CHAPTER TWO : The Girl Hidden Inside Oversized Sweaters
653 Words
The first thing Seraphina Hart did every morning...
...was check if the library was open.
Not i********:.
Not her messages.
Definitely not the university gossip page.
The library.
"You seriously need help."
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
Sera looked up from the thick romance novel in her hands.
Luna stood in front of her with both hands on her hips.
"You've been walking for five minutes."
"And?"
"You almost walked into a tree."
Sera blinked.
"...Again?"
Luna sighed dramatically.
"Again."
A laugh escaped from behind them.
Maya hurried over, balancing three iced coffees.
"I told you she'd do it."
Luna held out her hand proudly.
"Pay up."
Maya rolled her eyes before placing a folded bill into Luna's palm.
"You two made a bet?"
Sera asked.
"Of course."
Luna grinned.
"We bet whether you'd walk into a tree or a person today."
"...I'm offended."
"You should be."
The three girls burst into laughter.
Sera hugged her novel closer to her chest.
"I was getting to the good part."
Luna snatched the book before Sera could stop her.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh my God..."
She read the back cover dramatically.
> A ruthless billionaire trapped his innocent bride against the wall...
Luna gasped loudly.
"Sera!"
"Give it back!"
"You read THIS?"
Several students turned toward them.
Sera's cheeks instantly turned crimson.
"Luna!"
"Quiet!"
"Oh, she's blushing!"
Maya leaned over Luna's shoulder.
"'His fingers slowly traveled—'"
"MAYA!"
Sera lunged for the book.
The three girls dissolved into laughter as Luna held it high above her head.
"You look so innocent!"
"I can't believe you secretly read things like this."
"It's research..."
Sera mumbled weakly.
Luna laughed so hard she nearly dropped the novel.
"Research?"
"For what?"
Sera finally managed to grab the book back.
"So I know what not to do."
The three of them laughed all the way across campus.
Students couldn't help smiling as they watched them pass.
They were always like this.
Loud.
Chaotic.
Happy.
—
Not everyone smiled.
Across the courtyard...
Three cheerleaders watched quietly.
One of them folded her arms.
Amber Sinclair.
Captain of the cheerleading squad.
Beautiful.
Popular.
And painfully aware that the football captain's eyes always searched for one girl after practice.
Not her.
Seraphina Hart.
Amber scoffed.
"I still don't get it."
Her friend followed Sera with her eyes.
"Get what?"
"What Ryan sees in her."
"The girl's pretty."
Amber laughed.
"Pretty?"
"She's hiding under three blankets."
"If she has anything worth looking at, nobody's seen it."
The girls laughed.
Amber looked away first.
"...Whatever."
"He'll get tired of playing boyfriend eventually."
—
Meanwhile...
On the football field...
The final whistle blew.
Cheers exploded across the stadium.
Ryan Carter wiped the sweat from his forehead before immediately searching the crowd.
His smile appeared almost instantly.
There she is.
Still holding a novel.
Still waiting.
Still smiling at him.
He jogged over.
Before Sera could say a word...
Ryan gently took her backpack off her shoulder.
"You carried this all the way here again?"
"It isn't heavy."
"It is for you."
He slipped it onto his own shoulder.
Luna dramatically covered her eyes.
"I can't watch this."
"They're being cute again."
Maya nodded.
"I'm actually getting diabetes."
Ryan laughed before reaching over...
...and lightly flicking Sera's forehead.
"You forgot to eat lunch."
Sera blinked.
"...How did you know?"
"You always skip lunch when your book gets interesting."
Her eyes widened.
"You noticed?"
"I notice everything."
For just a second...
The entire world felt peaceful.
Safe.
Exactly the way Sera believed it would always remain.
She had loving parents.
Two crazy best friends.
A boyfriend who remembered the little things.
What more could she ask for?
High above the campus...
Dark clouds slowly drifted across the afternoon sky.
The storm was getting closer.
Neither Sera...
Nor Ryan...
Knew that before the week was over...
One choice would destroy everything they had built together.
End of Chapter Two
- Writer
