Sofia was practically bouncing around their dorm room, her excitement filling every corner. The air felt lighter just from her presence.
Leila, who had woken with a knot of anxiousness in her stomach, found it slowly unraveling under Sofia's infectious energy.
"What should I wear?" Sofia spun toward the wardrobe with mock panic in her voice.
"No matter what you wear," Leila said, smiling as she folded a scarf. "You're going to shine brighter than the sun. My sunshine."
Sofia made a face, but her cheeks warmed. "Flattery won't help me pick an outfit."
Leila's own search ended when her fingers brushed a soft, lilac-colored modest top with delicate sleeves, paired perfectly with a flowing white skirt. She held it up. "What do you think?"
Sofia's eyes lit up instantly. "Epic. You'll look incredible, Leila." Then, without missing a beat: "Now help me pick mine."
After a quick shuffle through hangers, Leila pulled out a cherry-blossom pink summer dress. "This. It's light, soft… and it's so you."
Sofia hugged it to her chest. "I love it."
They dressed together, Sofia applying her makeup with precision while Leila stuck to her usual moisturizer and sunscreen.
When they were ready, Sofia tapped a quick message to Kai: Where are you guys?
His reply came fast: We're waiting downstairs.
They hurried out, the warm air carrying the faint scent of fresh flowers from the courtyard.
At the gates, Elias and Kai stood waiting, both in casual sweatshirts and jogger pants. The look was so different from their usual suits that Leila almost didn't recognize them at first.
Elias glanced up. And then stayed looking.
Kai straightened, his usual grin flickering as his eyes swept over Sofia.
It was the first time the girls had seen them dressed like this — relaxed, almost carefree. And it was the first time the boys had seen them looking quite like this.
For a second, no one spoke. The contrast was startling—seeing each other in this softer, more unguarded light.
Kai was the first to break the silence. "Shall we?" he said with that easy grin, but there was a glimmer in his eyes as he glanced at Sofia.
Sofia beamed back. "Lead the way."
They set off down the sunlit street, the soft crunch of gravel underfoot. The late-morning warmth wrapped around them, carrying the faint scent of blooming jasmine from a nearby garden.
Leila walked beside Sofia, just a pace or two behind the boys. She could hear Kai making Sofia laugh, their voices an animated rhythm ahead of her.
Elias matched her stride without saying much at first. Every so often, she felt his gaze—quick, quiet, as if he wasn't sure whether to hold it or let it slip away.
"Not your usual library morning," he said at last, his voice low enough for only her to hear.
Leila glanced at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "No… definitely different."
His eyes flicked briefly to the lilac of her top, then back to her face. "It suits you."
The words were simple, but they landed warm in her chest.
Up ahead, Kai tossed a look over his shoulder. "Hey, you two—don't fall behind. I'm starving."
Elias didn't look away from Leila when he answered. "We're right here."
They reached a wide stretch of grass overlooking a slow, glistening river. The air was alive with the sound of cicadas, and the sun hung golden above the treeline.
Kai tossed the picnic blanket down with a flourish. "Perfect spot," he declared, dropping the basket beside it.
Sofia knelt to help him unpack. "You brought way too much food," she said, though her grin betrayed no complaint.
"That's because you don't understand my philosophy," Kai replied. "A picnic without excess is just a sad lunch outside."
Leila sank gracefully onto the blanket, smoothing the skirt of her white dress. Elias lowered himself beside her—not too close, but close enough that she could feel the faint warmth radiating from him.
Sofia handed around sandwiches and fruit, chatting without pause. Her voice and laughter drew the group together like sunlight breaking through clouds.
Leila found herself relaxing, letting the day's brightness seep into her. She even laughed at one of Kai's exaggerated stories, which earned her a quick, unreadable look from Elias.
At one point, a breeze lifted the corner of the blanket, catching a loose strand of Leila's hair. Without thinking, Elias reached to brush it back from her face, his fingers grazing lightly against her cheek. She froze for a heartbeat, her eyes flicking to his—just long enough for something unspoken to pass between them—before she turned away under the guise of pouring herself more juice.
Kai, busy offering Sofia a slice of watermelon, didn't notice. But Elias did. He felt the space between them shift, just a fraction, and knew it wasn't only the wind.