"They seem too close! Huh, bullshit," Alana muttered sharply under her breath as she stormed down the quiet hallway, her heels clicking in rhythm with her rising irritation. Cassian's words were still echoing in her mind like a curse she couldn't shake.
Too close? Him and her? What nonsense.
"If only he saw how they fight like born enemies," she grumbled, clutching the strap of her bag tighter. "He'd know there's nothing between them except academic competition and years of pure hate!" Her tone was filled with bitterness, yet a faint note of defensiveness clung to her words, like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else.
Just as she turned the corner, a familiar voice brushed against her ears. It was low, calm, and unmistakable—Silas.
Alana's steps faltered. Her heart skipped before she even realized it, and she quickly scanned the corridor, eyes darting from one end to the other. And then she saw him.
