Tia moved aimlessly through the campus library. It was the weekend, and she craved a distraction—something to anchor her mind away from the stress in her body. She drifted from shelf to shelf, her fingers trailing over leather spines until a particular title caught her eye. It looked promising. She pulled the heavy hardcover down, running her hand over the textured binding.
Anxious to dive in, she turned too quickly and slammed right into a solid chest. The impact sent her reeling; she lost her balance and hit the floor.
"Watch where you're—" Tia started to snap, her head whipping up to glare at the culprit. But the words died instantly in her throat.
Standing over her was Xavier Flynn.
As the top-ranked student in the Law Department, Xavier was a campus legend. He was famously dubbed the "Ice Prince"—brilliant, untouchable, and devastatingly handsome. Tia had seen him from a distance for years, but she had never been close enough to speak to him.
He reached down, offering a hand. Tia stared at it, then up at him. When he smiled, it was like a sudden sunrise; it melted her frustration instantly. Up clos, his features were so perfectly carved they seemed surreal.
Xavier, for his part, found himself momentarily silenced. He looked down at the girl on the floor—simple dress, minimal makeup, yet possessing a raw, natural beauty that put the campus socialites to shame.
"Are you okay?" Xavier asked.
Tia didn't answer. She was too busy memorizing the flecks of light in his eyes. Xavier chuckled, waving a hand in front of her face to break the spell. Tia blinked, finally snapping out of her trance.
"Are you okay?" he repeated, his voice rich and amused.
"Yes... yes, I'm fine," Tia stammered, finally taking his hand as he pulled her to her feet.
He kept his hand extended for a formal shake. "I'm Xavier. And you are?"
"Tia," she replied, her heart doing a frantic rhythmic dance against her ribs. "Nice to meet you."
Xavier's gaze dropped to the book clutched in her hand. A flash of genuine interest crossed his face. "I see you have excellent taste in literature."
Tia's brain momentarily short-circuited. Before she could stop herself, the truth tumbled out: "I see you are incredibly handsome."
The second the words left her lips, she clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening in horror. "I—I am so sorry! That was... that wasn't deliberate. I didn't mean to say that out loud."
Xavier didn't look offended. Instead, he let out a low, melodic laugh. He was used to girls playing coy or acting bored to impress him. Tia's unfiltered honesty was a breath of fresh air.
"You don't have to apologize" Xavier teased, his eyes twinkling. "And I have to admit, you are quite beautiful yourself."
Tia felt the heat rush to her face, her cheeks turning a vivid pink. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, desperate to change the subject. "About the book... I've actually never read it. I just thought I'd give it a try."
"It's my favorite," Xavier said. "I can practically guarantee you'll enjoy it."
A brief, charged silence settled between them. Xavier broke it by pulling out his phone and holding it out to her. "Can I have your number?"
Tia's pulse skyrocketed. The Ice Prince was asking her for her number? She didn't hesitate. She grabbed the phone and typed her digits in before her courage could fail her.
Xavier tucked the phone away with a satisfied smile. "I'll call you."
"Please do," Tia whispered to herself as he walked away. She wanted to scream with joy, but the "Silence" signs on the walls kept her in check. She sat down, intending to read, but the words blurred on the page. All she could smell was the faint, expensive scent of his cologne.
Her blissful bubble popped the moment a shadow fell over her desk. She looked up, her smile curdling into a scowl. Stella was standing there, looking like a dark cloud.
"Stella, are you following me? Can't you just leave me alone for five minutes?" Tia asked, her voice a sharp, hushed hiss. "We're in a library."
"I just need a moment," Stella said, sliding into the chair opposite her. "It's about Michael."
Tia rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "What about him now?"
"He's miserable, Tia. Your behavior is hurting him. He feels like you don't care anymore."
"And how would you know that?"
"He told me. We've been... talking."
"Wow," Tia mocked, a cold smirk touching her lips. "So you're his official spokesperson now? How cozy."
"I'm serious!" Stella snapped, her composure fraying. "You need to apologize and stop treating him like he's invisible."
Tia leaned forward, her gaze turning lethal. "If you care about Michael's feelings so much, Stella, you can have him. I'm done. Feel free to try and become the next Mrs. Blaze. I won't stand in your way."
Stella's jaw tightened. She had come here to manipulate Tia back into her role as Michael's servant so that Michael would stay in a good mood. She hadn't expected Tia to hand him over like an old pair of shoes.
Stella stood up to leave, her face flushed with frustration.
"One more thing," Tia called out. "Don't ever mention his name to me again. And since you're his 'friend' now, do us both a favor and stay out of my sight."
Stella scoffed and marched away without a backward glance. Tia's mood was ruined for reading, so she checked out the book and practically ran back to the hostel. She needed to tell Clara everything.
*****
"Hey, girl!" Tia shouted the moment she burst into the room.
Clara, who was mid-application of a bold red lipstick, jerked in surprise. The red streak sliced up her jawline. She groaned, staring at her reflection. "Tia! Look at this! You ruined my face!"
Tia collapsed into giggles, and soon Clara was laughing along with her, the frustration forgotten.
"Are you going on a date?" Tia asked, pointing to the makeup.
"No, just practicing for when I actually get one," Clara joked, wiping her jaw. "You look like you just won the lottery. What happened?"
"Guess!"
"What?"
"No, Clara—you have to guess."
Clara tapped her chin, squinting. "Umm... someone gave you a surprise gift?"
"Better!" Tia's grin was wide. "I spoke with the Ice Prince in the library. And he took my number."
Clara's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "No way. You mean Xavier Flynn?"
"Yes! I was totally speechless. I mean, I tried to stay composed..." She caught Clara's skeptical raised eyebrow and sighed. "Okay, I wasn't composed at all. I told him he was handsome to his face. But Clara, the smell of his cologne... he's literally the man of my dreams."
Tia let out a long, dreamy sigh, but then a shadow of doubt crossed her face. The memory of Michael—how she had said the exact same things about him once—hit her like really hard. An a cold wave of fear washed over her instantly.
Clara noticed the sudden change. "Tia? Why do you look sad all of a sudden?"
Tia spoke and her voice was dropping. "I'm just... I'm scared. I don't want to hurt myself again. I wasted years on Michael, believing he'd love me if I just sacrificed enough. I don't want to fall for Xavier and find out it's the same trap."
Clara walked over and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You don't have to worry. The right person won't ask you to sacrifice your soul just to be noticed. One day, you'll be so happy you won't even remember Michael Blaze existed."
Tia closed her eyes, and imagined a life where she was cherished, not used. She opened her eyes and whispered to herself, "I can't wait to meet that person."