Episode 9: The Photo
772 Words
"Wake up!"
A pillow hit Amara square in the face.
She groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
"It's Saturday."
"I know."
"Then why are you attacking me before eight in the morning?"
"Because the campus has lost its mind."
Lily yanked the blanket away and shoved her phone into Amara's hands.
"Look."
Still half asleep, Amara squinted at the screen.
A post from the university's biggest student gossip page filled the display.
CAMPUS KING FINALLY FALLS?
Beneath the headline were several photos.
Kael standing beside her outside Founder Hall.
One where he was handing her phone back.
Another where they appeared to be smiling at each other.
The last photo captured him looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite describe.
The caption made it worse.
Sources say Student Council President Kael Draven Vale has been secretly spending time with first-year scholarship student Amara Cole. Is Eclipse University's most eligible bachelor finally off the market?
Amara sat upright.
"This is ridiculous."
"I know."
"We talked for less than five minutes."
"I know."
"Who even took these?"
Lily frowned.
"That's the part that's bothering me."
---
By the time they reached the dining hall, everyone seemed to be staring.
Conversations stopped as Amara walked past.
Someone whispered.
"That's her."
Another voice answered.
"The girl from the photos."
Amara lowered her eyes.
"I hate this."
Lily slipped an arm through hers.
"They'll find something else to gossip about by next week."
"I hope you're right."
They joined the breakfast line.
Just as Amara reached for a tray, another hand picked up the last blueberry muffin.
"Oh."
The young man holding it looked at her.
Daniel.
"I didn't realize it was the last one."
He smiled apologetically.
"You can have it."
"No, it's okay."
"I insist."
He placed the muffin on her tray.
"There."
"Crisis averted."
Amara laughed.
"Thank you."
From across the dining hall, someone watched the exchange.
Serena.
Her gaze shifted from Daniel...
...to Amara...
...then to the gossip post on her phone.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
---
The Student Council meeting that morning was unusually quiet.
Kael placed a printed copy of the gossip article on the table.
"I want to know who published this."
One council member shifted uncomfortably.
"It's an anonymous account."
"They've been posting celebrity gossip for years."
Kael's voice remained calm.
"They photographed a student without her permission."
"Take it down."
"Immediately."
Serena leaned back in her chair.
"You're unusually concerned."
Kael met her eyes.
"It violates university policy."
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"If you say so."
No one else spoke.
But everyone in the room noticed something.
Kael had never demanded the removal of a gossip post before.
---
Later that afternoon, Amara escaped to the library.
It was quiet.
Peaceful.
Exactly what she needed.
She found an empty table near the windows and opened her finance textbook.
Ten minutes later...
A familiar voice spoke.
"Is this seat taken?"
She looked up.
Kael.
She glanced around.
The library was nearly empty.
"There are dozens of other seats."
"There are."
"And yet you're asking for this one."
"If you'd rather study alone, I'll leave."
She hesitated.
"No."
"You can stay."
He sat across from her.
For several minutes, they studied in silence.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
Oddly...
It was calming.
Finally, Amara closed her textbook.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You can."
"Why did you have those photos taken down?"
He looked up from his notes.
"They embarrassed you."
"So?"
"So they shouldn't have been posted."
"You didn't have to get involved."
"I wanted to."
The answer came so naturally that it surprised both of them.
Kael looked away first.
"I mean..."
"It was the right thing to do."
Amara smiled softly.
"Thank you."
For the first time in days...
She felt like someone was on her side.
Without judging her.
Without expecting anything in return.
Just then, Kael's phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression changed almost imperceptibly.
"I have to go."
"So suddenly?"
"I'm sorry."
He stood, gathering his books.
As he turned to leave, something slipped from between the pages of one of his notebooks.
A folded piece of old parchment landed near Amara's chair.
"Kael."
He didn't hear her.
He was already gone.
Amara picked it up.
The paper was old.
Much older than ordinary notebook paper.
Across the top was a detailed drawing of Eclipse University.
But it wasn't the modern campus.
It looked...
Ancient.
Her eyes moved to a handwritten label near the center.
Founder Hall
Beneath it, someone had circled a single sentence in faded ink.
The truth sleeps beneath the stone.
"What..."
"...does that mean?"
- Writer
