To The Stars and Back

Episode 12

Amid the towering shelves brimming with scholarly works, a seemingly innocuous exchange of books between students was taking place. Adora was the center of this small orbit. The student, a jovial character unfamiliar to the onlookers, lifted the chosen tome high in the air, holding it out for Adora. This gesture, though simple, held a certain unspoken camaraderie that outsiders might envy or question.

Just a few paces away, hidden behind a large, strategically placed bookcase, Catra lurked. She was crouched low, her eyes darting from the spine of one book to another, using them as a shield from being noticed. Her presence there wasn't coincidental but driven by an intent to observe unnoticed. As Adora scratched the back of her head in an awkward, almost self-conscious gesture, the other student pinched Adora's cheek playfully—a familiarity that stung Catra with a pang of something she couldn't quite place.

"I've been waiting for you in the cafeteria for ages..." the student's voice echoed lightly, filled with mock exasperation.

"Ah sorry!" Adora's response was quick, accompanied by an apologetic smile, as they shared a moment of laughter that seemed to exclude the rest of the world.

From her covert spot, Catra's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. "Who is that guy? They seem close." The thoughts spun in her head, a whirlpool of confusion and a dash of jealousy. Despite herself, Catra couldn't peel her eyes away from the easy exchanges and playful gestures between Adora and this unknown student.

"Whatever, I should get out of here before they see me," she muttered under her breath, deciding that retreat was the better part of valor. As she moved to step away, her escape was thwarted by a sudden collision. Another student, laden with an unwieldy stack of books, crossed her path unexpectedly. The impact sent a few of the topmost books tumbling down, a cascade of literary chaos.

"Watch where you're going, you moron!" Catra's words came out sharper than intended, her frustration peaking.

The other student, equally irked, balanced the remaining stack with one hand and defiantly showed his middle finger with the other.

"You bumped into me, prick," he retorted, his voice thick with irritation.

The sudden commotion drew the attention of Adora, who spun around, her eyes wide with surprise and concern. In seconds, she was at Catra's side, the book previously intended for her now clutched in her grasp as she approached with a beaming smile.

"Catra?! Is that you?!" Adora exclaimed, her voice a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

Silently cursing her luck, Catra could only nod, her attempt at stealth now utterly foiled.

"You go to this university too? That's so cool!" Adora's enthusiasm bubbled over as she bounced on the balls of her feet, her friend looking on with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

The boy, introduced shortly as Bow, stepped forward, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp.

"Sooo you're the 'famous' Catra? I've heard a lot about you from Adora." His voice carried a hint of challenge as he extended his hand in greeting.

Catra eyed the offered hand warily, her mind a tangle of thoughts and emotions. After a tense moment, she opted to cross her arms, rejecting the handshake, her expression unreadable.

Bow's eyebrow arched, his hand still suspended in air, his face a mask of nonchalant challenge. The air between Catra and Bow crackled with an unspoken rivalry, their stares locked in a silent duel.

Feeling the tension, Bow casually draped an arm around Adora, a protective gesture as he declared, "Eehh Adora, come on. I'm hungry."

"Ah okay!" Adora agreed quickly, eager perhaps to escape the awkward standoff.

As they walked away, Adora turned to wave at Catra, her smile as wide and genuine as ever.

"Bye, Catra! We should hang out sometime soon."

Left alone amidst the bookshelves, Catra stood motionless, her expression stoic as she watched them leave. Her fingers tightened around the book she still held, the other hand sunk deep in her pocket. "Bow, huh?" she pondered silently, her mind already turning over the implications of this new acquaintance in Adora's life. The library, once a refuge, now echoed with the faint remnants of the day's revelations, leaving Catra to her thoughts and the ghostly whispers of disrupted peace.