The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Alara’s room as she stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair and mentally preparing for the day ahead. Despite the recent events, she was determined to resume her daily life. A sharp knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Setting down the brush, she walked over to answer it.

Standing in the doorway was Dominique, holding a tray with breakfast and a small bouquet of her favorite flowers. His warm smile lit up the room as he greeted her.

“Dom, you shouldn’t have,” Alara said, her voice touched with gratitude.

Dominique shrugged, his expression playful yet caring. “For you, my princess, I’ll do anything. You need food before starting your day. You just got out of the clinic, and I want to make sure you’re healthy.”

Alara chuckled at his ever-worrying nature and stepped aside to invite him in. “Come on, join me. I can’t eat all this alone.”

Dominique happily obliged, setting the tray on her desk before pulling up a chair. As they ate, they exchanged stories about their first day of the new semester. Dominique’s expression grew theatrical as he ranted about the difficulty of his major.

“I swear, my professors are trying to end me with all this work. My major is a literal pain in my arse,” he complained.

Alara laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “It can’t be that bad. At least you don’t have overly competitive classmates and some who don’t like me.”

Dominique’s expression immediately darkened, his jaw tightening. “Who are they?” he asked, his tone cold.

Alara waved a dismissive hand, brushing off his concern. “You don’t need to know. They’re just jealous, that’s all. It’s nothing serious.”

Dominique let it drop for the moment, though his mind was already working on how to uncover their identities. No one would hurt Alara without facing his wrath. He kept his thoughts hidden, though and instead escorted her to her classroom after they finished breakfast.

As they approached the classroom, Alara spotted Ellias from a distance. Her face lit up, and she greeted him warmly. “Good morning, Ellias!”

Ellias, however, ignored her entirely, walking past without even acknowledging her presence. Alara’s heart sank, but she hid her hurt behind a forced smile. Determined not to let it affect her day, she focused on her classes. Yet, as the day went on, Ellias continued to avoid her, refusing to say a single word.

Frustrated and hurt, Alara decided to channel her emotions into her sword practice. She found Carlysle training in the arena, his usual energy evident in the way he moved with precision and strength. Without saying much, she joined him, pouring her frustrations into each swing and parry.

Carlysle eventually paused, wiping sweat from his brow. “Alright, what’s going on? You’re hitting harder than usual.”

Alara shook her head, deflecting his question. “It’s nothing. Let’s just keep going.”

Carlysle raised an eyebrow but didn’t push further. Instead, he offered a smirk. “Fine, but you owe me dinner for this.”

Later that evening, they shared a casual dinner though Alara’s mind was elsewhere. As night fell, a bold idea struck her. Unable to let things go, she decided to confront Ellias directly.

Sneaking out of her room, she made her way to Ellias’s dormitory. His door was unlocked, and she slipped inside. The room was sparse but tidy, with minimal decorations. On a nearby table, a small picture frame caught her eye. It held the image of a stunningly beautiful woman who bore a striking resemblance to Ellias.

Before she could examine it further, the door slammed open, and Ellias stormed in. His eyes burned with fury as he charged at her, pinning her against the wall.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” he demanded, his voice sharp.

Alara’s heart raced with fear and regret. “I… I’m sorry! I just wanted to talk to you,” she stammered.

Ellias released her, stepping back but still glaring. “What’s so important that you had to invade my room?”

Summoning every ounce of courage she possessed, Alara squared her shoulders, her emerald-green eyes locking onto his piercing gray ones. She took a steadying breath, the tremor in her voice betraying her nerves as she began. “Ellias, I…” She hesitated for a split second but pushed forward. “I wanted to tell you that I like you. No—” She swallowed hard. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and raw with sincerity. Alara stood rooted, vulnerability etched on her face as the confession she had rehearsed countless times finally spilled out. For a fleeting moment, Ellias’s stoic facade cracked. His lips parted as if to speak, but the silence stretched painfully between them.

Then, his expression hardened, as if he had snapped back to reality. A derisive scoff escaped his lips. “Are you out of your mind, Princess?” he said, his tone cold and cutting. “Of all the men in your life, why me?”

Alara flinched but held her ground, her cheeks flushed with humiliation. “Because you’re different,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “You’re not like anyone else I’ve met.”

He stepped closer, towering over her, his gray eyes glinting like steel. “Different?” he repeated mockingly. “You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. You’re living in some fantasy, Princess, and you need to wake up. This is absurd.”

Alara’s breath hitched, her composure unraveling with every harsh word. She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off with a sharp wave of his hand. “Don’t involve me in your life. I have enough problems of my own to deal with.”

The finality in his tone was like a dagger to her chest. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall in front of him. She turned abruptly, fleeing the room without another word, her hurried footsteps echoing in the silence.

Ellias stood there, unmoving, his hands clenched into fists. He stared at the door she had just exited, a flicker of regret flashing across his face before he buried it deep within. He slumped into a chair with a heavy sigh, dragging a hand through his dark hair.

“That girl is insane,” he muttered under his breath, but the bitterness in his voice couldn’t mask the unease creeping into his thoughts. Her tear-streaked face haunted him, no matter how hard he tried to push it away.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, a small, stubborn voice whispered that Alara was not one to give up easily. The thought sent a chill down his spine, though he wasn’t sure if it was fear or something far more troubling.

Morning came, and Alara was determined to face the day despite the events of the night before. But as she entered her first lesson, her resolve faltered when she saw Ellias seated near the back of the classroom. He didn't even glance her way, his cold indifference like a dagger to her chest. The pain sparked anger within her, and before she could stop herself, she stormed over to him and grabbed his shoulder.

“Why?” she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion. “Why can’t you love me? Is there something wrong with me? Am I ugly? Am I not beautiful enough for you?"

Ellias froze, his usual composure momentarily faltering. The few students already in the room began whispering behind their hands, their curiosity piqued by the scene unfolding before them.

Ellias shook his head, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered, trying to take her arm and drag her out of the room. But Alara, in true royal fashion, stood firm and shrugged off his grip.

“Answer me first,” she insisted, her emerald-green eyes blazing with determination.

Ellias let out a sharp breath, his patience wearing thin. “Princess, you’re making a fool of yourself,” he said harshly. “Why would you want someone like me? I’ve made it clear—I have no interest in you, nor the time for whatever this is. You deserve someone who—”

“Who what?” Alara interrupted, her voice rising. “Who sees me as some perfect little doll to place on a pedestal? Who loves me for my title, not for who I am? Ellias, you don’t even know me, but you’ve already decided you’re unworthy—or worse, that I’m not worth your time. How dare you make that choice for me?”

Ellias faltered, her words hitting closer to home than he cared to admit. For a moment, he was speechless, caught between anger and something deeper he couldn’t quite place.

Deciding this was a waste of time, he turned on his heel. “This is pointless,” he muttered, beginning to walk away.

But Alara wasn’t finished.

She grabbed his shoulder again, and when he turned back to face her, she slapped him. Hard. The sound echoed through the room, freezing the growing crowd of students in stunned silence. Even those lingering by the door stopped in their tracks, wide-eyed at the spectacle.

Ellias touched his cheek, his gray eyes darkening with shock and indignation. But before he could react, Alara seized him by the collar and pulled him down, crashing her lips against his in a bold, fiery kiss.

The room erupted into chaos. Gasps, cheers, and laughter filled the air as the students witnessed the audacious display. Near the doorway, Dominique stood frozen, his jaw slack as he watched the scene unfold.

When Alara finally pulled away, her cheeks flushed with defiance and adrenaline, she stared straight into Ellias’s stunned gray eyes.

“There,” she said, her voice trembling but firm. “That’s how much I care. And if you think you can just push me away, you’re wrong. I will not give up on you, Ellias Coeverden.”

She released his collar and turned to leave the room, her head held high despite the heat rising in her face. The crowd parted for her like the sea, their whispers and murmurs following her out the door.

Ellias remained rooted in place, his hand still resting on his cheek where she’d slapped him, his lips tingling from the kiss.

For once in his life, he had no words.

Dominique finally snapped out of his daze, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Well,” he said under his breath, “that’s one way to make a statement.”

The kiss—and the slap—would be the talk of the university for weeks to come.