Alaric woke up, his face damp with sweat. A strange expression lingered, caught between confusion and contemplation, as if unsure whether what he'd seen was a dream—or something more.
But that didn't matter now. He was sure he'd forget it soon enough.
When he checked the time, it was already 8 a.m.
School. Right.
He got dressed quickly and looked sharp—until he had to sprint the entire way there. By the time he reached the classroom, his once-neat style had completely unraveled.
As he burst through the door, two familiar hands waved from the back.
"You're late." Elias Ward said, adjusting his glasses with a slight shake of his head.
Alaric just smirked and dropped into the seat beside him.
"We still haven't finished the group project. We really need to get moving." Elias continued, tapping his notebook.
He was right. The deadline was approaching fast.
"Why don't you guys come to my place?"
That was Kieran Doyle, leaning back with his usual easy confidence. Blond, tall, and strikingly handsome, he radiated charm. From just one glance, anyone could guess his family had money.
"Alright," Alaric said, throwing out the suggestion, "shall we go after school?"
Both Elias and Kieran nodded in agreement.
---
When they arrived at Kieran's house, Alaric and Elias froze at the gate.
The place was huge. Like, *really* huge. Even grander than they'd imagined.
They went inside, overwhelmed by the lavish decor, but soon got to work. The project took hours, and when they finally finished, the clock was closing in on 8 p.m.
Alaric's phone had been off the entire time, an intentional decision to avoid distractions. But when he powered it back on, dozens of messages from Amilia flooded the screen.
He didn't stop to reply. He just ran.
---
When Alaric rang the doorbell, Amilia swung the door open in an instant, her face glowing with relief.
"Welcome back, Alaric." she smiled.
"Sorry… I was working on the project with my friends." he said, a rare tone of guilt in his voice.
Alaric didn't usually apologize. But tonight, he felt like he should.
"No need," Amilia replied softly. "I'm just glad you're safe."
"I'm preparing dinner. Come help me."
Her voice was gentle, comforting. He couldn't say no to it.
---
They cooked together, sharing little moments in the warmth of the kitchen. Soon after, they sat at the table, ready for their favorite meal of the day.
They laughed over nonsense, shared stories, and enjoyed a peace that felt increasingly rare. Alaric couldn't explain it, but the moment felt… precious.
Since their parents had passed away years ago, they only had each other.
After dinner, Amilia stood up and began collecting the dishes. Alaric sat still, lost in thought.
Only he knew what was stirring in his mind.
"Are you free tomorrow?" Amilia's voice broke the silence.
Alaric blinked and came back to reality.
"Of course not." he replied.
Amilia raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"I have school, obviously." He was completely confident in his answer.
Amilia exhaled a long, exaggerated sigh.
"Tomorrow is Sunday, you idiot."
She gave him a look that practically screamed, *I win.*
Alaric looked stunned. He'd seriously believed school was in session. He'd even spent four hours finishing his homework.
"Fine." he sighed, defeated. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"
"I want you to go shopping with me." she said with a mischievous grin.