Chapter Two
Crushes, Chaos, and Coffee Stains
The morning sunlight spilled through the sheer curtains in Adera's room, catching the corner of her desk piled high with neatly labeled notebooks, highlighters, and an open planner that looked like it belonged to someone applying for NASA, not just trying to survive college. She was already dressed in a soft beige cardigan and blue jeans, hair braided and tucked behind one ear as she scanned her schedule one last time.
College life had turned her into a precision machine. Alarms, blocks of study time, color-coded subjects. It wasn't about pressure—it was about passion. She loved learning, and she wanted to do it right.
Downstairs, the sounds of clinking mugs and sizzling eggs met her ears as she descended the stairs, greeted by the familiar scent of cinnamon and butter.
Her mom, was at the stove in floral pajamas, humming some 90s pop song, flipping French toast like it was a competitive sport.
"Morning, my love," she beamed. "I made your favorite."
"You spoil me," Adera said, kissing her cheek before grabbing a glass of orange juice.
Josh, was already at the table, headset around his neck.
" Hi sis , good morning".
"Hey, Josh….how was your night."
"Great …I'm alive as you can see " josh smiled.
"Ha nice one "
Kiara soon came to join them.
"I heard you rustling around in the night, do you ever sleep?"
Productivity never sleeps," Adera replied, tapping her spoon like a gavel before glancing up with a grin. "Unlike some people."
Kiara smirked. "Tell that to the dark circles under your eyes. Or maybe you're just dreaming of a certain library boy."
Adera groaned. "No. Just—no."
Josh smirked"oh yes I bet"
Adera rolled her eyes and josh smiled.
"I'm going to college to learn, not to flirt," Adera said firmly.
"As if "Jace and Kiara said in unison.
Soon they were done with their breakfast.they packed their bags and each person headed to their destination after bidding their parents good bye.
---
At Campus – 9:12 a.m.
The university campus was alive with movement. Adera navigated the paths between buildings with her tote bag slung over one shoulder, earbuds in, the smell of espresso and spring leaves in the air.
Chloe was already waiting outside their favorite café spot, dressed in oversized denim and a sunflower yellow hoodie. Her curly brown hair was piled on top of her head, a book resting in her lap.
"Took you long enough," she said, standing and offering a hug.
"I was being I was being teased by my siblings," Adera replied with a laugh.
They grabbed a corner booth inside the café, the window lighting up Chloe's face as she sipped her matcha latte and reached into her bag for her laptop.
"How's psych class?" Adera asked, popping the lid off her own iced tea.
Chloe rolled her eyes dramatically. "We're dissecting Freud again. If I have to hear one more theory about mother complexes, I'm gonna throw myself into a dream journal."
Adera chuckled. "Come to the science side. We have catalysts and cool explosions."
"No thanks. I like keeping my eyebrows intact."
They grinned at each other.
"You gonna talk to Nathan this week?" Adera asked.
Nathan was Chloe recent crush and she seemed serious about him, Adera thought it was a good idea to keep the conversation going.
Chloe groaned and buried her face in her arms. "I swear, I tried yesterday. I was at Smoothie Wave, and he asked me if I wanted extra protein in my mango blast, and I—I panicked and said no like a psychopath."
"Tragic."
"I like him, okay?" Chloe mumbled through her arms. "He has dimples. Like real dimples. Also, he remembered my order. That's rare. That's—love language stuff."
So you like him because if his dimples?
"Maybe " Chloe shrugged
"Okay, so hear me out," Chloe whispered suddenly, leaning across the table
"What if Jace is secretly a vampire and you're the clumsy girl who finally awakens his dormant emotions?"
"Can you not speak to me ever again?"
Chloe laughed, full and bright, stirring her matcha latte. "You do realize the more you deny it, the more obvious it becomes?"
"There's nothing to deny. He's just... rude."
"Don't forget he's also Tall,Smart and handsome "
"Yes he is"
"So... your type."
"Chloe!"
Chloe leaned back, her curly brown hair bouncing with her giggles. "Look, you could do worse. The guy has bone structure sculpted by the gods. And he reads. That's, like, baseline husband material."
Adera fought the laugh threatening her lips. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're clearly in denial."
Before she could argue, Tanya dropped into the seat beside them with a dramatic sigh.
"Can we talk about how Professor Hill made me re-say my answer because I said 'cell respiration' instead of 'cellular respiration'? Like, girl, you knew what I meant!"
Tanya was one of those people who radiated intensity—always early, always prepared, always a little bit extra. But she and Adera had quickly bonded over their shared type-A personalities.
Adera passed her a granola bar. "Welcome to the club. He docked me points last week because I didn't use the word 'catalyst' in a sentence about enzymes."
"Right? he's so heartless….let better read for chemistry who knows what he has in plan for us."Tanya said.
They all burst into laughter.
---
Chemistry Lecture Hall – 12:01
Liam, another classmate, joined their row as Adera shuffled her notes and adjusted her glasses. He dropped into the seat next to her and stretched like a cat who hadn't slept in years.
"You look like you studied," he muttered, eyeing her notebook with something like admiration and fear.
"I did."
"You look like you slept," Adera replied, glancing at his hoodie and bed hair.
"I did not."
They exchanged grins.
Professor Hill walked in five minutes late, looking like he'd already been defeated by the day. "Pop quiz," he announced.
Half the class groaned. Adera merely pulled out a pencil.
Liam whispered, "Are you part robot?"
She didn't look up. "No. Just focused."
"You're terrifying. I like that."
Adera wondered what he meant by "you're terrifying "
---
Later That Afternoon – Chloe's House
Chloe's bedroom smelled like vanilla and citrus, lit with soft LED lights and covered in posters of bands Adera had never heard of. They sprawled across the floor, textbooks and candy wrappers scattered between them.
"So," Chloe said, tossing a gummy bear into the air and catching it, "You think Nathan might like me back?"
Adera blinked. "You've been talking about him for three weeks. I'm beginning to dream about his dimple."
"I know!" Chloe sighed dramatically. "But he works at Smoothie Wave and makes the perfect strawberry banana. That has to mean something."
Chloe's mom called from downstairs, "Chloe! Did you take my charger again?"
"No, Mom!" she yelled back. Then turned to Adera. "I did."
They giggled like two kids avoiding bedtime.
Adera grinned, her head tilted back against the bean bag. "I like being here."
"Duh," Chloe said, throwing a pillow at her.
"We vibe."
They danced around Chloe's room to a K-pop song, laughing until they collapsed onto the floor.