Between Hearts

Chapter 2 : Stirring shadows

Elyra sat at her desk, staring at her laptop screen, but the words of her assignment blurred and shifted, refusing to take shape. Her mind was elsewhere—far from the academic world of photography critiques and technical analysis. It was replaying the events of the day, the subtle look in Thorne’s eyes, the way her heart had raced at his brief smile, and the quiet intensity in Caelum’s voice as he asked her if she was okay.

The room was quiet except for the soft hum of her computer and the occasional rustle of papers on her desk. The familiar mess of books, notebooks, and scattered photographs usually gave her comfort, but today, the chaos mirrored her own internal struggle.

What was happening to her?

Her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. She grabbed it off the desk, expecting a message from Seraphine or maybe Caelum. But when she saw the unfamiliar number, her heart skipped.

Thorne: “Coffee? 7 p.m. by the art building. Let’s see what you’re really hiding behind that camera.”

Elyra’s breath hitched. Her eyes scanned the message again and again, as if trying to decipher the meaning behind his words. Thorne—brooding, enigmatic Thorne—had barely spoken to her, and now he was asking her to meet him? The invitation was casual, yet something about it felt charged with a weight she couldn’t explain.

Her thumb hovered over the screen, unsure whether to reply. She knew nothing about Thorne except that he had an intensity about him that unnerved her. It was like he could see right through her, past the walls she’d built up over the years, straight into the parts of herself she wasn’t ready to face. And what about Caelum? What would he think if he knew she was meeting someone else—someone who had already stirred something unfamiliar inside her?

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her from her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, expecting Thorne’s follow-up, but this time it was Caelum.

Caelum: “Hey, can we talk tonight? I think we really need to.”

Guilt gnawed at her as she read the message. She had been avoiding this conversation for weeks, afraid of what it would mean for their friendship. Caelum had always been her anchor, the one constant in her life, and she wasn’t ready to face the possibility that their relationship was changing—had already changed. But she couldn’t keep pushing him away. Not forever.

Before she could respond to either message, there was a knock on her door.

“Elyra? You in there?”

It was Caelum. Elyra’s stomach twisted in knots. She wasn’t ready to talk, but she couldn’t avoid him either. With a deep breath, she set her phone down and walked to the door, forcing a smile as she opened it.

Caelum stood there, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, a concerned look on his face. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, like he had run his hands through it one too many times. His presence, usually so comforting, felt heavier tonight.

“Hey,” he said, his voice soft. “Can I come in?”

Elyra hesitated for a moment but nodded, stepping aside to let him in. Caelum walked into the room, glancing around at the organized chaos that was her desk. He leaned against the wall, his gaze settling on her.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” he said, his voice tinged with a sadness that made Elara’s heart ache. “You’ve been… distant.”

Elyra swallowed hard, looking anywhere but at him. She knew this moment was coming. She had felt it building for weeks, but now that it was here, she didn’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, crossing her arms defensively. “It’s just been… a lot. School, photography, everything. I haven’t had time to breathe.”