As class was about to start, an uneasy weight still clung to Starfania. The day ahead felt endless–lecture after lecture, each one threatening to smother her mind. She sighed wondering if anything remotely interesting would happen. Professor Shadow began droning about the history of the VulcanFire Kingdom, but a glint of gold pulled her attention. She turned her head–and there he was. Daniel Gold. Popularity seemed to orbit him like a sun, his golden hair catching the light, piercing blue eyes impossible to ignore. His signature red-and-black sweater layered over a crisp white tee, blue jean, and black boots made him look effortlessly put together. Add the fact that he was the school's team captain, and it was no wonder half the school hung on his every move.

Becka was among Daniel's loudest admirers, claiming openly that they were a couple. Rumors spread fast—mostly thanks to her—but Daniel always dismissed them. They were just friends, nothing more. No matter how much Becka flirted, he kept a polite but steady distance, focusing instead on his grades and the team. To Starfania, Daniel was like a star—beautiful to look at, but impossibly far away. She'd accepted long ago that their worlds would never collide. Lost in thought, she almost missed the sound of her own name. " Starfania!"

Heat rushed to her cheeks as Professor Shadow's voice cut through the room, calling her out for not paying attention. She kept her eyes down, painfully aware that Daniel was watching. Great, she thought. There goes any chance of him noticing me in a good way.

It got worse—Shadow assigned her chapters ten through twenty as punishment. One wrong move and the pile of work could grow. Starfania nodded stiffly, deciding it wasn't worth arguing. Her cheeks still burned, and Becka's laughter cut through the air like broken glass.

" That's enough, Miss Scailia," Shadow snapped, and the giggles died down—though the smug smirks lingered. He returned to the lecture, and Starfania tried to focus, though Becka's words still echoed in her head.

Her gaze drifted across the room and landed on Aeron, his expression saying We need to talk after class. She gave a small nod. But then—another pair of eyes caught hers. Daniel. His smile was warm, his gaze steady, and for a moment, the room seemed to fade away. Her heart kicked in her chest, heat rising to her face. She glanced away, but the flutter stayed. Across the room, Aeron noticed the exchange, his eyes narrowing just slightly.