Chapter Fifteen: Morning Text
Aurelia stirred, tangled in blankets, sunlight slipping past the curtains and warming the edges of her room. Her phone buzzed insistently, vibrating against the mattress.
She groaned, squinting at the screen through half-lidded eyes.
Ardyn: Come by my office today, I need your help returning the marked assignments.
Her heart skipped.
She blinked, disoriented. The message made her pulse stutter, made the fog of sleep dissolve into a jittery awareness. Fingers fumbling, she tapped a reply:
U-uh… sure. Noon works.
Almost immediately, regret hit. She buried her face into the pillow, wishing the world would pause and let her disappear, or at least let her die of embarrassment right there.
Her cheeks warmed, but she didn't dare glance at her text.
Amara's voice rang in her head, vivid and teasing even though the other girl was still in her own bed.
"You're grinning at your phone again. Who's the culprit?"
Aurelia muttered something incoherent, heat climbing her neck. She curled tighter under the blanket, ignoring the memory of her best friend's teasing.
It was noon and she had just finished getting ready, her hands, almost unconsciously, started moving, brushing hair from her face, smoothing her shirt, adjusting the collar as if these small gestures could somehow make her less flustered before she went to Ardyn's study. Amara, perched on the edge of her bed scrolling through her phone, laughed.
"You're doing your hair before class. That's new," she teased.
"I...It's nothing," Aurelia mumbled, cheeks heating.
"Uh-huh. Sure. Nothing. Admit it, you've got a crush," Amara said, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Aurelia groaned louder, wishing she could crawl under her blankets and stay there until the day ended. "Amara! Don't..just… don't."
"Relax, I didn't say anything. But that tiny sigh?" Amara grinned. "Yeah. I heard it."
Across campus, Ardyn stared at his screen, rereading her message over and over. Minutes stretched painfully as he typed, deleted, and typed again. Each word felt heavy, each line inadequate. When her reply had come in the morning, a quiet chuckle escaped him, soft, almost embarrassed, but warm. She was predictable in the most endearing way, and he couldn't help but smile at it.
Aurelia slipped into his office. Sunlight streamed across the table, brushing her face and hair.
For a fleeting moment, he forgot the assignments, the lesson plan, the entire class. She looked… effortless. Normal, and extraordinary all at once.
They fell into easy conversation. Ardyn leaned over a map sprawled across his desk, tapping a pen against the paper. "I want to take the class into the woods near the old Elarion boundary," he said, eyes glinting. "Camping. Team-building exercises. Lectures under the stars. I thought it would make the history… more tangible."
Aurelia tilted her head, interest sparking despite herself. She followed his words without overthinking, feeling the rhythm of his thoughts and enjoying the way he spoke.
There was a natural pull, a flow to his presence she hadn't expected.
When they walked into class together, heads turned immediately. Lyra's sharp eyes caught sight of them across the room, calculating, measuring. She didn't even take this class, yet there she was, observing with that dangerous smile. Aurelia felt a flicker of irritation but quickly buried it under the rush of adrenaline and the faint warmth from the earlier conversation.
"Could I have the assignments?" Ardyn asked, voice carrying lightly across the room.
Aurelia stepped forward, passing the papers from desk to desk. Lyra's voice, low and cutting, slithered through the air.
"Teacher's pet, huh?"
Aurelia's lips twitched, but she ignored the comment, letting her composure settle. Ardyn's glance reassured her, a subtle tilt of the head, a hint of amusement that only she noticed.
Class progressed. Aurelia answered questions carefully, half her mind on the lesson, half on the lingering warmth of their conversation earlier. Lyra scoffed at one particularly insightful comment, her disbelief audible, but Aurelia barely noticed.
She had bigger things on her mind... the flutter in her chest every time Ardyn glanced her way, the strange thrill of sharing small moments with someone who seemed to see her differently.
When class ended, she stepped into the courtyard. Cal was already there, notebook open, pen poised. His gaze found her immediately, flicking between curiosity and concern.
"Anything new?" he asked.
Aurelia shook her head. "Not recently… nothing concrete."
"I stumbled on a story in an old book," Cal said, voice quiet. "The little boy and the princess becoming friends… I can't explain it, but it caught me. I kept thinking about it, it mattered more than it should."
Aurela hummed in understanding, nothing needed to be said. She fell into step beside him, the rhythm of their walk easy, comfortable. The half-understood memories, the mark on her skin, the lingering visions... sharing them with Cal made them feel lighter, somehow.
By the time they returned to the dorm, Amara was waiting, sprawled across her bed amid a chaotic mess of snacks and pillows.
Her grin was triumphant. "Movie night!" she announced, waving a bag of popcorn like a flag of conquest. "And before you argue.. tomorrow is my birthday."
Aurelia groaned. "Already?"
"Yes," Amara said smugly. "And I expect enthusiasm. Don't even think you're getting off easy tomorrow. Birthday plans are mandatory."
Aurelia groaned, flopping onto her bed. "Mandatory?"
"Absolutely," Amara replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You, me, and Cal. Clubbing. Dress up. Dance. Survive my birthday chaos."
Aurelia froze, imagining herself anywhere near a crowded club. Her pulse betrayed her, quickening with dread.
"Club… what?" she stammered.
"Club," Amara repeated with a triumphant grin.
"There's music. There's lights. There's bad dancing. You're coming whether you like it or not."
Cal raised an eyebrow, his expression a mixture of disbelief and amusement. "We're… going out?"
"Yes!" Amara said simply. "You two are my unwilling chaperones. Now pick outfits. No negotiations."
Aurelia felt heat crawl up her neck, making her cheeks flare with embarrassment. The image of strangers standing too close, dancing, laughing in the same crowd, made her stomach clench in anxiety.
"Fine," she muttered, finally surrendering. "I'll survive."
Amara clapped her hands, delighted. "Yes! That's the spirit. First, food. Movie second. Panic later."
They settled in for the evening, laughter spilling over popcorn and movie plots. The glow from the TV softened the room, turning it into a small, warm bubble where questions about dreams, marks, and Lyra's calculating gaze could wait.
Tonight, there was no pressure, no weight of the past or the future. Only friendship, teasing, and the kind of chaos that made life feel fully alive, Amara-style.