CHAPTER SIXTEEN - WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH
935 Words
The afternoon sun poured through the academy courtyard as students hurried past, excitement buzzing through the air.
Just ahead, a tall boy nervously held out a bouquet of silver roses.
"Eva..." he said, clearing his throat. "Will you go to the Founder's Ball with me?"
The girl gasped before throwing her arms around him.
"Yes!"
Cheers erupted around them as their friends clapped and whistled.
Olivia smiled softly.
"That was... actually kind of sweet."
Becca folded her arms with a teasing grin.
"Looks like everyone's pairing up already."
Liam sighed dramatically.
"And here I am... painfully single."
The three of them laughed as they continued walking toward the academy gardens.
Olivia glanced sideways at Becca.
"So..."
Becca raised an eyebrow.
"So...?"
"Who are you going to the ball with?"
For the briefest second, Becca froze.
Images of Omar flashed through her mind.
Their secret meetings.
His promise.
The painful reality that no one could ever know.
She forced herself to smile.
"I don't know."
Olivia frowned.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I mean..." Becca shrugged casually. "I don't have anyone."
Olivia narrowed her eyes.
"No boyfriend?"
"Nope."
"Not even someone you secretly like?"
Becca laughed a little too quickly.
"No."
Olivia stopped walking and stared at her.
"I don't believe you."
Becca blinked.
"What?"
"I've been your roommate for weeks."
"And?"
"And you're hiding something."
Becca placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"I'm offended."
"You should be."
The girls burst into laughter.
Liam shook his head.
"You two argue like sisters."
Olivia smiled.
"I still think she's lying."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You definitely are."
Becca simply smiled, refusing to say another word.
Liam chuckled before rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well..."
"If nobody has asked you yet..."
He looked directly at Olivia.
"I wouldn't mind taking you to the ball."
Olivia blinked.
Then she burst into laughter.
"Haha... good one."
Liam frowned.
"I'm serious."
She playfully punched his shoulder.
"Oh please."
"You almost had me."
Liam forced a smile, laughing along with her.
"Yeah..."
"I was joking."
But he wasn't.
His heart sank as she walked ahead beside Becca, still laughing.
Becca glanced back at Liam.
For just a second, their eyes met.
She saw the disappointment hidden behind his smile.
She looked away without saying a word.
Olivia continued chatting happily, completely unaware that Liam had meant every single word.
Behind them, Liam slipped his hands into his pockets.
"Maybe... one day she'll stop laughing and finally see me."
The academy library was almost deserted.
With the Winter Ball only days away, most students were outside discussing dresses, tuxedos, and invitations. The silence inside the library felt almost sacred.
Olivia smiled to herself.
"If Owen isn't here..." she thought. "...then the world has probably ended."
She wandered through the towering bookshelves until she reached the far corner beside the stained-glass window.
There he was.
Exactly where she expected.
Owen sat with a thick ancient history book open in front of him, a notebook filled with neat handwriting beside it. He didn't even notice her approaching.
Olivia leaned against the bookshelf with a grin.
"So... this is where you've been hiding."
Without looking up, Owen replied,
"I wasn't hiding."
"You weren't?"
"No."
"You just disappeared from society."
"I prefer the term avoiding unnecessary conversations."
Olivia laughed.
"That's exactly what hiding is."
Only then did Owen lift his eyes from the page.
A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You came all the way here just to insult me?"
"Maybe."
She pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down.
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was comfortable.
Olivia rested her chin on her hand.
"So..."
Owen looked up.
"So?"
"Do you have a date for the ball?"
He stared at her.
Blankly.
His expression didn't change for several long seconds.
"...Are you serious?"
Olivia nodded dramatically.
"Very."
He slowly closed his book.
Then looked at her as if she had completely lost her mind.
"Olivia..."
"...have you gone bunkers?"
She burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Bunkers?"
"You mean bonkers?"
"I know what I said."
That only made her laugh harder.
Several students nearby glanced over before returning to their books.
When she finally caught her breath, she wiped a tear from her eye.
"I can't believe you just said that with a straight face."
Owen shrugged.
"My vocabulary isn't the problem."
"It absolutely is."
They both laughed quietly.
The smile lingered between them.
Then Olivia's expression softened.
"You know..."
She hesitated.
"I'd actually love to go with you."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Silence.
Owen's smile faded.
He looked down at the table.
"I won't be going."
Olivia blinked.
"What?
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