Elina sighed and was about to turn away when a movement caught her eye.
Near the academy's main entrance, a cluster of girls had gathered around someone.
Their laughter carried across the courtyard, bright and flirtatious. One of them gave a playful smack to her companion's arm while another brushed invisible lint from his shoulder with obvious concern.
At the center of their attention stood a young man with obsidian black hair, wearing a well-tailored dress with subtle red embroidery.
Even from this distance, his easy confidence was unmistakable.
"Alaric?"
Elina's hands pressed flat against the window as she watched him, flirting with half the female population of their semester.
He said something that made the entire group erupt in giggles, then offered an exaggerated bow that earned him another round of playful swats and admiring sighs.
"Unbelievable," she muttered.
