Time at Ashwood Academy seemed to pass quickly, days blurring into weeks as Elena found herself settling into a delicate rhythm between the academy and her time at the bookstore. 

But it was the permission George had gotten from the new master that excited her most—now she could spend her Sundays reading beside the serene backdrop of the lake, a retreat she had begun to look forward to. 

Back at the bookstore, Professor Frowde was eager to hear Elena’s thoughts on Ashwood Academy. 

“Well,” she started slowly, “it’s been... nothing like I expected.” Her thoughts drifted for a moment. “But so far, I’m enjoying it,” she added, though her voice lacked a certain conviction. 

Professor Frowde nodded thoughtfully before his eyes lit up with curiosity. “And Sebastian? Have you crossed paths with him at the academy yet?” He remembered all too well her earlier days of quietly observing Sebastian as she worked. 

Elena froze for a moment, then with a neutral expression. “I haven’t, Professor,” she lied. The words tumbled out quicker than she intended. Before he could press further, she hurried away, eager to escape a topic that had suddenly become more complicated than ever. 

In truth, she wasn’t sure how to handle the situation with Sebastian. Learning about her mother’s past and the tangled history between their families left her feeling uncertain, and she had actively avoided him at the academy.  

The academy’s vastness made that easy—so far. But that uncertainty lingered, weighing heavily on her thoughts. 

Luckily, Sebastian hadn’t returned to the bookstore since their encounter. But that changed one evening when a familiar carriage pulled up outside. Elena’s chest tightened, the minutes somehow felt like an eternity as she stared out the window.  

She couldn’t help but wonder, if it was finally the day they’d be forced to confront each other. In the cozy confines of the bookstore, avoiding him wouldn’t be as easy. Her mind raced with possibilities—what would she do if he walked through the door? 

But it wasn’t Sebastian who entered. Instead, it was his personal driver, politely returning a book Sebastian had borrowed days earlier. 

Relief washed over Elena, but alongside it came an unexpected sense of disappointment. Something inside her stirred, though she couldn’t quite name it. 

Life at Ashwood Academy had settled into a routine for her, though. She enjoyed the challenge of learning new things. Despite a few odd looks from other students in her Commerce class, Elena had managed to hold her own, even if she was the only girl enrolled. 

She excused herself from class and walked through the quiet halls, letting her mind wander. Memories of her first day returned—anxious feelings, surprising revelations, and the strangers who had now become friends. 

Her relationships with her peers blossomed. Elena’s bond with Lorianne had strengthened as she noticed a visible change in the girl's once shy demeanor. Together, they had also grown close to a few other first-year students—Michella and Gretchen—often chatting endlessly about the shared struggles of navigating life as new students. The growing camaraderie brought a sense of belonging Elena hadn’t expected but welcomed. 

On her return to class, the soft echo of piano music drifted through the otherwise silent corridor, immediately catching her attention. The gentle melody seemed to slip through the cracks of the door, beckoning her closer.  

Hesitating only for a moment, she pushed the door slightly open peeking into the room. As she took another step, her foot caught on the threshold, sending her stumbling forward. The piano notes came to an abrupt halt, the silence that followed was like a held breath, heavy with unspoken tension. 

Sebastian’s hands hovered over the keys, his eyes snapping toward the door. Recognizing her, his heart pounded in his chest as their eyes immediately locked. 

Elena stood frozen, her eyes wide, cheeks flushed with a soft pink hue as Sebastian’s gaze bore into her. He swallowed, the weight of everything he'd learned about their families hitting him like a wave. 

The silence between them grew thick, filled with all the unspoken words they were too afraid to say. Sebastian cleared his throat just as Elena tried to speak. “Sorry, I—” they both said in unison, their voices colliding in the quiet room. A nervous laugh bubbled up from Elena, and Sebastian couldn’t help but chuckle too, the tension cracking just enough for the air to feel lighter. 

With a surge of resolve, she stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind her. The sound felt strangely final, as if they had shut out the rest of the world for just a brief moment. Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, closing the distance between them. Sebastian watched her approach, his expression unreadable as he tried to make sense of what was unfolding. 

“What were you playing?” Elena asked softly, nodding toward the piano, her voice barely breaking the silence. 

Sebastian glanced down at the keys. “Just something I have been working on... It’s not finished yet.” 

“It sounded...” Elena hesitated, searching for the right word. “Melancholic.” 

Sebastian’s eyes met hers, a flicker of understanding passing between them. “Yes,” he admitted, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his thoughts. “It kind of is.” 

“Can you play it again?” she asked, a bit bolder now. “It was beautiful.” 

Sebastian hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Of course.” As he began, he closed his eyes, letting the music wash over him. He felt Elena's presence, sensed her listening, and his heart swelled with a mix of excitement and nervousness.  

As his fingers danced over the keys once more, it filled the room with the same melody Elena had heard through the doorway. She listened and observed him. It felt like she saw a side of him that had remained hidden during their brief, silent encounters at the bookstore—a vulnerability woven into the music, revealing a glimpse of his true self beneath the layers of formality. 

When the last note faded into the silence, Elena blinked, momentarily forgetting her earlier nervousness. She offered a silent applause, her smile genuine. “That was really amazing,” she said, her voice filled with admiration. 

Sebastian glanced at her, feeling the weight of their unexpected solitude. Thoughts of their families' tangled past briefly flickered in his mind again, but he quickly pushed them aside. He didn’t want to think about that—not now. 

“How has the academy been?” he asked, breaking the silence that had settled over them once more. 

“It’s been... okay so far,” Elena replied, her mind still lingering on the music. “And you? You haven’t been to the bookstore lately.” 

Sebastian opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, the door suddenly swung open. Governess Winthrop had returned, her eyes widening as if she had just interrupted something. 

“I should get going,” Elena said quickly, her cheeks flushing once again. She turned to leave, offering a polite bow before swiftly exiting the room, the door closing softly behind her.  

Outside the door, Elena took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, before she headed back to class. She never would have expected her day to include such an unexpected encounter with Sebastian. She had diligently avoided him, trying to heed her mother’s words, yet after this brief, quiet moment, her emotions felt even more unsettled. 

It had been the longest conversation they’d ever had alone together. At the bookstore, Professor Frowde had always been the third party, filling the space between her and Sebastian. Even when she worked around the shelves, their interactions had never really gone past a few words, accompanied by frequent silent looks and nods. 

I don’t want to avoid him. The thought tugged at her heart. 

Later that evening, as Elena lay in bed, Sebastian’s melody played on a loop in her mind. Can I recreate it? Her eyes wandered to her grandfather’s old piano in the corner of her room that she had decided to keep. She hadn’t once played, leaving it reduced to mere decoration. But tonight, the temptation to add to Sebastian’s melody seemed too hard to resist. 

Without thinking, she moved to the piano. Sitting down at the bench felt like stepping into a world she hadn’t visited in a long time—one where the weight of her family’s struggles and her mother's warnings didn’t exist. She carefully pressed the keys, testing the sounds, letting her fingers remember the feel of the ivory beneath them.  

Slowly, she began blending Sebastian’s melancholic tune with her own notes. Soon, the room was filled with the soft tune that had echoed in her heart since she heard it. 

Lost in the moment, she hadn’t noticed her mother enter. Catherine stood quietly at the door, leaning against the frame, watching her daughter. It had been so long since she heard Elena play. 

When Elena finally stopped, letting the last note linger in the air, Catherine’s soft voice broke the silence. “That was beautiful, Elena. What piece was that?” 

Startled, Elena glanced up. “Oh, Mother, I didn’t see you there.” She hesitated, glancing back at the piano. “It’s... something I heard at the academy. I just added a few notes to it.” 

She dared not mention that it was Sebastian’s melody. 

Catherine’s eyes softened, a faint smile touching her lips. “Your grandfather would be proud. You always had his talent for music.” 

Elena looked down at her hands resting on the keys, feeling a strange mix of pride and guilt. She loved the melody she had built upon, but the secret of its origin hung heavily between her and her mother. Catherine had warned her to stay away from Sebastian, yet here she was, unknowingly echoing him through music. 

For a moment, she considered telling her mother the truth. But something held her back—the fear of what Catherine would say, or maybe the knowledge that this small connection to Sebastian was something she wasn’t ready to give up just yet. 

When Catherine left, Elena carefully scribbled the additional notes she had crafted onto a sheet of paper. As she looked at the sheet, doubt began to creep in. Should I give this to Sebastian? Would it be too forward, too presumptive? Would he even care? What if he laughed at her attempt to add to his work? Her fingers traced the edges of the paper as her mind weighed the decision. 

After a moment’s hesitation, she folded the sheet and placed it into her bag, a quiet resolution formed, but it was fragile.  

I’ll find a way to give it to him discreetly, she told herself. Whether at the bookstore or at Ashwood Academy, there would be a moment, and she would wait for it. 

But even as she made her decision, a familiar wave of anxiety washed over her. Sebastian wasn’t just any student at the academy. He was the next duke. And though she longed to see him as the quiet boy from Frowde’s Fine Books, the reality of his status loomed over her like a shadow. 

So many eyes were always on him, watching his every move, seeking to attach themselves to his rising star. That thought frightened her. 

Elena knew she felt something for him, something she shouldn't. Yet, she didn't want her feelings to be tangled up with the title or the expectations that surrounded him.  

Her thoughts churned as she tucked the sheet music deeper into her bag, feeling the weight of unspoken words, both in the melody and in her heart.