Soft laughter and the sounds of people eating filled the cozy corner of Café Bellarose___ A fancy eatery at the heart of Northbridge Collage of law, a university exclusively for law students only. It is a student favorite, the kind of place where students tends to unwind, or spend leisure time. The interior decorated in a local style, giving a homely charm. The wooden walls, the rustic tables and chairs all had a tiny colourful light strung around it. The air carried the scent of freshly made Coffee, Students, even lecturers having a time of their life as soft Music played faintly in the background.
BY the largest window, sat a pair___Selena and Daniel, both facing each other, smiling and chatting as they slowly sipped in their milkshakes
".... Almost didn't realize it was the guy that had asked for my pen the other day so..." Daniel talked mid story, his hand gesturing animatedly as Selena just stared deeply at him, fully engaged in the Story as she slowly twriled her straw in the milk shake.
He continued
"..... And then he was like... Oh shit!" Daniel finished making them both laughed,
When the laughter faded she tilted her head at him, staring at him for a moment, then she said
"I never knew you were this funny"
He feighed heartach placing his both palm on his chest
"Even after this few weeks that we have been hanging out so much?" He asked as she giggled trying to explain waving both hands
"No i didnt mean it like that..." Before she could finish he reached across the table and gently took her hand
"If only you would give me a chance, let me come closer" He said eyes fixed on hers
She chuckled softly. "What do you mean?"
"I feel like you keep me at arm's length. Like you draw me in… but then some how pushes me away at the same time." His fingers played lightly with hers. "You know what I mean, Selena."He looked up at her, only to see her expression darken. Slowly, she pulled her hand from his.
She exhaled, glancing away for a moment before looking back down at her hand.
"I… I just remembered there's something I need to do at home. I have to go now."
She grabbed her purse and a fancy nylon bag filled with necessities, standing up without waiting for his reply. She was halfway to leaving when he caught her by the wrist.
"You see? Now you're avoiding the topic. C'mon, Selena" he said, his voice low but urging, hoping she would give him a chance.
"Huh? Just tell me what you want, anything at all, Selena." He gestured toward the nylon bag in her hand. "You want more of this? I can double it for you…"
"Daniel" she said softly, yet with a firmness that made him pause.
"You can just let go if you feel like my walls are too high for you" she said "I mean it" she added, her hand resting on his as she held his gaze
Silence took over for a moment, Daniel quietly contemplating how to handle this moment. He had been carrying this question in his mind for a long time—why Selena kept drawing the line, even when their connection seemed healthy and headed somewhere. But now that he had finally brought it up, the conversation seem to be heading south. He had never crossed his mind that she would suggest that one of them might have to let go.
"You know what? Never mind." He forced an awkward smile.
"Let's just pretend we never had this conversation" he said.
Selena only stared at him blankly, unsure what to make of the sudden change in mood.
Daniel slid his long arm around her shoulders. "C'mon. Where was it you said you were going? Let me drop you off in my car," he offered with a calm smile.
She kept staring at him. "Daniel," she said again, softer this time.
"Don't worry, Selena. I won't force it," he assured her. "I'll take my time… and slowly climb your walls until I reach it's peak."
"C'mon." He guided her gently toward the door, leading her out to the white car he had parked in front of the eatery.
_ _ _
Daniel parked this car in front of a tall building___ Student Dorm Building C.
They both stood there for a moment, Daniel suddenly smirked
"Can't believe im just getting to know which building you live in, after all this while we have been hanging out" He said staring up at the building, then he turned to her
"C'mon, let me walk you home," He said checking the time on his wrist watch " Its already getting late"
Selena laughed awkwardly, brushing her curly over her shoulder
"It's Barely 6:30, and my dorm is just few steps away" she said
"I insist, Selena. Just... Let me"
She paused for a moment, didn't argue, just Simply nodded in defeat and slowly lead the way.
_ _ _
"Daniel, seriously, you didn't have to," Selena said___ probably for the third time now, as they walked through the tall building.
"I just want to make sure you get home safely." He Simply said
The sun still hung lazily in the sky, warm light oozing over the campus buildings. One stood tall at the center of a wild courtyard.
The courtyard carried a faint weekend energy — students laughing and chatting, someone playing a guitar under a tree. In the hallway of the building, a couple making out behind a vending machine, not caring if anyone saw them.
Daniel walked beside her, hands in his pockets, lips pressed into that half-smile he always wore when trying to look chill.
"You make it look like I live in the middle of nowhere," she said as she walked toward a brown door. "See? It's literally a five-minute walk. I wouldn't have been kidnapped."
Daniel raised a brow. "You call that a five-minute walk?" he scoffed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "We just climbed a whole bunch of stairs up to the seventh floor."
"You can't blame me — blame the broken elevator," she replied. "I mean, if only you had listened and not followed me." She said it like a joke, but with a hint of seriousness. Truthfully, she had wished he hadn't come along.
Still, amidst those thoughts, she offered him a polite smile, a contrast to the activity going on in her head, already fishing her keys from her purse, she took it out as she slid the key into the keyhole, she kept glancing over her shoulder to his side, checking if he would finally start leaving. But he stood there, unmoving.
Click!
The lock turned, and she swung the door open.
Right there — in the middle of the small room — stood a tall, shirtless, barefoot guy, hair still damp from a long shower, earphones plugged in, eating cereal straight from the pack.
That was her twin brother, Sebastian Marlowe.
He looked up mid-bite, like a deer caught in headlights.
Daniel froze behind her, trying to process the scene in front of him. Selena, catching the stunned look on his face, smirked as a twisted little thought crept into her mind.
"Oops," she said dramatically, stepping aside so Daniel could have a better view of the guy in front of him. Then she walked toward Sebastian, locking eyes with him.
"Bastian," she called in a soft voice — though her stare was the complete opposite. She winked aggressively, signaling him to play along.
"I told you to always let me know whenever you show up," she said. "You know I don't like surprises."
She moved to stand beside him, now facing Daniel, who still looked frozen in place.
Sebastian Who had paused eating hurried to chew down the lot of food that he had shoved in his mouth, making the present silence more awkward than it should be as they both seemed to be waiting for a comment from him
He gulped as his eyes quickly dated between the two people in the room
"Uh, I..." He slid his hand gently into his pocket. "I didn't realize we had company," he said, looking more confident than he had a moment ago.
"What... is going on?" Daniel asked as Selena exhaled and took a step toward him.
"I'm sorry, this is... this is awkward, Daniel," she began dramatically. "This wasn't supposed to happen like this. I didn't want you to find out this way—"
He cut her off. "Find out what exactly? What the hell is going on?"
She stepped forward again, gazing at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"Listen, you've been amazing and sweet and all, but... but I just don't think we're in the same place emotionally."
"You just don't think?" Daniel shot back. "Selena, you have a boyfriend. Isn't that who he is? Your boyfriend..."
"I was going to tell you about this... I never intended for you to find out this way—"
"But I found out anyway," he cut in, trying to subdue the anger rising in his voice.
Meanwhile, Sebastian just stood there, watching the drama unfold, slowly eating his cereal like it was popcorn—quietly savoring the scene.
"You know how I feel about you, Selena. How could you do this to me?"
"Why do you make it sound like I cheated on you?" she shot back, her voice rising. Then, softer she said, "Daniel..." She stepped closer. "Can you see now why I've been drawing the line? I only wanted to hang out with you as a friend, It's not that my walls are too high— I already have someone. And that's Sebastian."
She hesitated, her stomach twisting. "My..." She gulped, forcing the words out. "Boy... friend."
She glanced back at Sebastian, who was doing a terrible job of hiding the irritation on his face. He didn't blink, but his grip on the spoon tightened, and he shoveled another bite of cereal into his mouth with deliberate slowness, clearly irritated as She gave him an apologetic look, knowing there was a very real risk he might blow this whole act wide open.
Turning back to Daniel, she found him quiet, his expression unreadable. He seemed to be slowly accepting it—not because he fully believed her, but because deep down he knew they'd never actually been in a relationship to begin with. Still, she could see the sting in his eyes.
He sighed.
"So... you guys... live together?" Daniel asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Selena's gaze darted away, searching for a fitting answer. "We..." She placed one hand on her hip, the other on her forehead in mock distress. "Daniel, it's complicated," she said with a dramatic sigh.
Daniel just nodded slowly, his jaw tightening.
He glanced past her at Sebastian, who by now had clearly caught on. Leaning casually against the wall, Sebastian shoveled another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
"Sup," he said with a wink and a deliberately smug smile—the kind that made Daniel's glare sharpen. Daniel gave a stiff nod in return, purely out of formality.
"I'm sorry, Daniel," Selena said, her tone suddenly softer, more sincere. She stepped closer, her eyes holding his. "I really am."
And with that, she closed the door shut in his face.