EIRA'S POV
"Adrian!!! Where are you? Why haven't I seen you all morning? You weren't in lectures, and I've searched practically everywhere!"
The question had been tormenting me since the moment I stepped onto campus. Every corridor I crossed, every classroom I entered, every passing face I scrutinised carried the same unanswered question.
Where was Adrian?
I still couldn't make sense of what had happened yesterday. The memories kept resurfacing, replaying themselves relentlessly in my mind, each recollection tightening the knot of guilt in my chest.
The way I'd misunderstood him.
The accusations I'd hurled at him.
The things I'd said without bothering to understand the truth.
And yet, despite everything, he'd still protected everyone.
A quiet sigh escaped my lips as my gaze fell to the little gift bag resting in my lap.
Today would be different.
Today, I would apologise.
I would thank him properly, without interruptions or misunderstandings. He deserved at least that much.
I only hoped he'd like what I'd bought him.
It had taken me nearly two hours to settle on something. I'd wandered through shop after shop, picking up one thing after another, only to put everything back. Nothing seemed quite right. Everything felt either too ordinary or too insignificant.
Eventually, I'd settled on the locket.
It was a delicate rose-gold piece, with an intricate little design. But what had truly caught my attention was its interior.
Inside, a miniature midnight sky unfolded against a deep, velvety darkness. A tiny crescent moon rested above a little golden candle, its delicate flame glowing softly against the surrounding night, like a solitary light refusing to surrender to the darkness.
It was unusual.
Beautiful, in its own quiet way.
I couldn't explain why, but something about it had felt right.
Perhaps he'd like it.
Perhaps it would make him smile.
The thought brought an involuntary little smile to my lips.
"Eira, are you going to eat something, or are you planning to stare at your food until it disappears?"
Tessy's voice interrupted my thoughts.
I blinked, returning to the present.
"Are you even listening to me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes before pressing the back of her hand against my forehead. "You're unusually quiet today. Are you feeling unwell?"
"Yeah… I'm fine."
"Fine?" Her eyebrows rose sceptically. "You've been completely distracted throughout the lecture, and now you've spent the last half an hour staring at your food. Something is definitely going on."
I opened my mouth to answer.
But the words never came.
Because, at that very moment, my eyes caught sight of someone passing the canteen entrance.
My breath caught.
Adrian.
There he was.
For a fleeting second, I simply stared, making sure I wasn't imagining him.
Then, before I could think twice, I grabbed my bag.
"Sorry, Tessy! I need to go!"
"Eira? Where are you—"
"I'll be back!"
I was already rushing towards the exit.
"Eira!!!"
Tessy's voice followed me, but I barely registered it.
Not now.
Not when I'd finally found him.
"Adrian! Wait!"
My voice rang through the corridor.
He didn't stop.
Didn't slow down.
Didn't even bother turning around.
I quickened my pace, clutching the gift bag so tightly that its handles dug into my fingers.
"Adrian!"
Nothing.
A strange uneasiness began creeping into my chest.
Was he deliberately ignoring me?
Had I upset him that badly?
I hurried forward until I finally caught up with him and stepped directly into his path.
He came to an abrupt halt.
For a moment, I struggled to catch my breath.
Then I managed a small, tentative smile.
"Hi, Adrian…"
His gaze travelled over my face, utterly devoid of warmth.
"Adrian, I wanted to—"
"I don't have time for you."
The interruption was immediate.
Cold.
Dismissive.
He moved to walk around me.
I instinctively stepped into his path again.
"Just a minute! Please, I only—"
"Move, Eira."
His voice was quiet, but the warning beneath it was unmistakable.
Usually, I would have stepped aside.
Usually, I would have swallowed whatever I wanted to say and walked away.
But not today.
Today, I'd come here with a purpose, and I wasn't going to let my nervousness ruin it.
"No!"
The word escaped me more forcefully than I'd intended.
His jaw tightened.
I swallowed, forcing myself to hold his gaze despite the intimidating coldness in his eyes.
"Today, I'm not going to get scared and run away. Because I know you, Adrian. I know you aren't someone who would deliberately hurt innocent people."
For the briefest moment, something shifted in his expression.
A flicker.
Something so fleeting that I couldn't quite identify it.
Then his features hardened again.
"Are you finished?"
His indifference stung, but I refused to let it discourage me.
"Not yet."
I drew a breath.
"Adrian, I wanted to thank you. For everything you did yesterday. And… I'm sorry."
His expression remained impassive.
"I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. For accusing you without knowing the truth. I shouldn't have behaved that way."
My voice softened.
"I know I must have hurt you, and I genuinely regret it."
Silence.
He merely stared at me.
I lowered my eyes momentarily, struggling to find the right words.
"You're a good person, Adrian. I know you are. Maybe I haven't always understood you, but that doesn't change what you did for everyone."
My fingers tightened around the little gift bag.
Suddenly, I felt ridiculously nervous.
My heart was beating so rapidly that I could almost hear it.
Slowly, I extended the bag towards him.
"And… I bought something for you. It's just a small gift. I hope you like it."
For several seconds, he didn't move.
His gaze shifted from my face to the bag.
The silence stretched until I began wondering whether I'd made a terrible mistake.
Then, finally—
He took it.
A wave of relief swept through me.
He'd accepted it.
A genuine smile began forming on my lips.
Thank goodness.
Perhaps things weren't as bad as I'd feared.
Perhaps we could finally—
"HEY! EVERYONE! COME HERE!"
His sudden shout cut straight through my thoughts.
I flinched.
What?
Confused, I looked at him.
Adrian had turned towards the passing students, raising his voice deliberately.
"Come on, friends! Don't miss this!"
Within seconds, several students stopped walking.
A few exchanged curious glances before approaching us. Others followed, drawn by the commotion.
My smile gradually faded.
What was he doing?
"Adrian?" I murmured.
He didn't acknowledge me.
Instead, he glanced around at the gathering crowd, his expression transforming into something I couldn't quite comprehend.
Then his lips curved.
A smile.
But there was nothing remotely pleasant about it.
My stomach tightened.
"Well, well…" he drawled, holding up the little gift bag. "Looks like we've got something interesting happening here."
A few students chuckled.
I looked between him and the growing crowd, increasingly bewildered.
"Adrian, what are you—"
"Let me introduce you all to Miss Eira Banes."
His voice carried effortlessly through the corridor.
"Apparently, she believes I've been doing everything lately for her sake."
A ripple of laughter travelled through the gathering students.
My smile disappeared completely.
"What?"
He tilted his head, pretending to consider the matter.
"Apparently, helping her friend, protecting people, showing a little basic courtesy… everything must have some hidden meaning."
More laughter.
My fingers curled nervously around the strap of my bag.
"Adrian, that's not what—"
"Oh, really?"
He finally looked at me.
His lips curved into a mocking smile.
"Then perhaps you'd like to explain why you chased me halfway across campus just to give me a present?"
A few students snickered.
Heat crept up my neck.
"I just wanted to thank you—"
"Thank me?"
He interrupted with exaggerated surprise.
Then he turned towards the crowd.
"Did you hear that? She wanted to thank me!"
Laughter erupted again.
My cheeks burned.
I could feel dozens of eyes examining me, their curiosity gradually turning into amusement.
"Wait a second…" He paused, pretending to connect the dots. "Don't tell me you actually think I love you?"
The laughter that followed was deafening.
My stomach dropped.
For a moment, I couldn't even comprehend what I'd just heard.
No.
He couldn't possibly mean—
"She's desperate for my attention," he continued, his voice dripping with contempt. "And apparently, she's convinced herself that I'm secretly in love with her."
"Adrian…" I whispered.
My voice was barely audible.
He ignored it.
"Look at this."
He reached inside the bag and pulled out the little box.
"She even bought me a present!"
My heart began pounding painfully.
"Please, Adrian. I just—"
"Let's see what our little admirer has chosen for me."
He opened the box.
A delicate rose-gold locket rested inside.
For one foolish second, I hoped he'd appreciate it.
Then he held it up for everyone to see.
"A locket?"
He opened it, revealing the miniature midnight sky inside. The tiny crescent moon and golden candle rested against the deep darkness, its little flame appearing almost alive beneath the corridor lights.
He examined it, turning it between his fingers before letting out a derisive laugh.
"Seriously?"
His expression twisted with theatrical disgust.
"Is this supposed to impress me?"
A few students laughed.
He held the locket higher.
"I can't believe someone would actually expect me to appreciate something this cheap."
The words struck harder than I expected.
Cheap?
I'd spent nearly two hours choosing it.
I'd imagined him opening it, perhaps smiling a little.
I'd imagined—
Stop.
I lowered my gaze, trying desperately to steady my breathing.
"How much did this cost? A hundred bucks?"
The crowd burst into laughter.
Adrian gave a dismissive scoff.
"Well, I suppose I should appreciate the effort. After all, charity has its own rewards, doesn't it?"
Before I could understand what he meant, he reached into his wallet.
And pulled out several bills.
My eyes widened.
"Adrian…?"
He tossed the money towards me.
The notes struck my shoulder before scattering across the floor, landing around my shoes.
I froze.
For a moment, the entire world seemed to recede.
I stared at the money.
Then slowly lifted my eyes towards him.
He was looking straight at me.
Not a trace of hesitation.
Not a trace of remorse.
"Here. Consider it payment for your little gift."
Someone laughed.
Another whispered something I couldn't quite hear.
My throat tightened painfully.
"Sorry, dear," he continued, slipping his wallet back into his pocket. "I'm afraid I'm not impressed."
I felt something twist inside my chest.
I wanted to say something.
Anything.
But my voice seemed to have abandoned me.
"You know what your problem is, Eira?"
His tone changed.
The mockery remained, but something sharper had entered it.
He stepped closer.
"You mistake kindness for affection."
I swallowed.
"You can't even recognise basic human decency without inventing some ridiculous meaning behind it."
The surrounding laughter quietened.
Everyone was listening now.
Watching.
Waiting for whatever he'd say next.
"The moment someone helps you, you start weaving fantasies in that pretty little head of yours."
His smirk deepened.
"A prince riding in on a white horse to sweep you off your feet?"
A few students burst out laughing.
"Is that what you imagined?"
My lips parted, but no words emerged.
"Perhaps you should stop confusing reality with your little fairytales."
His gaze remained fixed on mine.
"You actually thought I cared about you."
A tear threatened to escape.
I blinked rapidly.
No.
Not here.
Not in front of them.
I wouldn't give them that satisfaction.
But Adrian wasn't finished.
"Look at yourself, Eira."
His voice dropped, becoming colder.
"Do you honestly believe I'd ever fall for someone like you?"
My fingers trembled.
"I wouldn't fall for you if you were the last girl on earth."
The words struck with such brutal finality that I momentarily forgot how to breathe.
He tilted his head.
"I'd rather spend eternity alone."
Something inside me cracked.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just a quiet, devastating fracture somewhere deep within my chest.
I could feel the tears gathering, blurring the faces around me.
And still, I stood there.
Because I couldn't understand him.
I couldn't understand how the same person who had protected everyone yesterday could stand before me today and deliberately tear me apart.
Had I really misunderstood everything?
Had every moment of kindness meant absolutely nothing?
Then—
He lifted the locket.
My eyes immediately followed his hand.
"Adrian, don't—"
He tossed it.
High into the air.
The little rose-gold locket caught the corridor lights, its delicate surface flashing briefly before disappearing somewhere into the gathering crowd.
My breath caught.
I instinctively stepped forward, searching for it.
But the students shifted, blocking my view.
Gone.
My gift.
My apology.
The one thing I'd spent hours choosing for him.
Gone.
Just like that.
A hollow ache spread through my chest.
Behind me, laughter continued.
I could hear whispers.
Feel their stares.
Sense their amusement.
But I couldn't bring myself to look at anyone.
"Try choosing something up to my standards next time."
His voice reached me from dangerously close.
I hadn't even realised he'd moved nearer.
He leaned just enough for his words to reach my ears alone.
"Though I doubt you could afford it."
His whisper was more vicious than anything he'd said aloud.
My lips trembled.
I pressed them together, desperately trying to regain control.
But the tears had already escaped.
One slipped down my cheek.
Then another.
I slowly raised my head.
For the first time since he'd begun humiliating me, I looked directly into his eyes.
"You…"
My voice faltered.
I swallowed, forcing the words through the tightness in my throat.
"Today, you hurt me."
A tear travelled down my cheek.
I didn't wipe it away.
I wanted him to see it.
Wanted him to look at what he'd done.
"Congratulations."
The word came out broken, but I made sure he heard it.
For one suspended second, everything seemed to fall silent.
His expression didn't change.
But his eyes—
Something flickered behind them.
Something dark.
Something violently restrained.
His jaw tightened, and for the briefest moment, his gaze dropped to the tear tracing my cheek.
It was gone almost immediately.
His face hardened.
Whatever had surfaced disappeared beneath that familiar wall of indifference.
Then he brushed past me.
His shoulder struck mine as he walked away.
No apology.
No explanation.
Not even a backward glance.
I stood motionless, watching his retreating figure until the crowd swallowed him from sight.
The laughter gradually dissolved into whispers.
Someone moved.
Someone said my name.
I didn't respond.
My eyes remained fixed on the empty space where he'd disappeared.
I had come looking for an apology.
I'd brought him a gift.
I'd wanted to make things right.
Instead, I'd walked straight into a humiliation I hadn't even known was possible.
And perhaps the most painful part wasn't what he'd said.
It was that, somewhere in my foolish little heart, I'd genuinely believed he might be happy to see me.
I lowered my head.
The scattered money still lay around my feet.
I didn't pick it up.
I couldn't.
Because standing there, surrounded by strangers who had witnessed every second of my humiliation, I finally understood one thing.
Whatever I had believed Adrian Blake to be…
Perhaps I'd never known him at all.
And something inside me finally broke.
Somewhere beneath the laughter of strangers and the wreckage of a shattered heart, something came to an end.
A trust was destroyed.
An apology remained unheard.
A gift was discarded.
And a girl walked away carrying wounds no one could see.
But destiny has never been particularly considerate of human conclusions.
It doesn't always end stories when hearts break.
Sometimes, it begins them there.
Because the cruelest encounters can leave behind the deepest scars, and the most unexpected connections are often born from the moments we wish we could erase.
Eira believed she had lost something that day.
She believed she had finally understood the man she had once defended.
She believed there was nothing left between them.
And Adrian?
He believed he had finally accomplished what he'd set out to do.
He had made sure she hated him.
Every cruel word, every humiliation, every deliberately shattered hope had served one purpose—to make her despise him enough that she'd never seek him out again.
Now, she would stay away.
And he would make sure he stayed away from her, too.
Forever.
At least, that was what he intended.
But fate had never been particularly considerate of human intentions.
For what appeared to be the end of their story was merely the beginning of something neither of them could outrun.
And neither was prepared for what came next.