Seraphina stepped inside her hostel and froze. The door closed softly behind her, but she didn't move immediately. Instead, she lingered there, pressed lightly against the cool wood, closing her eyes. For a long moment, she let herself inhale the familiar scent of the room—linen, faint perfume, and that comforting warmth that had always welcomed her home. A slow smile spread across her face, subtle, almost shy, as she let the day's events settle in. The wind from the rooftop, the laughter, the drive, and that moment where everything had felt like it might heal—it all replayed vividly.
Finally, she straightened, her fingers moving automatically to lock the door. The click sounded louder than she expected, but she didn't mind. She needed to feel secure, to feel that this space was hers, a small fortress where she could breathe. She tucked her bag carefully and made her way upstairs—not to her room yet, but to Elowen's.
Without hesitation, she barged in. The door wasn't locked, and Sera didn't knock. She just stepped inside, moving toward the bed with a casual confidence that made her feel almost giddy.
Elowen, sitting at her study table with a pile of notes spread out, looked up sharply. "I thought you eloped or something! I've been calling you a billion times—WHERE WERE YOU?"
Sera grinned, a laugh escaping before she could stop it. "El, you would never believe where I was."
Elowen, running out of patience, leaned back in her chair and raised an eyebrow. "Okay… spill. Don't leave me hanging. Where?"
Sera let herself chuckle again, a soft, melodic sound that seemed to fill the room. "Thaddeus."
The words hit Elowen like a wave. Her eyes widened, and the smile she had been holding vanished in an instant. "Who? What?" she stammered. Then, almost whispering, "Thaddeus?"
Sera held up a hand gently. "El, calm down," she said softly, her voice patient.
Elowen folded her arms and let out a theatrical sigh. "You will drive me crazy," she said sarcastically, a smirk returning to her lips. "But… you know what? I'm going to be a good friend. I'll hear you out. Just… when you're done, head to your room and give yourself a timeout."
"Oh, my loveee," Sera breathed, rushing to hug her best friend. The warmth of Elowen's arms grounded her. "Elowen, I didn't want to go…"
Elowen raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp. "Go where?"
Sera took a breath, memories bubbling to the surface. "To the place… where he proposed to me, where we had our first kiss."
Elowen's heart softened, the initial shock giving way to delight. "Awwwn," she said, caught off guard. She quickly cleared her throat, shaking her head. "Sorry, continue."
Sera sank onto the bed, her legs curled under her. "It started after class. I was walking back to my hostel… and I thought I was going to just ignore him if he saw me. But he stopped me. In his car. I tried to walk past, but he… he asked me to hear him out. For a few minutes. And something in his voice—El, I couldn't just say no."
Elowen leaned forward, her eyes wide. "Go on… I need details."
Sera let herself relive the drive. "It was awkward at first, like every word we said was carefully measured, but then… we laughed. Small, silly things—campus gossip, jokes, and the fact that he still teases me about how obsessed I am with that one professor's lectures. I couldn't help laughing. It felt… like normal, like when we were still dating."
Elowen chuckled knowingly. "So, he's still the same Thaddeus who makes your heart skip?"
Sera smiled softly. "Yes… and then we arrived at the rooftop. El, you know the place. The city spread out below, fairy lights strung everywhere, the wind pulling at our hair, the golden sunset… it was perfect. Memories came rushing back—the first kiss, the proposal, the way he had held my hands, nervous, trembling, and asked me to be his girlfriend. I… I felt chills, El. I didn't expect it, but I did. And then… he said he still loved me. Said he was sorry for everything—the humiliation, the mistakes. That he just wanted me back."
Elowen stayed silent for a moment, letting the story sink in, before finally asking, "And… what did you say?"
Sera's smile was small, thoughtful. "I didn't say anything. I listened. And we talked… about everything else, too. Family,life, campus gossip, jokes… even locked eyes a few times, and we didn't know whether to laugh or look away."
Elowen leaned back, absorbing it all, before finally exhaling softly. "Maybe… maybe you both needed this. To remind yourselves that you're still in love. But… now, think carefully if he's the kind of person you'd want a future with."
Sera nodded, letting the words rest in her chest. "You're right," she said quietly.
Before the conversation could go further, Elowen's stomach growled loudly. "Baby girl, I'm starving! Have you eaten?"
Sera shook her head.
El gave her a sharp, exaggerated look. "You sure haven't," she said, then suggested, "We can order takeout."
Sera laughed, shaking her head. "No. Let's eat on campus. Take a walk. Enjoy the evening."
El nodded, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "You're right. And… the drive wasn't enough for you, was it?" she teased.
Sera laughed, grabbing El's hand. "Come on, let's go."
They left to Sera's room, she changed quickly, and they headed out to campus. The evening air was crisp, carrying distant laughter and the faint smell of food from nearby stalls. They found a quiet corner, seated, scrolling through their phones and laughing at old photos, social media trends, and memories from when Sera and Thaddeus first started dating. El couldn't help but laugh at herself too, remembering how she had been the "third wheel" yet secretly adored seeing Thaddeus make Sera laugh. He had always made her feel like their first child, doting and protective.
Their laughter faded briefly as they noticed Alden and Callum approaching with takeout boxes. Sera's body language immediately signaled disinterest in speaking to Alden. Elowen leaned closer, whispering, "Did he text you today?"
Sera shook her head. "Nope."
El pursed her lips. "Weird."
Callum approached their table cautiously, his expression was a mixture of nerves and amusement. "Hey, El," he said, trying to sound casual, but there was a little hitch in his voice.
Elowen glanced up, raising one eyebrow. "Oh… hello, Callum. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she said with a teasing tilt of her head.
He laughed awkwardly. "Well… I tried to talk to you after class, but, um… you kind of ignored me."
Elowen smirked, leaning back in her chair. "I did, did I? Huh, I must have been very busy. My apologies," she said, her tone sweetly sarcastic.
Callum grinned, shrugging. "Yeah, well… I guess you have every right. You know, super important student life and all that."
Elowen tilted her head, pretending to be thoughtful. "Hmm… yes, student life. Very busy. And yet here you are."
"Exactly!" Callum said, leaning slightly on the edge of the table. "Okay I'll take my leave now", he announced and they both nodded in agreement.
Alden spoke later, approaching their table. "Haven't heard from the princess all day," he said casually.
Sera tilted her head, responding smoothly, "I guess we've both been busy."
"I'll text later, my love," Alden added, planting a kiss on half her lips before waving at Elowen. He and Callum left shortly afterward.
El and Sera exchanged amused glances, laughter spilling out quietly. "Let's get food first," El said. "Yes please," Sera replied. "We'll postpone this for later."
Back at the house, Thaddeus had returned and was in the living room, watching a movie. Callum handed him his takeout. "Thank you, it was about time," Thaddeus muttered, adding, "I'm starving."
They ate in silence, the tension between them all unspoken but thick in the air. Once finished, Callum collected the leftovers and took them to the kitchen to dispose them."I think we should talk," he said shutting the kitchen door softly behind him.
Thaddeus straightened immediately. "Yes. Alden, you should explain yourself. What did you mean by 'the bet is on' this morning?"
Alden hesitated, pretending to be engrossed in the movie. "I meant what I said. The deal is on."
Thaddeus's eyes blazed. "Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble… there is no deal."
Alden laughed mockingly. "Sorry, little rich prince who thinks he owns the world, and calls on and off shots. The first part of the plan has been executed."
Thaddeus rose, fists clenched. Callum rushed and stepped between them to prevent a fight.
"Let me tell you something," Thaddeus shouted, voice shaking with fury, "my Seraphina would never like someone like you! Talk of kissing her!"
Alden smirked. "Well, little prince… she did. And I did more than just kiss her, but that wasn't enough—she wanted more." He paused to quickly scan Thaddeus' face as if expecting a reaction. He continued "Oh God, Thaddeus, you should have been there. I had to stop her else who knows what would've gone down. I just kept thinking… she seemed uptight, but so easy."
Without warning, Thaddeus struck Alden hard across the cheek. Callum immediately intervened.
Thaddeus stormed upstairs, slamming the door behind him. Collapsing onto his floor, he cried, his pride shattered.
Downstairs, Callum confronted Alden. "What was that about?"
Alden's wicked grin never wavered. "Just trying to honor the deal," he said.
Callum shook his head. "Really, Alden? So Sera is a game to you?"
Alden shrugged. "Don't drag this. It's just a bet, okay?" He walked away, leaving Callum speechless.
Callum's eyes narrowed as he watched Alden walk away, his wicked grin still plastered across his face. Something inside him snapped—the disbelief, the anger, the sheer audacity of it all. He called out, loud enough to carry down the corridor:
"So you really hate Thaddeus that much to play with the innocent girl like that? Huh?!"
Alden froze mid-step, his grin faltering just slightly as he turned his head over his shoulder. The hallway seemed to shrink around them, the chatter and background noise of the house fading into nothing. The words hit harder than he expected.
Callum stepped closer, chest rising with a mix of fury and disbelief. "Don't think I didn't see it. You treat Seraphina like she's nothing more than a pawn in some twisted game of yours! And for what? Just to prove you can? To show you're… what? Better than Thaddeus?" His voice was sharp, each word punctuated by raw frustration, echoing off the walls.
Alden's lips curled into that same wicked smile, slow and deliberate, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of something… unease. "Don't drag this out, Callum," he said, his tone smooth but clipped. "It's just a bet, okay? Nothing more. Don't make it bigger than it is."
Callum's fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. "Just a bet? Just a bet?! You think a person's heart is a game you can throw around? That the one person who trusts you is just a stepping stone in your little plan?" His voice cracked, partly from anger, partly from disbelief. He stepped closer, narrowing the space between them. "You really hate Thaddeus that much, don't you? That you'd use Seraphina to hurt him? Or humiliate him? Or prove some point about yourself?"
Alden's grin remained, unnervingly calm, but there was a shadow behind his eyes now, a flicker of recognition that Callum wasn't going to let this slide. "It's… just a bet," he repeated, a little more forceful this time, trying to mask the tension.
Callum shook his head, voice rising one last time, echoing in the empty hallway: "Don't think you can justify hurting her—or anyone—with that excuse. Do you even realize what you're doing? That she's not a prize, not a pawn? That she's a person?!"
Alden's jaw tightened. He opened his mouth, but Callum didn't give him the chance to speak. "I don't care about your stupid bet anymore. You don't get to play with her heart—or anyone else's. You hear me?!"
For a long moment, there was silence. Alden's face remained that wicked, unreadable mask, but his eyes darted slightly, betraying the smallest trace of irritation, perhaps even guilt. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel, heading toward his room, leaving Callum standing there, chest heaving, heart pounding with adrenaline and frustration.
Upstairs, Thaddeus lay on the floor, crying quietly. On her bed, Sera stared at the ceiling, thinking about him, the rooftop, the drive, and the stolen moments they had shared earlier that day. She smiled softly to herself, heart aching, but full of hope.