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The cafeteria was buzzing like a hive of restless bees. Trays clattered against tables, students chattered over the hum of the ventilation system, and the smell of reheated pasta mingled with coffee and detergent. I wove through the crowd with the precision of someone who did this a thousand times before—but today, my attention was elsewhere.

Red hair. That's what distracted me. A flash of it, just enough to make me misstep. And like the universe had a sense of humor, my tray tipped. Coffee sloshed across the floor and directly onto the girl in front of me.

"Oh! I'm so...." I gasped, swiping at the wet fabric with napkins, but I wasn't fast enough. The heat of the liquid made my hands shake, but it wasn't just the coffee. My chest thumped harder for reasons I didn't want to admit.

Callie Rowan. That's what the nametag read on her bag. I didn't even know her, but… wow. She looked down at the damp spot, frozen for a split second. There was no anger—just surprise, and maybe… amusement?

"I… I'm really sorry," I said, my voice rushing over the words. Without thinking, I dabbed at her chest again with the napkin and yeah, my hand grazed her in a way that made my stomach flip. Immediate regret.

"Oh!" I squeaked, yanking my hand back like it had burned me. "I…..I didn't mean to…."

Her cheeks were pink, and I could see that tiny flicker of disappointment, like she had hoped I'd linger, even just a second longer. Damn it. My heart skipped.

"I… I can help you clean this, or… um, you can change if you want," I said, trying to sound casual, though my voice probably gave me away. "I can… wait. I mean… I have a car nearby. Private. Totally fine. If that's ok with you."

Callie blinked, her pink lips pressing into a tiny, almost shy smile. "You'd… let me do that?"

"Of course, I have a spare shirt," I said, all too quickly. "I mean… I'm not going to watch or anything. Privacy, maximum privacy. Totally chill. "

Her smile widened, and I had to forcibly look away before I melted into the floor. Focus, Selene. You are literally your own vibe—don't fluster yourself over a stranger… even if she's ridiculously cute.

By the time we made it to the school parking lot, my chest was still racing. I parked and let her slip into the backseat, holding her wet clothes carefully. I handed her a spare shirt from my bag.

"Here… just in case," I said, trying to sound breezy, though I felt like a hot mess.

She accepted it, nodding, and started changing. And yes—of course, I got a glimpse. My brain screamed. LOOK AWAY! LOOK AWAY!

I did. Immediately. Pretended to check my phone, heart pounding, but I couldn't stop the tiny thrill that zipped through me. She had that effortless, gorgeous figure that made everything else disappear for a moment.

"You're… jumpy, aren't you?" she said, her voice teasing, melodic, teasing in a way that made my knees go weak.

I swallowed hard. "Maybe a little." My thoughts betrayed me. Why is she like… this? How is she real?

---

Once she was changed, I handed her the shirt I had spilled coffee on. She accepted it, brushing her fingers against mine briefly. I felt a jolt of electricity. 

"By the way, I'm Selene architecture student," I said quickly, trying to inject casualness into my tone.

"Callie… Callie Rowan , architecture research student what a coincidence," Callie replied, her voice soft, tinged with a smile as if she hadn't expected my charm to be so disarming. 

"So… project?" Callie asked, playful, curious. Pointing at a pile of papers on the dashboard.

"Yes… Elena - my project partner- and I are behind. Almost due, and she's sick she won't make it, so I'm… flying solo at night ," I admitted, shrugging.

Her eyes lit up. "Flying solo, huh? That's… brave of you."

I smirked. "Or desperate."

She chuckled. "Well… lucky for you, I'm not busy at 8 PM tomorrow. I can help you."

My chest jumped. "That… would be amazing."

She smiled. " Then it's a date. I mean….project date. Totally professional." 

I gave her my number so I could sent her the address later 

 We engaged in casual conversation but the moment I checked my watch, "Oh no! I'm late for class! I have to go , See you around"

---

 I slipped into Building Physics class, my cheeks still warm from the earlier encounter. Professor Isaac Hale's gaze immediately landed on me. It lingered in a way that made my skin prickle—a sharp, assessing look that held a teasing, almost mischievous undertone.

"You're late again," he said, voice clipped, though a flicker of something unreadable danced in his eyes.

I gave a quick nod, sinking into my seat. My mind, however, was not on the lecture. 

Elena, seated beside me, leaned over with a subtle nudge. "You're… distracted," she whispered, eyes sparkling with teasing curiosity.

My lips pressed into a thin line, but I managed a small shake of my head. "I'm fine, I just had an encounter with someone at the Cafeteria. How are you feeling?" I murmured, trying to hide the rush of warmth in my cheeks. 

"Not so well , I don't know if I will manage the whole lesson."

"Call your family chauffeur, don't worry about the project—I've almost got it done. And don't you dare go out , why are you here , stop straining you're body it's not worth it."

" Why are so grumpy today, I was bored since I moved back in the mansion.I knew I could count on you, I love you . Once I'm well let's go out to celebrate." she said it's almost a whisper. I can't help but giggle .

Professor Hale's attention shifted slightly as he noticed us whispering. "If you two cannot keep it down," he said, voice icy, "you'll leave." The words were sharp, but his lingering glance at me was difficult to ignore—a mixture of irritation and something that felt almost deliberate, teasing.

...…..

The drive back to my dorm was quiet, but my mind was anything but chaos I kept replaying the moments: the coffee spill, the accidental brush of skin, the teasing, her smile, her blush… the way my chest had tightened just from her being near.

Pulling into the driveway, I parked and took a moment to compose myself. Breathe Selene, act cool. Totally cool. Definitely not melting inside. Definitely.

I entered the dorm, kicking off my heels with a flourish, tossing my bag onto the bed. The adrenaline of the day slowly faded, replaced by a strange mix of anticipation and nervous energy.

I flopped onto my bed, phone in hand, when it buzzed. My mother.

"Selene," her sharp voice cut through the quiet. "Do you even care about your fiancé? He tried to communicate to you but you hung up. Why are you so shameless. Selene I'm talking to you , ungrateful child...I wish I never had yo..."

I groaned, dropping the phone beside me. Tears prickled behind my eyes, fueled by frustration and exhaustion. She didn't care about me, only the image I was supposed to maintain a trophy, a piece in her collection of success stories. 

With my father it was worse , sometimes I wish I was orphan, because they never treated me like their child. To my father I was unwanted visitor , the moment he learned I had vagina damn , all his anger was directed towards me. 

He wished I was a boy , so he could have heir. Yep, my bad luck was shinning he was declared infertile. I got engaged even before I knew how to talk let one walk.The aim of the alliance was for him to have heir . Only if he knew I liked women, he would kill me for sure.

I curled into myself, letting the tension seep away with quiet sobs. But then my thoughts drifted… to Celestine. Her warmth. Her calm presence. How she made me feel like I was seen—not an object, not a pawn, not a trophy. I wished I could see her, hug her, breathe in that rare, grounding warmth.

Eventually, the tears subsided, exhaustion claiming me. But even as I drifted into sleep, my mind refused to let go of Callie. The laughter, the teasing, the accidental brush… every small detail burned in my memory. I couldn't help it. The sparks were alive, smoldering in ways I didn't want to ignore.

Tomorrow would come, and with it, the anticipation of 8 PM, the project, and the undeniable pull I felt toward her. My world had shifted in one small, chaotic day and I couldn't wait to see where it would take me next.

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