When the Sun End

Chapter 2: Shadows

Aeris never liked being the center of attention, and she had perfected the art of blending in. But ever since Lucian Reyes walked into their classroom, she felt as though something had shifted.

It wasn’t because she was interested in him—at least, that’s what she told herself. It was because he seemed so different from the others. He barely spoke unless spoken to, kept to himself during breaks, and never seemed interested in making friends. Unlike most transfer students who tried to fit in, he appeared completely unaffected by the social circles of their school.

And yet, despite his aloofness, he noticed things.

Aeris found that out when their teacher assigned partners for an upcoming literature project.

"Aeris Valeria and Lucian Reyes," the teacher announced.

Mia immediately leaned toward Aeris, eyes twinkling. "Lucky you," she whispered, nudging her playfully.

Aeris rolled her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she’d call it luck.

Lucian didn’t react when their names were paired, simply closing his notebook as the class moved on. It wasn’t until the bell rang that he turned to her, his gaze calm but unreadable.

"Library?" he asked.

Aeris hesitated, caught off guard by how direct he was. "Uh… yeah, sure. After class?"

He nodded before walking away, leaving her standing there with a strange feeling in her chest.

---

Later that afternoon, they sat across from each other at a quiet corner of the library. Aeris tapped her pencil against her notebook, stealing glances at him. Lucian had a way of making silence feel heavy, like he was always lost in thought.

"So," she finally said, breaking the quiet. "What do you think about the book?"

He looked up, his fingers flipping through the worn pages of their assigned novel. "It’s not bad."

Aeris raised an eyebrow. "That’s it?"

Lucian smirked slightly. "You want me to say something poetic?"

She sighed. "No, but at least put some effort into this. It’s a group project."

For a moment, he just watched her. And then, he said something unexpected.

"You don’t belong here."

Aeris blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You’re different from the others," he said simply, as if it were an obvious fact.

She frowned, shifting uncomfortably. "You don’t even know me."

Lucian leaned back, his eyes dark and thoughtful. "I know enough."

And with that, he had unknowingly set something into motion—something Aeris wasn’t ready to face.