Saturday Morning – Campus, 9:05 AM
Alstroemeria barely made it to her classroom. Her feet moved on autopilot, but her mind kept drifting back to the exchange with Luca. "Just one call away." The words echoed in her mind like some sort of challenge, or maybe an invitation. What was that?
Why does he keep doing this? She tried to shake off the thought, but it stuck to her like the faint smell of rain lingering on her clothes.
It had been a small thing, that moment. Just a passing comment. But it rattled her more than it should have. She'd told herself she didn't care about Luca Valerian, that his indifference didn't affect her, that she could easily ignore the way his presence had made her feel last night, the closeness, the unexpected pull of it.
And yet, she couldn't. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the way his hand had felt around her waist—so sure, so protective. So... warm. It had been so effortless for him, so natural, like saving her from that puddle had been nothing more than a reflex. Like it had meant nothing.
But it hadn't felt like nothing. Not to her.
God, why does it matter?
She shook her head, trying to focus on her textbooks as she entered the lecture hall. Focus on the class. Focus on anything but him. But her mind was a whirlwind, and every time she closed her eyes, she saw those silver eyes of his, piercing through the fog of her thoughts.
Was this what it felt like when someone started getting under your skin?
Her pulse fluttered in her chest, and she couldn't help but glance at the empty seat beside her. What if he showed up? What would she even say to him? Sorry, I'm still thinking about how you saved me from getting drenched by a car last night?
She grimaced inwardly. No. That was ridiculous.
Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she realized just how unlike her this was. Alstroemeria had always been composed, always in control. She'd built a reputation on that. But Luca Valerian—he had somehow cracked through her defenses. Without even trying.
The bell rang, signaling the start of class. She pulled her books closer, focusing on the professor who entered the room.
But in the back of her mind, she couldn't escape the nagging thought.
Luca Valerian. One call away.
And she couldn't quite figure out if that scared her or intrigued her.
Saturday Morning – Blackwood University, Lecture Hall, 9:25 AM
The professor's voice droned on in the background, but Alstroemeria couldn't focus on the material in front of her. Her mind, as it had been since their brief encounter in the hallway, was tangled with thoughts of Luca.
Why do you even care? she thought, gripping her pen tighter, trying to concentrate on her notes. It was just a moment. Just a stupid moment. But the memory of his hand on her waist wouldn't leave her. The way he'd pulled her toward him with such ease, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The protective impulse had been so genuine, so raw.
Ugh. Stop.
Her inner voice was becoming increasingly frantic. She wasn't supposed to be obsessing over him, of all people. Luca Valerian, heir to a family she'd spent her entire life trying to distance herself from. He was her rival, the very person she should be avoiding—not fantasizing about.
But the truth was, she couldn't help it. Every time her thoughts returned to him, she felt a strange flutter in her chest—a pull. He was… unpredictable. And it unnerved her. The way he seemed cold, yet there were moments when his guard slipped. Like when he'd saved her from that puddle. There had been something real there.
It was unsettling.
She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching until they were directly beside her.
A familiar, almost arrogant voice broke through her mental chaos.
"Well, well, I didn't think I'd see you here."
Alstroemeria froze, heart skipping as her gaze snapped up to find Luca standing beside her desk, a dark eyebrow raised. He had arrived late—of course. His silver eyes glinted, and despite his casual stance, there was a quiet authority about him that made the air feel heavier.
Without waiting for a response, Luca lowered himself into the seat beside her.
The proximity was instantaneous—too close.
Her breath caught in her throat as he settled next to her, the faintest scent of his cologne, a mix of leather and something subtly sharp, enveloping her. She couldn't focus. Not on the professor, not on the class. Not on anything but him.
His presence next to her seemed to distort everything. The warm air felt heavier, her skin prickled where he sat beside her. She could feel the tension between them—a silent but undeniable current that neither of them could ignore.
Alstroemeria tried to steady herself, but it was as though every nerve in her body was on edge. Don't look at him. Don't look at him. Don't—
She glanced at him.
Luca was already looking at her, his silver eyes glinting like polished steel. For a moment, the whole room seemed to fade away. It was just the two of them. And her pulse began to race again.
"You're late," she muttered, her voice coming out more breathless than she intended.
"I am," he said, almost lazily, as he settled back in his chair. "But I'm here now. And I must admit, I never thought I'd find you sitting next to me, Taylor."
His teasing tone sent a jolt through her. Why was he being so… calm? So natural? She was going insane trying to keep herself composed.
"Don't make this into a joke, Luca," she said, attempting to sound irritated, but there was a slight tremble in her voice that betrayed her. She quickly looked back down at her notebook, focusing on anything to keep herself from glancing at him again.
But she couldn't stop. Every time she wrote a word, it felt like she was writing it for him. The space between them felt too small, the air between them thick with something she couldn't name. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she clenched her pen, the edge of it digging into her palm.
Luca, however, seemed entirely unbothered. He leaned back, eyes scanning the front of the class with an almost indifferent expression. But she could sense it—the awareness. The way he was always aware of her, as if everything she did or said was under his scrutiny, as if he were studying her in ways she couldn't quite understand.
Her mind spiraled.
Focus. Just focus on class. Ignore him.
But the more she tried to ignore him, the more his presence loomed over her, a silent weight pressing against her chest. How was he so at ease?
Luca, for his part, seemed to be in his own world. His posture remained casual, but his attention was far sharper than it appeared. He was aware of her every movement, her every breath. His silver eyes flicked back to her every so often, as if measuring her reactions.
Alstroemeria couldn't help it. She felt his gaze like a weight on her skin, and she couldn't look at anything else without seeing him in the periphery of her vision.
And then, when she could no longer stand the silence, she turned to him.
"You don't have to sit this close to me," she said, trying to sound indifferent, but there was a slight edge in her tone—something that made Luca's lips twitch upward, just the tiniest bit.
"Is that a complaint, Taylor?" he asked, his voice low and smooth, almost teasing.
Her heart raced, her thoughts fraying at the edges. Why does this feel so… strange?
"No, it's just…" She swallowed hard, desperately searching for the words that didn't feel so vulnerable. But nothing came out. "It's nothing."
Luca's eyes softened for the briefest of moments, before he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower. "I'm not going anywhere, Alstroemeria. Deal with it."
The soft, unexpected shift in his words sent a rush of warmth through her chest, her pulse quickening as his name left her lips in a silent breath.
Damn it. Why does this feel like it's not just a class anymore?
The rest of the lecture passed in a blur. Alstroemeria couldn't remember anything that was said, only the feeling of his presence beside her, the pressure of his gaze that never left her.
By the time the class ended, she was a mess of conflicting thoughts—angry, confused, restless, but—
She hated how alive she felt every time he was near.
Saturday Afternoon – Mall, 2:00 PM
Alstroemeria sat at a corner table in the mall café, her fingers absently tracing the rim of her iced drink, staring at the people passing by. She was physically present, but mentally, she was somewhere else. "Okay, this is not happening right now." She muttered under her breath, as if saying it aloud would somehow make the feeling go away.
Luca Valerian. His presence, his gaze—it was all too much. Too real. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, that pull that seemed to draw her closer to him despite her best efforts to resist. Every time they crossed paths, something inside her shifted, and it terrified her.
She had to stop this. She had to stop thinking about him.
Luca was a Valerian. He was the Valerian. The Taylors' sworn enemy. A part of the same bitter, decades-old feud that had shaped her entire life. It didn't matter that he was different. That he had, for a moment, seemed... human. She couldn't forget what he was. What his family stood for.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts. It was a message from Camellia.
"Sorry, Forsythia, Bryony, and Hydrangea couldn't make it, they still have projects they need to finish. But it's just the five of us today. See you soon! 😊"
A small sigh escaped her lips. It was just the five of them today. She'd been looking forward to the outing, a chance to get out of her own head and away from the complications that had started to flood her mind.
A few minutes later, Camellia, Dahlia, Owen, and Marigold walked through the entrance of the café, waving cheerfully as they approached the table.
Camellia was the first to speak, always the enthusiastic one of the group. "Alie, you look like you've been overthinking again," she teased, pulling out the chair beside her and sitting down.
"Maybe she's just exhausted from all the attention she gets," Owen added with a smirk, grabbing the seat across from Alstroemeria. He was always quick to point out how much attention their friend seemed to attract.
Marigold, quiet but observant, raised an eyebrow. "You've been acting distant lately, Al. Everything okay?"
Alstroemeria smiled weakly, trying to mask the unease she felt. "I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."
Dahlia, who always had a knack for picking up on when something was off, narrowed her eyes. "Uh-huh. Sure. You've been acting a little… out of it lately. Something on your mind?"
Alstroemeria hesitated, the words bubbling up in her chest. She couldn't tell them the truth, not about Luca, not about what was happening between them. It was too complicated, too dangerous. Her friends would never understand, especially not with the weight of her family's history.
"It's nothing," she said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just school, you know. The usual."
Owen laughed, clearly not buying it, but decided to drop the topic. "Fair enough. But seriously, you should take a break from all the studying and pressure. It's not good for you to keep everything bottled up."
Marigold nodded, adding, "If you need a distraction, we're here. Just tell us what you need."
Alstroemeria's heart warmed at the sight of her friends' concern. She appreciated them more than she could express. They were her safe space, her anchor, and she hated the fact that she was keeping something from them. But for now, she couldn't bring herself to open up about the storm brewing inside her.
Instead, she nodded, grateful for their support. "Thanks, guys. I'll be fine."
They continued to chat, the conversation flowing easily, and for a brief moment, Alstroemeria allowed herself to forget about the tension she'd felt earlier. But every so often, a flicker of him would invade her thoughts, and her heart would skip a beat. The more she tried to distance herself from Luca, the more he seemed to find his way back into her mind.
And with that thought came the overwhelming reminder that no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, she was still thinking about him.
Saturday Afternoon – Mall Café, 2:30 PM
The chatter around the table continued, light and easy, but Alie couldn't shake the unease that settled in her chest. She smiled and nodded as her friends joked and teased, but something inside her was stirring. It was as if her own thoughts were too loud, too persistent to ignore. The more she tried to push them away, the more they crept up: Luca, his piercing eyes, the way his presence made everything around her feel different.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing down at her drink, trying to gather her thoughts. Maybe it's time to talk to them. Maybe they'd understand. Or at least, they'd listen.
Camellia, ever the perceptive one, caught the shift in her demeanor almost immediately. "Alie," she said softly, her voice filled with concern. "You've been quiet for too long. Something's up, isn't it?"
Alie glanced at her friends, their expectant faces staring back at her. They were close—her real friends. She could trust them. Couldn't she?
She took a deep breath and set her drink down. "Okay," she said, her voice quiet. "You're right. Something is going on. But it's... complicated."
Owen leaned forward, his usual playful expression softening into one of genuine curiosity. "Complicated how?"
Alie hesitated. She had kept this part of her life, this feeling, buried so deeply that even she wasn't sure how to express it. How do you explain what's going on with Luca Valerian?
"I don't know how to say this, but… it's about Luca."
There was a collective shift in the air. Dahlia raised an eyebrow. "Luca? The Valerian?"
Alie winced, the weight of his last name hanging heavily in the air. "Yeah. The Valerian. I know it sounds crazy, but…"
"Wait," Camellia interrupted, eyes wide. "You mean Luca Valerian, the guy you can't stand because of your family's feud? The one you've been avoiding like the plague?"
Alie nodded slowly, unsure of how to explain the way her thoughts had been consumed by him lately. "I was avoiding him. Trust me, I wanted to. But something happened. The other day, he... he saved me from almost getting drenched by a passing car. He pulled me close, and it felt... different. Like he cared. And ever since then, I can't get him out of my head."
Dahlia's eyes softened as she leaned back in her chair. "That's... unexpected," she said, clearly trying to process what Alie had just shared.
Owen chuckled, but it wasn't mocking—just a little incredulous. "So, what? You're telling me that Luca Valerian, the stone-faced guy who doesn't talk to anyone, actually saved you? And you're confused?"
"I don't know!" Alie admitted, frustration creeping into her voice. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but the way he acted—he wasn't just being the guy I thought he was. He was... human. I don't know what to make of it."
Marigold, always the calm one, was quiet for a moment before speaking. "But... what about the feud? You and your family have always made it clear that the Valerians are the enemy. You're supposed to stay away from them."
"I know," Alie said, her voice barely a whisper. "I know. But every time I see him, every time I talk to him, it feels like there's something more beneath all the walls. It's... confusing."
She looked down at her hands, wringing the napkin she had been fiddling with. "I don't know what to do. I shouldn't feel this way about him. He's a Valerian. He's the enemy. But I can't ignore how my heart races every time he's near, how I can't stop thinking about him."
There was a brief silence as her friends absorbed her words. Then, Camellia broke it, her voice gentle but firm. "Alie, you need to take a step back. I get that it's confusing, and I know how hard it must be to reconcile what you're feeling with what you've been taught. But... this feud, it's been going on for so long, and the two of you are right in the middle of it. You can't just ignore it."
Dahlia nodded. "The question is—what's more important to you? The past, or the present? If you start something with Luca, it's going to change everything. And not just for you, but for your family too."
Owen leaned back, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of bread. "Yeah, it's a mess. But it's also... your mess to figure out. Just don't let the drama of this rivalry consume you. It's not just about family loyalty. It's about you, Alie."
Marigold added, her tone soft but serious, "Don't lose yourself in the middle of it. Whatever you choose, we'll be here for you."
Alie's heart swelled at their words. She knew they were right. Her feelings, her thoughts, her future mattered too. But right now, all she could think about was Luca. What if this was something more? What if she could have something—anything—with him, despite everything that stood between them?
"I don't know what to do," she said softly, leaning back in her chair, her gaze unfocused. "But I can't just ignore what I'm feeling. And I don't want to regret it."
Her friends didn't press her for an answer. They all just exchanged knowing glances, letting her talk it out at her own pace.
The rest of the afternoon passed in relative silence as Alstromeria let their words sink in. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that her feelings for Luca weren't something she could easily cast aside. But the questions remained—was it even possible to be with him? Was it worth risking everything for someone who, at his core, was her family's sworn enemy?
As the mall buzzed with activity around them, Alstroemeria's thoughts felt more tangled than ever.