Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 11

Ria's POV:

Stacy and I decided to spend our Friday afternoon in one of the small, artsy cafés downtown. It was one of those places with mismatched yet colorful furniture, local art on the walls, and indie music playing softly in the background. A cozy escape from campus and the stress of everything else. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and the sweet aroma of pastries wafted through the air, making it feel like we were in a different world.

Stacy was her usual bubbly self, effortlessly commanding the conversation as we sat by the window. She was animated, gesturing wildly with her hands as she recounted some ridiculous story about one of her communications classes. I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, even if I was only half listening. It was nice to be distracted, to forget, even just for a little while.

"You should've seen Professor Greene's face when I gave my presentation," she said, laughing. "I think he was more impressed with my ability to keep a straight face than the actual content!"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Only you, Stacy. Only you could pull that off."

She grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, someone's gotta keep things interesting, right?"

Stacy was always like this—full of life, always ready with a joke or a witty remark. She had a way of making everything seem lighter, easier, like the world wasn't such a heavy place after all. It was one of the reasons we became friends, even though we were so different. Where I was introverted, Stacy was outgoing. Where I was careful, she was spontaneous. But somehow, it worked. She was the kind of person who could make you forget your troubles, even if just for a little while. Kind of like Mia.

"Speaking of keeping things interesting," Stacy leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "You should totally come to Ivy's hockey game tonight with me and the girls. I promise it'll be fun!"

I stifled a groan, already anticipating the question. Stacy knew me well enough to predict my reaction, but she always asked anyway. She probably thought that one of these days, I'd say yes. Or maybe she just liked messing with me. A lot of people tend to like that lately.

"You know that's not my thing, Stacy," I said, "I'd honestly rather lick a cheese grater, than spend my friday evening that way."

She laughed, leaning back in her chair. "Okay, okay, I had to try. But seriously, it could be fun! You get to watch a bunch of guys skate around in tight uniforms—what's not to love?"

"You mean like Nikolai Wolves?" I quipped, raising an eyebrow. "The guy who's pretty much public enemy number one in my life right now? Very good idea, Stace."

Stacy waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, come on. You don't have to watch him. Besides, he's not the only guy on the team. There's plenty of eye candy to go around."

I rolled my eyes again, but I couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass," I said, taking a sip of my matcha latte. "I'm sure you'll have enough fun for the both of us."

Stacy shrugged, a playful glint in her eye. "Suit yourself. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

She picked up an oat cookie from the plate between us and took a big bite, her expression turning thoughtful as she chewed. "You know, Ria, you should get out more. It's not healthy to stay cooped up all the time, these are supposed to be the best years of your life. A change of scenery might do you some good."

I knew she was right, at least partially. But the thought of being around people, of pretending like I fit in there, felt exhausting. Still, Stacy's concern was genuine, and I appreciated it, even if I couldn't bring myself to take her advice.