Against All Odds

CHAPTER - 2

ELLE

It was the last day of the week, friday. The bell for our last class hadn't even rung when we heard the news. Our professor had fallen sick and had to rush home, leaving us free for the rest of the day. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. Fridays were meant to be easygoing, and this week felt unnecessarily long, and I had been looking forward to some quiet time.

Naturally, I decided to head to the library. It had become a routine of mine, waiting there for Liam to finish his practice so we could head home together. The little stretch of peace, tucked away in the quiet aisles, was my favourite part of the day. I'd sit with a warm coffee, pick out a novel, and escape into a world that wasn't mine.

Today, I was eager to finish the novel I'd started yesterday. A sweet, heart-melting romance that had kept me up far too late the night before. I smiled to myself, thinking about the characters, about how they found love in the most unexpected of ways. Maybe one day I'd have something like that.

I walked towards the fiction section, the one I'm always attracted towards. The place was nearly empty, except for a few scattered students, and I loved it that way. Isolation, peace, and my own bubble. Just me, my book, and the quiet. I grabbed the novel from the shelf and clutched it to my chest as I made my way back to my usual spot near the window. The light there was perfect, steaming in just enough to make me feel cozy without being too bright.

I turned around, lost in my thoughts, walking towards the window, I collided hard with something, or someone. The force of it sent me stumbling backward, and before I could register what had just happened, I was falling.

In that split second, I felt the air leave my lungs, my arms flailing as I tried to catch myself. But then, before I hit the ground, a strong hand grabbed me, trying to pull me up, but boom, I found myself lying on the ground.

I looked up.

And there he was.

Cameron.

The team captain, Cameron...him. My mind scrambled as I stared at him, frozen in place. How did I not notice him standing there? His chocolate-brown eyes locked on mine, and suddenly, everything around me blurred into insignificance. He was effortlessly cool, and up close, even more... attractive? No, handsome. Definitely handsome. His messy hair fell perfectly in place, like it always did. And that smirk, that damn smirk he always had.

I was staring.

Oh no.

"Uh, you okay?" His deep voice snapped me out of my daydream, but I didn't move. I was too busy processing the fact that I had literally run into him, him, of all people.

"Hello? Earth to Liam's sister?"

And then it hit me, his hand. He was offering me his hand to help me, and I hadn't even noticed. I was lying there like a complete idiot, staring at him, probably looking like some kind of creepy statue. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and I quickly averted my eyes.

"Are you done drooling, or should I give you a few more seconds?" His voice was full of teasing, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

Oh my god.

I felt like I was going to die on the spot. The embarrassment was overwhelming, and I could almost see the look on my face, wide-eyed, slack-jawed, just staring up at him like a complete idiot.

I snapped back to reality, quickly shaking my head. "I-I wasn't drooling!" I blurted out, my voice much louder than intended.

"Right." He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "That's why you didn't even notice I was helping you up."