her expression remained firm. "You're a good kid, but this... this isn't going to happen. You need to grow up and focus on yourself instead of chasing someone who doesn't feel the same way."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and final. Alex lowered his gaze, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He had expected rejection, but hearing it still stung more than he anticipated.

Before either of them could say more, a loud thud echoed from somewhere in the library, breaking the tension.

Mia's head snapped toward the sound, her expression immediately alert. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper.

She exhaled sharply, her leadership instincts kicking in. "Stay here. I'll check it out."

"Wait-what if it's dangerous?" Alex asked, stepping closer.

Mia shot him a sharp look. "Then don't make it worse by following me. Just stay put."

And with that, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving Alex standing alone with the ache of rejection and the eerie silence of the library.