To Renna Rose Lancaster, Aadam Callahan was her first taste of magic-the boy who made her world feel livelier, brighter, like anything was possible. Together they crafted a bond that felt unbreakable-a universe where dreams were shared under starlit...
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As I sat in the cafeteria with Isla, we were deep in conversation, our trays of food barely touched as we chatted.
Isla was recounting a funny story about one of our recent classes, her voice animated as she mimicked the professor's stern tone.
I couldn’t help but smile, her energy always had a way of brightening up my day. Just as she was about to get to the punchline, Freya and George walked in, looking around before spotting us.
“Hey, girls!” Freya called out, waving as she made her way over, George trailing behind with his usual easygoing grin.
“Hey, what took you guys so long?” Isla asked, sliding over to make room for them.
“Got held up by a lab session,” George said, plopping down beside Freya. “You know how it is.”
Freya rolled her eyes playfully. “Yeah, but someone here decided to spend an extra five minutes flirting with the lab assistant, didn’t you, George?”
George raised his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I was just being friendly! Besides, she gave me extra notes.”
“Sure, sure,” Isla teased. “Extra notes, huh?”
“What are we gossiping about today?” Freya asked leaning in.
“Nothing too juicy, I’m afraid,” Isla replied with a grin. “Just assignments and how they’re slowly sucking the life out of us.”
“Ugh, tell me about it,” Freya groaned dramatically, leaning back in her chair. “George has been on my case to study, but all I want to do is sleep.”
George chuckled, shaking his head. “Someone has to keep you on track.”
Just then, Aadam and Cameron entered the cafeteria. He caught my eye and smiled, that warm, familiar smile that made me feel like I was the only person in the room.
He walked over, and I leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. But as I pulled back, I noticed something in his eyes, a warmth, yes, but also a hint of something else. Worry? I couldn’t quite place it.
I took his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers under the table.His hand felt warm and strong, but there was a tension there, like he was holding something back.
“Renna,” Isla said, leaning in with a grin, “so what’s the plan for your big 18th birthday? You’re finally legal, you know.”
I smiled, feeling a bit shy. “Nothing too special. I’ve always kept it simple—just celebrating with Mama and Daddy. But this year, of course, with you guys too.”
Isla raised an eyebrow. “Really? No party? No big celebration?”
I shrugged. “I’ve always been more comfortable with small celebrations. It just feels more… me, you know?”
