Ria's POV:
THREE YEARS AGO
Mid-September:
The first time I met Vlad. The kind where the air is tinged with the promise of autumn, and the leaves are just beginning to flirt with shades of amber and crimson. I was juggling a stack of textbooks, my messenger bag threatening to slip off my shoulder, when I bumped into him—literally.
"I'm so sorry," I stammered, cheeks flushing as my books tumbled to the ground.
He laughed, a rich, velvety sound. "No worries. Here, let me help."
As he handed me my books, our eyes met. His were a charming blue with some green in them, almost unnaturally so, set against a chiseled face framed by dark hair. He was... captivating. There was an undeniable charm about him, an effortless charisma that drew me in.
"Vlad," he introduced himself, extending a hand.
"Ria," I replied, shaking it. "Victoria." I add, since Ria was just my nickname.
"Freshman?"
"Is it that obvious?" I laughed nervously, tucking my long hair behind my ears.
He smirked. "Just a lucky guess. Let me know if you need any help navigating the campus."
"Thanks," I smiled politely, feeling a warmth spread through me.
Over the next week, I bumped into Vlad more often. In the cafeteria, outside lecture halls, even at the campus coffee shop. Each time, he was friendly, engaging, and ever so charming. We chatted about classes, our favorite books, and life in general. It seemed like we had so much in common. I found myself looking forward to our encounters.
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One Week Later:
It started subtly.
Entering the lecture hall for my psychology class, I noticed my usual seat was spotless. Not just clean, but immaculate. Odd, considering the rest of the seats bore the typical wear and tear of college life. Dismissing it as a coincidence, I took my seat.
The next day, a small packet of Dutch sour mats lay on my desk. My favorite. And very hard to find in Oregon, or just anywhere in the United States. I looked around, puzzled. Maybe one of my sisters had left it? But they weren't in this class. They were still in high school. The drive to my college from our home near Salem was more than 3 hours, surely they had better things to do than clean my usual seat and leave me my favorite snack's.
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Three Days Later:
Another surprise awaited me—a Reese's peanut butter cup, neatly placed on my chair. My heart fluttered. Was this someone's idea of a secret admirer? It was sweet, if not a tad unconventional.
I mentioned it to Gia that evening when I went back home for the weekend.
"Sounds like someone's got a crush," she teased, waggling her eyebrows.
I laughed it off, but a part of me was intrigued.
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Two Days Later:
Walking into the lecture hall, I was greeted by the familiar aroma of matcha. Under my seat sat a cup of Starbucks matcha latte, my go-to drink. My name was scrawled elegantly on the side.
YOU ARE READING
Ice & Prejudice
RomanceVictoria 'Ria' Winters is the youngest out of all her quadruplet sisters; the one with the dark humor and haunting past. That's why she worked so hard for scholarships abroad to get as far away as possible. All her sisters had their own challenges...
