The morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the university lecture hall, casting long, warm streaks across the polished wood floors. Liora stepped inside quietly, clutching her books close, her soft footsteps nearly swallowed by the murmur of students settling into their seats. The room smelled faintly of old paper and polished desks—a scent that always made her heart steady.
She scanned the room with calm eyes, taking in faces mostly distracted by conversations or phones. A few glanced her way out of polite curiosity, but most returned to their own worlds. Except for two pairs of eyes.
One was sharp and warm, full of a casual confidence that somehow made the room feel smaller and more electric. The other was cooler, quieter—intense but unreadable, like a book tightly closed. They sat side by side, almost like shadows blending, and yet they were clearly watching her.
Liora's lips curved into a small, unspoken question as she took her seat at the far end of the row, pretending not to notice the way those eyes followed her.
The lecture began, voices fading to a background hum. Words about literature and history washed over her, but Liora's mind was alert to every glance and subtle shift of expression between Kael and Riven. They said nothing to each other during class, but she caught their eyes meeting once or twice, brief, sharp.
---
Later that afternoon, the library breathed quiet and cool, rows of bookshelves standing like silent sentinels. Liora wandered between aisles, her fingers grazing the spines as if seeking something she couldn't name.
She rounded a corner and froze. There, in the dim light, was Riven—head bent low over a book, his dark hair falling just enough to shade his eyes. The stillness of him made the air around seem heavier.
Liora hesitated, then stepped forward.
"Is this seat taken?" Her voice was soft, almost unsure.
Riven looked up slowly, eyes meeting hers with a flicker of surprise. "No." His voice was low, dry.
"You don't seem like the library type," she teased gently.
He shrugged. "I don't seem like a lot of things."
She smiled faintly and settled beside him, pulling out her notes. The quiet between them was comfortable at first, the kind of silence that doesn't demand filling.
After a while, the sound of footsteps approached. Kael appeared with a grin and a crumpled bag of snacks in hand, tossing it casually on the table.
"New friend, Riv?" His tone was playful, teasing.
Riven said nothing, eyes narrowing just slightly.
Liora's smile grew. "You two always this talkative?"
Kael winked. "Only to people who matter."
That line lingered in the air longer than usual, and Liora felt a thrill she couldn't explain.
---
They talked then, words flowing like a gentle river—about school, favorite books, the differences between their hometowns, music that made their hearts beat faster. Kael joked easily, drawing laughter from Liora. Riven was quieter but not silent, offering sharp observations and occasional smiles that made her pulse quicken.
The trio found a fragile rhythm, each playing a role in the delicate dance of new friendship. Yet beneath it all, Liora sensed the currents pulling between Kael and Riven—the unspoken history, the tension coiled tight just beneath the surface.
She caught Kael watching Riven with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and Riven returning the look with a cool, guarded glance.
When Kael teased her about liking Riven's "mysterious vibe," she laughed freely, but inside, she was already beginning to wonder what lay behind those cool eyes.
---
That night, the quiet of Riven's apartment felt heavy, almost intimate. Kael was there, sitting close on the worn couch, the dim light from a single lamp casting soft shadows over their faces.
Music played low, a slow hum that filled the space without words.
"She's interesting," Kael whispered, eyes fixed on the door like she might walk in at any moment.
Riven's voice was dry, careful. "She's a distraction."
Kael grinned, leaning in just enough to blur the line between friendship and something more. "Maybe. But I think she's watching us."
Riven's gaze held his, steady and unreadable.
"And if she is?"
Kael's breath was warm against Riven's neck. "Then we behave. Like perfect best friends."
Their fingers brushed—quick, accidental, but charged. The moment stretched, wordless but heavy with meaning.
Kael leaned his head against Riven's shoulder. It was a quiet intimacy, something unspoken but real.
---
Back in her dorm, Liora held her phone lightly, staring at the blurry photo she'd taken earlier—Kael and Riven sitting side by side, their shoulders almost touching as they studied. The image was grainy but enough to catch the way their eyes met across the table.
She whispered to herself, "They don't act like just friends…"
And somewhere deep inside, she knew this was only the beginning.
---