You study quietly with Maya

Maya and I settle into a quiet table near the back of the library. For the first hour, we barely speak. The room is filled with the soft tapping of keyboards, turning pages, and the occasional whisper from another table.

Every so often, Maya looks over at my notes or asks a quick question about the assignment. I help when I can, then go back to my own work. It’s completely ordinary—two classmates trying to get ahead before the semester gets busy.

Still, every now and then, I think about my girlfriend. I glance at my phone sitting beside my notebook, then back at my work. This is exactly what I said it would be, I remind myself. Just studying.

By the time a couple of hours have passed, I’m surprised by how much we’ve gotten done. There’s no drama, no flirting, nothing complicated. Just studying. For once, I feel like I might actually be keeping my promise to myself to stay focused.