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Chapter 31 — Clara vs. The Cousin
A Cousin, a Campus, and a Catastrophe Waiting to Happen
Athena had warned Clara that her cousin was visiting for the weekend. What she hadn't mentioned was that Luca Brown looked like he'd walked straight out of a fragrance campaign for "mischief and bad decisions."
He arrived on campus with a duffel bag slung over one shoulder and a smile that could cause traffic accidents. Within five minutes, he'd charmed two receptionists, borrowed someone's pen, and somehow convinced a cafeteria worker to give him extra fries "for emotional support."
Athena dragged him up to her dorm, rolling her eyes. "Clara, this is my cousin, Luca. Luca, this is Clara—my friend, my roommate, and the only reason I passed first-year statistics."
Luca turned that movie-star grin on Clara and extended his hand. "So you're the legendary Clara. I've heard stories."
Clara eyed him suspiciously. "Hopefully the good ones."
"Mostly about how terrifyingly smart you are," he said. "Athena said you can make an Excel sheet cry."
Clara tried not to smile. "That's… accurate."
Luca's grin widened. "I like smart girls. They make the world more interesting—and dangerous."
Athena groaned. "Oh no. Not this again. Luca, she has a low tolerance for idiots, so don't try to charm her."
"Charm her?" Luca said, mock-offended. "I'm merely introducing myself with sincerity, respect, and natural magnetism."
"Right," Clara said dryly. "And I'm the Queen of England."
"Your Majesty," he said instantly, giving her a playful bow.
Clara stared at him. "Oh, he's worse than I thought."
---
Operation: Tolerate Luca
By lunchtime, Clara had declared Luca "a walking disruption with dimples."
By dinnertime, she had upgraded him to "a slightly entertaining walking disruption with dimples."
Athena could barely eat for laughing. Luca narrated his entire day like he was starring in a documentary no one asked for.
> "Observe the wild campus environment," he said, gesturing at a passing group of students. "Notice how the species undergraduates fatigatus moves in slow, caffeine-fueled herds."
Clara nearly choked on her drink. "Do you ever stop talking?"
"Not voluntarily," Luca said. "Unless you make me."
Athena's head dropped to the table. "I regret this family connection."
"Liar," Luca said cheerfully. "You love me."
"Not at this volume," she muttered.
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Clara's Unexpected Weakness
The next morning, Athena went to her early lecture, leaving Luca and Clara alone in the dorm's shared kitchenette. Clara was stirring instant coffee when she heard a loud crash and a muttered curse.
She turned—and found Luca standing guiltily over a puddle of spilled milk, holding the remains of a very dead coffee mug.
"Don't. Say. A word," he warned.
Clara grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."
He sighed. "Okay, fine, say it."
"You're hopeless," she said, still laughing.
"I'm not hopeless," he protested, grabbing paper towels. "I'm… creatively challenged by domestic activities."
"Translation: you can't make coffee without breaking physics."
"Harsh, but fair," he admitted, flashing that grin again.
Clara took the towel from him, their fingers brushing for half a second. It was nothing—except her pulse decided to act like it had just run a marathon. She stepped back quickly, pretending to be very interested in mopping up the mess.
"So," she said, forcing nonchalance, "is this your plan? Cause chaos until the universe rewards you with attention?"
"Only yours," he said casually.
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
He shrugged. "It's working, isn't it?"
She froze mid-wipe, torn between outrage and laughter. "You are—without a doubt—the most irritating person I've ever met."
"And yet," he said, leaning against the counter, "you're smiling."
"I'm smiling because I'm imagining ways to get rid of you."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Romantic tension. I like it."
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Athena's Return and Immediate Regret
When Athena returned that afternoon, she found Clara on the couch, aggressively typing on her laptop while Luca sat beside her, tossing grapes into the air and catching them in his mouth.
"Why are you here again?" Athena asked him.
"Family bonding," he said around a grape.
"Harassment," Clara corrected.
Luca gasped. "That's a harsh label for light affection."
"Light affection is a hug," Clara said without looking up. "You're a full-time nuisance."
He grinned. "And yet, you haven't kicked me out."
Athena sat down, utterly delighted. "Oh, this is gold. You two are like a sitcom I didn't know I needed."
Clara finally slammed her laptop shut. "If this is a sitcom, I want to fire the casting director."
"Too late," Luca said. "Audience loves me."
---
The Beginning of Trouble
That night, Athena lay in bed scrolling through texts from Damon, her heart full, while Clara scrolled through memes—except every few swipes, a familiar face popped into her mind, and she found herself smiling at nothing.
Across campus, Luca typed out a message, deleted it twice, and finally settled on:
> You were fun to annoy today. Same time tomorrow? I'll bring milk that doesn't fight back.
Clara saw it appear on her screen, rolled her eyes, and typed back:
> You're ridiculous.
A second later, his reply came:
> You like ridiculous.
She tried not to smile. She failed spectacularly.
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