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Mattheo's gaze was fixed on the entrance of the library as Y/N walked in, her laughter echoing softly through the hallowed halls as she chatted animatedly with Theo.
His fingers tightened around the book he was supposed to be studying, the pages now crumpled under his grip. His girlfriend, Astoria, sitting across from him, sighed heavily, her eyes following his line of sight.
"Mattheo," she said, her voice edged with frustration, "are you even listening to me?"
He snapped back to reality, but only for a moment. "Yeah, of course," he lied, his eyes drifting back to Y/N as she settled at a table with Theo, their heads bent close together as they shared a joke.
Astoria rolled her eyes, clearly fed up. "You're not even trying to hide it anymore, are you?"
"What?" Mattheo mumbled, barely processing her words as he watched Y/N tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, a smile lighting up her face. His chest tightened with a mix of longing and jealousy.
"I'm done, Mattheo," Astoria said, standing up abruptly. She grabbed her bag, her movements sharp and decisive. "I can't do this anymore. You're obviously obsessed with her."
Mattheo's head whipped around, finally giving her his full attention. "Wait, what? Astoria, no, let's talk about this—"
But she was already walking away, not sparing him a second glance. He stared after her, confused and irritated, before his eyes were drawn back to Y/N and Theo. He barely noticed as Astoria approached Y/N, leaning down to whisper something in her ear.
"Watch that one, would you?" Astoria said, her voice low but clear enough for Theo to catch. She pointed towards Mattheo, who was still watching them with an intensity that made Y/N's stomach flutter. "My ex is kind of obsessed with you, and I've had enough."
Theo chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Well, that's one way to put it."
Y/N nodded slowly, her mind racing with newfound understanding. She met Mattheo's gaze once more, seeing something in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before — a longing, a yearning that was almost palpable.
As Mattheo watched Y/N process Astoria's words, a flicker of hope sparked within him. Maybe now, with Astoria out of the picture, he finally had a chance to make Y/N see him in a different light.
Y/N looked shocked, her eyes widening as she glanced over at Mattheo, who was now staring at her with an almost predatory gleam. She felt a shiver run down her spine, unsure whether it was from fear or something else entirely.
Mattheo couldn't help but wonder if Astoria's warning had sealed his fate instead of opening a new door.