That night, Eira tossed and turned in bed, her thoughts tangled like the sheets. Her fingers hovered over her phone screen for a long while before she typed out a message to Auren.
> "Hey... couldn't sleep."
She stared at it for a few seconds, then sighed and deleted it. What's the point? Her heart was full of things she wanted to say, but none of them felt safe to send. What if he didn't reply? What if he did? It wasn't just a message—it was a risk.
The silence of her room felt heavier than usual. The pale moonlight spilled through the curtains, tracing silver lines across the floor. She turned onto her side, hugging her pillow. Sleep never came.
---
The next day was too bright. Eira wore oversized sunglasses to hide her tired eyes, though they weren't doing a great job. She met her best friend Loira at their usual café beside the university—a cozy corner with ivy creeping up the windows and tiny lights strung along the ceiling.
Loira was already there, sipping her caramel frappe and scrolling through something on her phone. "You look like you've seen a ghost," she said without looking up.
"Didn't sleep."
Loira finally glanced up and raised an eyebrow. "Still thinking about him?"
Eira didn't answer. She just stirred her iced latte slowly, watching the ice swirl.
They had just started eating when the bell above the café door jingled. The moment Eira heard it, something inside her shifted. She looked up—and there he was.
Auren Silva.
He walked in like he didn't know the world noticed him, like the sun itself had decided to drape across his shoulders. He wore a sleek black jacket over a plain white tee, paired with dark jeans and sneakers that looked effortlessly cool. His messy hair made it worse—in the best way. He looked annoyingly good.
But it wasn't just him.
There was a girl with him.
She was laughing at something he said, tucking her hair behind her ear in that too-casual way that Eira hated. The girl was pretty. Really pretty. She wore a smart beige coat, heels, and carried herself like she belonged at his side.
Jealousy hit Eira hard, fast, and without warning. Like a punch to the chest.
"You okay?" Loira asked.
"Who's that with him?" Eira asked, trying to sound indifferent, but the tremble in her voice betrayed her.
Loira leaned back and studied them. "No idea. But calm down. He's always got girls around. He's kind of popular, you know."
"You've said that before."
"Because it's true. But here's something I didn't tell you: he rejects every single one of them. Doesn't even flirt back."
That was...interesting. Eira tried to hide her smirk behind her coffee cup. Still, her curiosity (and okay, her pride) wouldn't let her ignore this.
"I need to know who she is," she said.
Loira rolled her eyes. "Eira, don't—"
"I'm just going to check. That's all."
Loira sighed, but stood up with her. "Fine. Let's stalk. But if we get caught, I'm blaming you."
---
The two of them followed at a distance, ducking behind parked cars and blending into the crowd when they could. Auren and the mystery girl were walking toward the other side of campus, where the medical building stood.
They stopped near the entrance, talking briefly. The girl pulled out a notepad and seemed to be checking a schedule, then handed Auren something—a pillbox?
Loira squinted. "Wait... is she his nurse?"
Eira's eyes widened. Now that she looked properly, the girl had a badge clipped to her coat. Medical ID.
"She's not his girlfriend," Eira whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
Loira grinned. "Jealousy crisis averted."
But now, Eira was more curious than ever. Auren always seemed so put-together, so confident. Why did he need a nurse with him?
---
That evening, the sky turned a shade of lavender as the sun began to set. Eira was heading home when she heard a voice behind her.
"Need company?"
She turned and found Auren walking up beside her, hands in his pockets, a soft smile on his lips.
"Do I look like I do?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.
"You always look like you do."
Her heart did that stupid skip again. She hated how easily he did that to her.
"Fine," she said, trying to sound unaffected. "Walk me home."
They started down the quiet street, the air cool but not cold. It smelled like fresh rain and earth. For a while, neither of them said anything. It was comfortable.
Until Eira couldn't hold it in anymore.
"So... your nurse?"
Auren chuckled. "You stalked me, didn't you?"
"I prefer to call it... investigative curiosity."
He laughed again. "Her name's Leya. She's part of a health program the university offers. I have severe allergies—food, pollen, sometimes even perfumes. It gets bad. Last year I had a reaction that put me in the ER. Since then, I keep her close."
Eira blinked. She hadn't expected that.
"You don't seem like someone who talks about this often."
"I don't," he admitted.
"Thank you for the company"
"Don't mention it"
Saying that he started going.His body was fading I n the fog .I wanted to stop him but I let him go
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