CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:SHE CHANGED EVERYTHING
1395 Words
Monday mornings at Ravenscroft Academy were universally hated.
The halls buzzed with half-awake students dragging themselves toward lectures, clutching coffee cups like lifelines while mentally preparing for another week of impossible assignments, unbearable professors, and enough academic pressure to crush the average human soul.
Kai hated Mondays for one simple reason.
They required being conscious before nine.
Which, in his opinion, was deeply offensive.
He stumbled into Advanced Applied Theory ten minutes before class started, his hair still slightly damp from a rushed shower and his academy blazer hanging loosely over one shoulder.
Maya was already seated near the back, lazily spinning a pen between her fingers.
“You look dead,” she observed.
Kai dropped into the seat beside her.
“I was sleeping peacefully.”
“And?”
“Then my alarm happened.”
Maya nodded solemnly.
“A tragedy.”
Kai slumped onto the desk.
The weekend recovery day had done wonders for his energy.
Unfortunately, it had also done something significantly more inconvenient.
It had given him too much time to think.
Specifically about Adrian.
And the fact that they had somehow ended up tangled together on his bed.
The memory still made his ears burn.
“Earth to Kai.”
Maya snapped her fingers in front of his face.
He blinked.
“What?”
“You’re doing the Adrian stare again.”
Kai frowned.
“The what?”
“That weird thing where your soul leaves your body because you’re overthinking Adrian.”
“I do not—”
The classroom door opened.
And Adrian walked in.
Kai immediately stopped speaking.
Because Adrian wasn’t alone.
Walking beside him was a girl Kai had never seen before.
She was stunning.
Long dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her silver-gray eyes were nearly identical to Adrian’s.
She carried herself with easy confidence, her expression alive with curiosity.
The entire class noticed instantly.
Whispers erupted.
“She looks like him.”
“Wait—”
Professor Hale entered moments later.
“Settle down.”
The room quieted.
He gestured toward the girl.
“We have a transfer student joining us. She recently returned to the country and will complete the rest of the academic year here.”
He turned to her.
“Introduce yourself.”
The girl smiled.
“Aurora Vale.”
The room collectively inhaled.
Kai’s eyes widened.
Vale.
Adrian’s sister.
Now the resemblance was undeniable.
Same sharp features.
Same silver eyes.
Same dark hair.
But while Adrian radiated controlled restraint, Aurora seemed made of light and motion.
Then her gaze landed on Kai.
And stopped.
Something brightened instantly in her expression.
Interest.
Very obvious interest.
Kai shifted uncomfortably.
Aurora’s smile widened.
Maya slowly turned toward him.
“…You’re doomed.”
---
By lunch, the academy was consumed by gossip.
The return of Aurora Vale had become everyone’s favorite topic.
Kai barely entered the dining hall before Maya dragged him toward their usual table.
Ethan was already there, looking deeply entertained.
“This should be interesting,” he said.
Kai frowned.
“Why?”
Maya grinned.
“Aurora Vale has spent all morning asking about you.”
Kai froze.
“What?”
“She asked three different students who the ‘ridiculously attractive guy with messy hair’ was.”
Kai groaned.
“This cannot be happening.”
“Oh, it’s happening,” Ethan said.
“And Adrian looks murderous.”
That made Kai pause.
“What?”
Before Ethan could answer—
“Kai!”
The bright voice rang across the cafeteria.
Aurora was already walking toward them.
She reached their table and smiled directly at him.
“Hi.”
Kai blinked.
“Hi?”
“I’m Aurora.”
“I know.”
She laughed.
“Good.”
Then—to everyone’s shock—she sat directly beside him.
Close enough for their shoulders to brush.
Kai stiffened.
And across the hall, Adrian had just entered.
He stopped immediately.
His silver eyes landed on the scene.
Aurora leaning toward Kai.
Kai visibly startled.
Something dark flickered across Adrian’s face.
Gone so quickly most wouldn’t have noticed.
But Kai noticed.
Adrian approached the table with measured calm.
“Aurora.”
His tone was flat.
She looked up brightly.
“Brother.”
“You’re in my seat.”
She blinked.
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m sitting with Kai.”
Kai nearly choked.
Adrian’s gaze shifted to him.
And for one sharp second, Kai saw it.
Irritation.
Possessiveness.
Jealousy.
His lips twitched.
Interesting.
Aurora smiled sweetly at Kai.
“So, would you show me around campus after class?”
Before Kai could answer—
“No.”
The response came instantly.
Everyone looked at Adrian.
Even he looked faintly surprised.
Aurora frowned.
“I wasn’t asking you.”
“He’s busy.”
Kai raised an eyebrow.
“I am?”
“Yes.”
“With competition preparation.”
Kai almost laughed.
The next round was a month away.
Aurora’s smile turned knowing.
“Oh?”
She looked between them.
“How interesting.”
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
“Aurora.”
She ignored him.
“Tomorrow then?”
“He won’t be available.”
Kai finally spoke.
“Can I answer for myself?”
“No.”
Aurora burst out laughing.
And somehow, that only made Adrian visibly more annoyed.
---
School days continued like that.
Aurora became a constant presence.
If Kai was walking to class, she joined him.
If he sat in the cafeteria, she claimed the seat beside him.
If he studied in the library, she appeared with a smile and some excuse to stay.
She was charming, intelligent, and shamelessly clingy.
Kai had no idea how to deal with her.
Especially because she was impossible to dislike.
And Adrian?
Adrian was absolutely miserable.
Though he’d never admit it.
Every time Aurora looped her arm through Kai’s—
Adrian’s expression darkened.
Every time she leaned close to whisper something—
His jaw tightened.
Every time she laughed and touched Kai’s shoulder—
His pen gripped just a little too hard.
One afternoon in the library, Aurora dropped into the seat beside Kai and leaned dramatically against his shoulder.
“You’re avoiding me.”
“I’m studying.”
“You can study and talk.”
“No, I can’t.”
Across the table—
Snap.
The sharp sound echoed through the silent library.
Everyone looked up.
Adrian was staring down at the pen he’d just broken cleanly in half.
Aurora grinned.
“Oh dear.”
Adrian calmly set the broken pieces down.
Then looked directly at Kai.
“Walk with me.”
Kai blinked.
“What?”
“Now.”
Aurora laughed.
“That sounded suspiciously like an order.”
“It was.”
Kai smirked.
He stood.
Mostly because he wanted to see where this was going.
The moment they stepped into the quiet corridor outside, Adrian stopped.
Kai turned.
“Well?”
Adrian crossed his arms.
“She’s distracting you.”
Kai snorted.
“That your concern?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Our performance matters.”
Kai stepped closer.
“That the only reason?”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Kai grinned.
“Oh my God.”
“What?”
“You’re jealous.”
“I’m not.”
“You broke a pen.”
“It was defective.”
Kai laughed.
“You’re terrible at lying.”
Adrian looked away.
And that tiny reaction told Kai everything.
The grin on Kai’s face softened.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, warmth bloomed in his chest.
He liked this.
Seeing through Adrian.
Knowing him enough to catch what others missed.
The silence stretched.
Then Kai said quietly—
“If it bothers you that much…”
Adrian looked back at him.
Kai’s heartbeat quickened.
“I could tell Aurora to stop.”
For a moment, Adrian hesitated.
Then his voice came low and careful.
“I wouldn’t tell you who to spend time with.”
Kai held his gaze.
“No.
But you’d want to.”
Adrian said nothing.
And somehow, that silence said everything.
Back inside the library, Aurora watched them return.
Her silver eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Then slowly—
She smiled.
Because for all Adrian Vale’s efforts to hide it—
His little sister had already figured him out.
And she fully intended to make his life unbearable until he admitted the truth.
- Writer
