"Duke, where's Luka?" Brianna asked, her tone shifting from surprised to anxious.
Duke, looking around in confusion, offered a dismissive laugh. "What are you talking about? Luka's right—" He turned, only to find the seat beside him empty. "Wait... he was right here a minute ago."
"That guy wasn't kidding when he said communication isn't his strong suit," Brittney said, shaking her head. "He ghosted us without a word."
"Well, it wouldn't be ghosting if he gave us a warning," Duke pointed out.
"Ghosted or not, I'm going to find him," Brianna declared with firm resolve. "I've never lost a friend before, and I'm not starting now."
Leaving the lecture hall behind, the three of them set out to search the campus.
Meanwhile, Luka sat quietly inside a nearby cafe, a cup of cappuccino resting on the table before him. He observed the ambient surroundings, his gaze occasionally drifting to the girl seated across from him.
Her dark purple hair cascaded down like a waterfall, framing a fair face. Her eyes—a deep, sparkling shade of plum—gave her features a mysterious, captivating allure.
Thirty minutes earlier...
Luka was walking toward the cafe, headphones on, when a flash of dark purple caught his eye. Someone had been pulled quickly into the narrow alleyway between the music studio and the digital media lab. Pausing, he removed his headphones, slipped them into his bag, and stepped toward the alley.
"I've gotta say, there's nothing sweeter than seeing a girl break down and beg," a guy sneered, a sadistic smirk across his face as he gripped a girl by the arm.
"Nice one, Jason," another guy chimed in with a cruel laugh. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"Hey... Jason, Rocky... can I leave now?" a third guy asked from behind, his voice trembling nervously.
Rocky whirled around, grabbing him by the collar. "You don't leave until I say so. Got it?"
"No need to threaten him, Rocky," Jason said with a cold smirk. "You're already an accomplice, Jamie. If word gets out, you'll take the fall right along with us. And I wonder... how would your father react to that?"
Jamie's knees buckled. Memories of harsh punishments flooded his mind, leaving him pale.
"You can go now, Jamie," Jason added casually. "It's not like we need you for what comes next."
Jamie scrambled to his feet and ran out of the alley, pressing a handkerchief to his face. As he burst into the open, he briefly locked eyes with Luka before sprinting away to avoid getting involved.
Jason dragged the girl toward the back wall of the studio, shoving her against it. "You think you're hot stuff just because you've got a pretty face?"
"And she slapped me in front of everyone!" Rocky spat, stepping closer.
"Look at you now. Pathetic." Jason grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him as she trembled. When he leaned in to kiss her, she managed to free a hand and slapped him across the face, turning to run.
Rocky instantly blocked the exit. "You aren't going anywhere until we're done."
"Once we're through with you, you won't be acting so high and mighty ever again," Jason growled, grabbing her from behind and pressing his face against her neck. She tried to scream, but he clamped a heavy hand over her mouth.
Luka walked into the alleyway.
He stepped past Rocky without a word, heading straight toward Jason and the girl.
"Hey! Stop right there," Jason barked. "Take another step and you'll regret it!" But as he caught sight of Luka's empty, icy gaze, his confidence wavered, and his hand began to shake.
"Nobody ignores me!" Rocky yelled, grabbing a metal trash can from the wall. He lunged at Luka, swinging it high, but before the blow could land, Luka drove a sharp fist directly into his stomach.
Rocky crumpled to the pavement with a choked gasp, clutching his midsection in pain.
Luka didn't slow down. He took another step toward Jason.
Panicking, Jason released the girl and held his hands up defensively. "Fine, fine! I'll let her go!"
The girl stumbled backward, immediately scrambling behind Luka. She was shaking uncontrollably, though no tears fell.
"Just don't tell anyone about this," Jason stammered, backing away. "I can't afford to get expelled again."
Uninterested in anything he had to say, Luka turned to walk out of the alley, gesturing for the girl to follow ahead of him.
Seeing Luka's back turned, Jason's expression twisted. Clenching his fist, he charged forward.
"Don't treat art like trash," Luka murmured softly.
In one fluid motion, he pivoted and delivered a heavy strike to Jason's jaw, sending him crashing hard against the brick wall of the building.
The girl froze, her cheeks flushing red as Luka's words echoed in her mind. A wave of profound relief washed over her, mixed with awe at the quiet strength of the person who had just saved her.
Present...
"I'm really grateful for your help back there," she said softly, sitting small in her chair across from Luka. "I didn't think I was going to get out of there safely."
Luka didn't reply, taking a quiet sip of his cappuccino. Misinterpreting his silence as annoyance, she shrank back slightly into her seat.
"My advice is to learn how to stand up for yourself," Luka said calmly, setting his cup down and standing up. "I didn't save you. I just don't like seeing beauty destroyed."
He turned toward the exit.
Her face lit up, a bright smile breaking through her hesitation. She stood up quickly before he reached the door. "I'm Aria! Can I at least know your name?"
Luka paused at the threshold, glancing back over his shoulder. "Luka."
With that, he walked out into the bright afternoon air.
Aria stood in silence, a warm flush spreading across her cheeks.
"Luka," she whispered to herself, hugging her arms tightly as a gentle warmth settled in her chest.