Alexander stepped out of the office with his skin still buzzing from the adrenaline of the last ten minutes and saw Sophie leaning against the corridor wall with her arms crossed over her chest "You’re still in one piece" said Sophie.

"Barely because she’s as tough as everyone says" said Alexander.

He kept his posture stiff while maintaining the Stoic Outsider persona and looked like a man who had just survived a heavy negotiation. Sophie started walking beside him as they headed toward the campus exit "What did she want and was it just about the midterm?" said Sophie.

"She offered me a way to make up the credit through a research project but it’s going to take up a lot of my time" said Alexander.

"That sounds like her because she values labor over excuses" said Sophie while looking at him out of the corner of her eye "I was worried she was going to tear you apart Alex since you’ve seemed different lately and distracted."

"Life has a way of getting complicated when you least expect it" said Alexander.

They walked across the quad while Alexander kept his pace slow with hands shoved deep into his pockets "You were in there a long time so I was starting to think she’d actually called security on you" said Sophie.

"It felt like an interrogation at first but we found a middle ground because she’s complicated" said Alexander while letting out a short tired laugh.

"Complicated is one word for it since most people just say terrifying" said Sophie while leaning slightly closer "What kind of research project did she give you because usually she only trusts her TAs with her private data?"

Alexander paused for a beat to let the silence stretch "It’s sensitive so let’s just say she needs someone who can pay attention to details without asking too many questions and I think she realized I’m not the typical student who just wants a passing grade" said Alexander.

Sophie looked at him with brows furrowing "You’re definitely not typical Alex especially not lately because everyone’s talking about how you’ve changed since you used to be so quiet and almost invisible."

"Invisible is safe Sophie but safety doesn’t pay the rent" said Alexander while putting on the weary expression of a man carrying the weight of the world "Sometimes you have to stop being invisible and start being what the situation requires."

Sophie stared at him with eyes searching his face "That sounds incredibly lonely" said Sophie.

"It can be" said Alexander while softening his expression for a split second to make her feel like she was seeing the real him "But then again some people make the noise worth it."

Sophie’s cheeks flushed a faint pink while she looked away quickly "Well if you need help with the research or if the Iron Lady gets too heavy to handle you know where to find me" said Sophie.

"I do so thanks Sophie because I mean it" said Alexander.

He was playing a role in real-time and watching how his words affected Sophie’s reactions while feeling like a puppeteer pulling the strings of a social interaction. He reached the edge of the campus and checked his watch "I have to go because I have a rehearsal at the theater" said Alexander.

"Right since the Prude Prince returns to his kingdom" said Sophie with a small playful smirk.

"Don’t start with that Sophie and I’ll see you tomorrow" said Alexander.

He waved her off and turned toward the theater arts building as the Stoic Outsider mask began to bleed into the Theater Prince while he straightened his jacket and cleared his mind.