Monday Afternoon – College Campus
Alstroemeria had made up her mind. She couldn't afford to get tangled in the complications that came with Luca Valerian. The more she reflected on her feelings, the clearer it became that any involvement with him would lead to nothing but chaos. Her family's feud, his now cold demeanor, the expectations surrounding both of them—it was all too much. So, she decided to distance herself, to pull back before things got any more complicated.
From the following days she had thought about whether to distance herself or not Luca had began being cold to her again.
The next time their paths crossed, it wasn't by accident. They were assigned a group project together, and Alstroemeria knew that she would have to work with Luca. But that didn't mean she had to make it personal.
As the day of the project presentation drew closer, she found herself in the library, finalizing the documents they needed. When the time came to hand them over to him, she made sure to keep everything professional—no eye contact, no lingering glances. Just the cold, hard exchange of papers, like any other academic transaction.
She spotted Luca standing by the entrance to the library, his tall frame a stark contrast to the sea of students milling around. His silver eyes locked onto hers as she approached, but there was no warmth in them. Only that familiar indifference.
"Here are the documents for the project," Alstroemeria said, her voice steady, betraying none of the tension she felt. She handed him the stack of papers with a swift motion, avoiding his gaze as much as possible.
Luca's eyes flickered over the documents, his sharp gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. His lips curled into something that might have been a smirk, or perhaps just a fleeting expression of amusement. "Thanks," he said, his tone colder than usual, though there was a sharpness to it that made her skin prickle.
Without waiting for a response, Alstroemeria turned to leave, her steps quick and purposeful. She didn't want to linger, didn't want to give him any opportunity to draw her back into the web of emotions she'd been so desperately trying to avoid.
But as she walked away, she couldn't help but feel the weight of his gaze following her. She knew Luca, knew the way he could make you feel like you were the only one in the room, even when he wasn't saying anything. And for a brief moment, she wondered if she was fooling herself by thinking this distance would work.
But it has to work, she told herself. It's the only way. I can't let myself get caught up in this again.
With a deep breath, Alstroemeria focused on her next class, trying to push Luca and the thoughts of him to the back of her mind. It was going to be a long week—but she could handle it.
The Next Week – Campus Grounds
The days that followed Alstroemeria's decision to distance herself from Luca felt oddly different. She expected things to be easier—more manageable, even—but instead, there was a constant tension in the air. The silence between them was thick, more pronounced with each passing interaction. It was as though she had built a wall between them, and yet, every time she glanced at him—whether in class, during group meetings, or even in the hallways—it felt like the wall was crumbling, bit by bit.
In the first group meeting after she handed him the documents, Luca barely spoke to her, but the look he gave her when they locked eyes was anything but indifferent. It was as if he was weighing her, calculating her every move. And it unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
Tuesday Afternoon – Classroom
Alstroemeria sat at her usual spot in the classroom, eyes focused on the lecture, but her thoughts kept drifting to Luca. She could feel him, even from across the room. There was an almost magnetic pull every time his silver eyes glanced in her direction. She had to fight the urge to look back, to catch him in the act of studying her.
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and as students began filing out, Alstroemeria packed her things quickly, eager to leave before Luca could approach her. She thought she had succeeded when she reached the door, but just as she was about to step into the hallway, a voice—cool and cutting—stopped her.
"Running away again, Alstroemeria?"
She froze, the familiar weight of Luca's gaze pressing on her back before she even turned around. She didn't respond right away. She couldn't, because her heart was racing, betraying her calm exterior. She inhaled deeply before facing him.
"I'm not running away," she said flatly, her voice even and controlled. "I'm just... busy."
Luca's lips curled into a smirk, and she could hear the challenge in his tone. "Busy, huh? Must be nice to have so many things to do. So many places to be. So many distractions."
There it was. The unspoken accusation, the implication that she was avoiding him. But she didn't owe him any explanations.
"I'm just trying to get through the project," she replied, her voice almost too calm. She could feel her pulse quicken as she turned to leave, but Luca's voice stopped her once again.
"Is that what you're doing?" His tone was colder now, more insistent. "Or are you just avoiding me?"
Alstroemeria's breath hitched in her throat. It was almost as if he could read her mind, could sense the internal struggle she'd been battling since their first interaction. The space she'd tried so hard to create between them, the distance she'd so carefully put in place—it was disintegrating under his gaze.
"I'm not avoiding you," she said quietly, but she could feel the cracks in her resolve. "I'm just... trying to focus on what matters."
Luca's smirk faltered for a second, a flicker of something passing through his silver eyes. But it was gone before she could even register it. He took a step closer, the space between them narrowing, and for a brief moment, Alstroemeria felt like the world had quieted. There was nothing but him and the tension in the air.
"Don't fool yourself, Alstroemeria," he said, his voice low, intense. "You're not fooling anyone."
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her heart pounding in her chest.
Thursday – The Library
The next few days only seemed to intensify the tension. They had another meeting in the library, and though Alstroemeria stuck to her plan—staying professional, keeping their interactions strictly about the project—she could feel Luca's presence like a weight in the room. Every time their hands brushed as they exchanged papers or worked on their respective sections, it felt like a silent challenge, one that neither of them was willing to acknowledge fully.
But something in her chest kept tightening with every word he said, every look he gave her. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was playing a game, a game she hadn't agreed to, but was already caught up in. And no matter how much she distanced herself, no matter how many walls she built around herself, Luca wasn't backing off.
Saturday – Café Near Campus
Alstroemeria sat with her friends again, the usual comfort of their presence doing little to ease her mind. She stirred her drink absently as they chatted, but all she could think about was the way Luca's eyes seemed to burn into her when they were alone. He wasn't giving up. The pull between them was growing stronger, and though she tried to fight it, she couldn't ignore it anymore.
"Alie, are you even listening?" Camellia's voice cut through her thoughts.
Alstroemeria blinked, pulling herself back to the conversation. "Sorry. Just... a lot on my mind."
"You've been distant lately," Dahlia observed, her gaze sharp. "Is this about Luca?"
Alstroemeria tensed, her fingers tightening around her cup. She hadn't mentioned anything to her friends about Luca since their last conversation. "What about him?"
"You've been avoiding him, haven't you?" Marigold added gently. "I know something's going on between you two. It's hard to ignore."
Alstroemeria's throat tightened. She hadn't realized how obvious her actions had been. She had tried so hard to bury her feelings, to distance herself from Luca, but it was only making everything worse.
"I don't know what to do," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's... making this harder. It's like no matter what I do, I can't escape him. And it's driving me crazy."
Her friends exchanged glances, their expressions softening. Camellia spoke up first, her voice thoughtful. "Alie, you can't keep running from this. You can't keep pretending you don't feel anything. If it's bothering you this much, maybe it's time to face it."
But facing it meant acknowledging everything she'd been trying to avoid. It meant accepting the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Luca wasn't the enemy she thought he was.
And that terrified her more than anything else.
Luca's Perspective
The days that followed Alstroemeria's retreat felt... strange. It wasn't like he had expected her to throw herself at him, but he hadn't anticipated the sudden, almost impenetrable wall she'd built between them. Her avoidance was obvious, and while part of him expected it—after all, she was a Taylor, and his family's feud with hers was well-known—another part of him couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
For weeks, they'd exchanged tense words, sharp looks, and that weird, undeniable pull between them that neither could deny. But then, in the span of a day, it all changed. Alstroemeria had retreated into herself, distancing herself from him with an intensity that made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him—not in a personal sense, at least.
At first, Luca thought it was just a phase. A momentary lapse. After all, Alstroemeria was intelligent, ambitious, and above all, proud. So maybe she was just focused on the project, on her own studies. But as the days passed and the silence between them grew, he realized it wasn't that simple.
She was avoiding him. And he had no idea why.
Had I done something? The question played on a loop in his mind, gnawing at him during moments of quiet. Was it something he said? Something he did?
Luca prided himself on being able to read people—all people. He could assess their motivations, their emotions, even when they tried to hide them. But Alstroemeria? She was a different puzzle entirely. The way she had distanced herself—it wasn't just physical. It was as though she had closed off a part of herself to him, a part that he had barely begun to scratch the surface of.
He had tried, in subtle ways, to break through. In their meetings, he had made sure to speak to her directly, tried to engage her in the discussions, but every time he did, her responses were brief, cold. When their hands brushed, there was no lingering glance, no spark—nothing. Just the quiet click of the pages she handed him, the weight of her body turned slightly away from his.
It annoyed him.
Not because he was used to people shying away from him—he was a Valerian, and people were naturally intimidated by his family's name—but because there was something about Alstroemeria that fascinated him. And the fact that she was pulling away only made him want to understand her more.
It had always been clear to him that she was more than her beauty. More than just a Taylor. She had this sharp intelligence, a quiet fire that was almost hidden behind her graceful exterior. When they had first met, the way she spoke, the way she challenged him without even realizing it—it intrigued him. She was different from the others, and that difference made her stand out.
But now, as she continued to retreat, Luca found himself growing more and more... frustrated. Why are you avoiding me?
It wasn't just the cold silence between them during their meetings that unsettled him. It was the way she had looked at him—briefly, for just a moment—before walking away that day in the classroom. It wasn't the first time their paths had crossed, but the way she had hurried off had been different. She was avoiding me on purpose.
Luca wasn't used to this. People didn't avoid him. Not like this. He wasn't sure whether to be angry or confused, but both emotions were gnawing at him. The cold shoulder, the distance—it was starting to get under his skin.
The fact that he was even thinking about it, that was troubling. The more he tried to push the thoughts away, the more they swarmed in his mind.
Thursday Evening – His Apartment
Luca sat in his apartment, staring at the files for the project that had once seemed like a simple academic task. He had done his part, but the thought of handing them to Alstroemeria again felt... different now. There was a heaviness to it that he couldn't shake.
His thoughts kept circling back to her, to the way she had distanced herself. There was something in her eyes the last time they spoke—something that flickered between caution and uncertainty. He couldn't quite place it, but it bothered him.
"What are you running from, Alstroemeria?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his messy hair.
The words echoed in the quiet of the room, but he didn't expect an answer. Not right now, at least.
Luca knew the obvious answer—the feud. The weight of their family history was always looming over them, making everything more complicated. But was that it? Was she simply afraid of him because of the name he carried? Or was it something deeper? Something... personal? He didn't know. But he intended to find out.
She's not just avoiding me because of the feud, he thought, his frustration rising. There's more to it.
But what? He couldn't grasp it. She had always seemed so poised, so composed—nothing like the other students who wore their emotions on their sleeves. Alstroemeria was guarded, sure, but there was more to her than that. He could sense it. He wasn't just dealing with a Taylor. He was dealing with her.
Friday – Campus Library
The next day, Luca found himself walking to the library with a purpose. He knew Alstroemeria would be there, likely buried in her studies. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, or even if he was going to say anything at all. But he couldn't just stand by and let this silence linger.
As he walked through the library doors, he spotted her sitting at one of the tables, engrossed in a book, her long ash-blonde hair cascading down her back. His stomach tightened at the sight of her—this was the first time he'd allowed himself to let his guard down long enough to feel something when it came to her.
Luca hesitated, his hand resting on the back of the chair in front of him. He had always been in control—of his emotions, his actions. But with Alstroemeria? He felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, uncertain of whether he was about to fall or fly.
He took a deep breath, the familiar coldness returning to his demeanor. He approached her, keeping his voice low but clear. "Alstroemeria," he said, his words cutting through the quiet hum of the library.
She looked up, her gaze meeting his, and for a brief second, he saw the flicker of something in her eyes. She was still avoiding him, still shutting him out, but the walls were thinner now. And Luca had no intention of letting them stand.
"Are we going to keep pretending that nothing's wrong, or do we talk about this?" he asked, his tone sharper than he intended.
Alstroemeria's expression faltered for a moment before she quickly masked it with a polite smile. "There's nothing to talk about," she replied, her voice cool and distant.
But Luca could hear the tension in her words. He wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.
Luca's Determination
Luca's gaze never wavered as he stood there, watching Alstroemeria. Her smile was polite, but he could see right through it. The way her eyes flickered, how her fingers played with the edge of her book—it wasn't casual. She was nervous, or at least trying to pretend that she wasn't.
Something was off, and he couldn't ignore it any longer. This silence between them, the coldness, the distance—it didn't sit well with him. It wasn't like he cared about her the way she might think. No, this was something else. A challenge. A puzzle. A riddle wrapped in silk and mystery. He wasn't going to walk away from it, not without answers.
"Alstroemeria." He said her name again, but this time with a little more edge, a little more of that same coldness he wore as armor.
She looked up, her lips pressed together in that carefully neutral expression, but it wasn't enough to hide the flash of uncertainty in her eyes. Luca's gaze softened imperceptibly, though the intent behind his words remained firm.
"You're avoiding me," he said bluntly, his tone not accusatory, but steady. "And I want to know why."
Alstroemeria's lips parted, but no words came out immediately. It was clear she hadn't expected him to press so directly. Luca took a step closer, though he kept a careful distance—just enough to make it clear he wasn't leaving.
"I don't know what game you're playing," he continued, his voice steady, yet more insistent now, "but I'm not letting you pretend like nothing's wrong. Not anymore."
Alstroemeria's fingers tightened around her book, and for a moment, she didn't say anything. Luca could see her calculating, weighing whether or not she'd open up, or whether she'd keep retreating into that impenetrable shell she'd built around herself.
"I'm not playing any games," she finally replied, but there was an edge to her voice now, something tight and strained. "It's just easier this way. For both of us."
"Easier?" Luca repeated, his brow furrowing as he studied her. "You think it's easier to just shut me out? To pretend like the air between us doesn't feel… different now?"
Her expression faltered, just for a second, before it became unreadable again. But Luca had already caught it—the brief crack in her armor, the way her lips pressed together just a little too tightly as if she were biting back something.
"I'm not trying to make things difficult," Alstroemeria said, her voice cool but shaky. "I'm just trying to keep my distance. It's better that way."
Luca felt his jaw tighten. He wasn't sure what he was expecting—some kind of admission, maybe, some kind of explanation that made sense of this mess. But instead, he was left with a cold barrier that she refused to let down.
"No," he said firmly, stepping even closer. His gaze locked with hers, and for the first time, he let the frustration slip through, just a crack. "What's better is understanding why you're doing this. Why you're avoiding me, and why I can't get you out of my damn head."
He saw it—saw the way her breath caught, the way she momentarily froze before her expression shifted into something cold and defensive. It was a wall. But Luca was done with the walls. He couldn't understand why it bothered him so much, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't backing down now.
"Look," he continued, voice quieter now but still steady, "I don't know what's going on in your head, Alstroemeria, but I know you're not the type of person to hide behind this." He gestured at the space between them—cool, guarded, filled with unsaid words and unacknowledged tension.
Alstroemeria didn't answer right away. Her eyes flickered for a moment, like she was debating something—whether to run, to shut him out completely, or to say what had been on the tip of her tongue for so long. But Luca was done waiting.
"Why can't you just be real with me?" His voice softened, but the intensity remained. "Why do you have to play this game with yourself? What are you afraid of?"
That question hit her like a wave. She blinked rapidly, as though trying to shake off the weight of it, but Luca wasn't letting her hide.
The briefest of pauses passed between them, and for a moment, Luca wondered if this might be the breaking point—the moment when she finally snapped, told him what was really going on. He didn't expect to get through to her right away, but the silence between them had shifted.
She opened her mouth to respond—but whatever words she was going to say died in her throat as the sound of footsteps approached.
"Alstroemeria." The voice was familiar—almost too familiar. Luca looked over his shoulder, his brows furrowing as another student walked by, giving Alstroemeria a casual nod.
The moment had passed, just like that.
Alstroemeria glanced away quickly, the tension sliding back into place. She stood up, gathering her things with sharp, precise movements. "I need to go," she muttered, not meeting his eyes.
Luca watched her walk away, his chest tight, his mind still racing. She hadn't given him an answer, but something in her body language, something in the way she moved, told him that this wasn't over. And it wouldn't be until she finally faced whatever was causing her to push him away.
Luca's jaw clenched, and he stayed where he was, watching her leave, knowing that this game wasn't going to end with her walking away so easily.
This time, he wasn't going to let her shut him out. Not without a fight.