Update: Seraph and Sentinel, Ch. 11

By the end of class, Max was no less tangled up in her head when Nathan dragged a chair over and dropped into it beside her without asking. He leaned in close, close enough that she caught the faint, familiar edge of his cologne, and for a moment his attention seemed to narrow completely onto her screen.

“That one looks like it should be on a movie poster,” he said, pointing at a dramatic shot of fog hanging over the Bay on an early morning.

There was a softness in his voice she wasn’t used to hearing in class. It was less performative, almost… pleased?

Max rolled her eyes. “You’re just saying that because it’s moody.” She tried to quell the smile that threatened to cross her lips.

“Moody sells,” he replied, a small smirk tugging at his mouth. It faded just as quickly, his gaze drifting for half a second before snapping back to the image like he’d caught himself wandering.

“So,” he said eventually, “you got time tonight?”

“We could grab food,” he added, glancing at her, an almost-hesitant confidence threading through his tone.

It was exactly the kind of invitation she’d imagined and feared in equal measure, but... “I... can’t,” she slipped out. She cleared her throat. “I, uh… I already told Rachel I’d study with her.”

“Rachel?” he asked like he was trying to sound casual, but even he couldn't hide the surprise from his voice.

“Yeah. She texted me earlier.”

“Well,” he grinned, “put in a good word for me, then.”

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