The Unseen Sparks

The campus hummed with life as students spilled from lecture halls, their chatter blending with the rustling of autumn leaves. The afternoon sun slanted low, casting long golden rays that caught on polished shoes, designer bags, and glossy hair. Among them, unseen as always, walked Emilia Brooks. Emilia kept her head down, her oversized sweater swallowing her frame, her hands gripping her worn notebook like a lifeline. Her glasses slipped down her nose, but she didn’t bother pushing them up. No one would look her in the eye anyway. The laughter echoed, sharp and familiar. Chelsea Adams and her entourage strolled by, their perfect features twisted in amusement. “Aw, look at little Miss Charity Case,” Chelsea said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Still hiding under that ugly sweater? Or did Goodwill have a sale?” Emilia’s cheeks burned, but she kept walking, willing her legs not to shake. Behind Chelsea, Liam Carter walked with easy grace, hands tucked in his pockets, his smile charming, practiced. He didn’t join in the taunts, but he didn’t stop them either. His gaze swept the crowd lazily—until, for the briefest moment, it caught on Emilia. And something stirred. Not pity. Not quite curiosity. A flicker of something unnamed. “Leave it, Chels,” Liam said, his voice casual. But Chelsea only smirked, linking her arm with his. “Come on, babe. Don’t waste your breath.” Emilia disappeared into the library, heart pounding. She’d survived another day. Barely. --- That night, Emilia sat in her tiny dorm room, sketching quietly. The girl in her drawing had no glasses. No baggy clothes. She stood tall, her hair loose and shining, a smile on her lips. A girl no one would laugh at. A girl who didn’t exist. Yet.