Chapter 118: Eye Contact

Mia appeared reserved and shy. After switching places with a classmate, she still felt uneasy, cautiously edging closer to Lily, awkwardly trying to hide herself while keeping her head and gaze downcast, attempting to blend in.

Lily, with her outgoing personality, didn't notice Mia's odd behavior. She leaned slightly toward Mia and whispered, "Are you sure you won't help me with the petition to save the owls today?"

Mia sighed slightly, "I told you, I have to meet my grandmother after school."

Lily replied, "Oh. Alright then."

Their hushed conversation came to an abrupt stop as they noticed the music teacher's stern look. They quickly stood at attention as the teacher prepared to conduct and called out, "Michael."

Sitting at the piano, Michael set up his sheet music, quickly glancing at Mia before lowering his gaze, placing his hands on the black and white keys, and beginning to play.

"Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away."

The students started singing.

Michael looked up again. Despite Mia's attempts to hide, he found her in the crowd immediately.

Quietly, intently, deeply, he watched her.

Michael noticed Mia's unease, and how she seemed distracted. While the other students were singing, Mia only moved her lips without making a sound, trying to conceal herself.

Her eyes were evasive.

Michael knew how beautiful her voice was. Although she was unaware and never believed it herself, every time she stood before a crowd, she would instinctively shy away and retreat. The glances, the mockery, and the indifference would inevitably turn into attacks, driving her further into her protective shell.

But Michael had seen her beauty.

He knew and believed that she could freely express her colors.

Michael's gaze showed a hint of determination. Unlike in the past, he didn't shy away or conceal his feelings; instead, he actively used his gaze to draw Mia's attention—

This time was different.

Whenever he had an instrument, whether it was a keyboard or a guitar, it was like donning armor. He became confident, invincible.

No shyness, no restraint, no disguise. Michael simply looked at Mia.

Calm, but intense.

——Anne Hathaway noticed.

She felt a bit flustered.

This wasn't part of the scene. Anne had been confused by the script's intent. Why was this scene included? It made no sense.

In the script, Mia and Lily were supposed to have a brief conversation, and then… nothing. It just called for a glance from Michael.

Was it to emphasize Michael's crush on Mia? But there was no further development, and it seemed redundant with the earlier scene at the school gate. Was it really necessary to repeat the "hint" over and over, emphasizing Michael's feelings for Mia without adding any depth?

She didn't understand.

Of course, Anne reminded herself, they were all newcomers. Their understanding of acting and the script was limited; they were still learning. Maybe they simply couldn't grasp the director and writer's intentions. It was best to just focus on the work.

But now?

The script did mention Michael's gaze, but what Anson was doing was different. His look wasn't just a simple stare; it was filled with guidance, encouragement, and motivation, holding Anne's gaze tightly.

Anne found herself questioning: Should she notice it? Should she look back at Michael? How should she respond? Should she realize what Michael was trying to do? Was Anson adding something new to the scene?

"Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day."

Anne, lacking experience, was somewhat distracted and muttered the lyrics indistinctly. Her gaze shifted away, quickly glancing around in an attempt to catch a glimpse of director Gary or any of the crew members for their reactions.

But there was nothing.

No one called to stop the scene, no exchanged glances, and the crew remained calm. It seemed as though no one had noticed anything unusual about Anson's performance, and even Anne's wandering eyes didn't elicit any reaction.

What now?

Those evasive glances, that nervousness—they all perfectly aligned with Mia's state of mind. It wasn't because she had discovered Michael's secret, but because of her fear of public situations, combined with the fact that Michael's intense gaze was far too bold, far too direct, throwing all her expectations into disarray.

——Of course, Anne didn't realize this, nor did she have the time to consider it.

She couldn't help it.

Despite avoiding his gaze, she could still feel the warmth of that look, not intense or overpowering, but like the gentle sun in early spring, lazily falling on her slightly chilly skin, silently warming her bit by bit.

So she looked back, almost involuntarily.

Just one glance.

Anne met his eyes, deep blue like the ocean, with a faint halo of light shimmering in his pupils. Despite the shyness, she couldn't bear to look away.

And then, she saw the encouragement in his gaze, the slight upward curve of his lips, silently mouthing the words like a kindergarten teacher leading the children in a song.

The scene was almost comical.

She wasn't a three-year-old.

The corners of her mouth twitched into a small smile, which then bloomed into a full grin.

Their eyes met.

Mia quickly tried to control her smile, casting a glance at the music teacher, hoping she hadn't noticed her daydreaming. And then, without even realizing it herself, she began to sing—

Perhaps to cover up her lapse in attention.

Perhaps because of Michael's mouthed words.

But whatever the reason, she started to sing, no longer just moving her lips, but softly letting the melody escape.

"On a starless night, when love gently taps you on the shoulder, if you ever want to hold her hand, it's good to have pockets full of starlight."

The lyrics and melody danced on her lips, and her mood couldn't help but lift with the notes. Her gaze drifted back to Michael, but this time without shyness, and she looked at him boldly, playfully widening her eyes.

Heh.

Michael's smile instantly blossomed.

Mia's eyes brightened as well.

Then Mia noticed the ease and joy in Michael's smile, as if they were momentarily alone, transforming the music class into a duet just for the two of them.

Yet he continued to sing silently, just mouthing the words.

This made Mia want to laugh, her smile fully blooming, and all her tension, anxiety, and fear melted away as the melody naturally flowed from her.

It was only then, when she sang with full volume, that Mia truly paid attention to the lyrics.

"On a starless night, when love gently taps you on the shoulder, if you ever want to hold her hand, it's good to have pockets full of starlight."

Simple lyrics, yet they danced on her lips, making every cell in her body feel like it was dancing too.

But—

Looking back at Michael, Mia felt it was somewhat unbelievable. That was Lily's brother, the kid who always followed them around. A small smile tugged at her lips as if denying the thoughts in her head, and then her gaze became more assured.

Unconsciously, Mia straightened up, meeting Michael's gaze without hesitation. And as the fleeting thought crossed her mind, her smile grew even brighter.