Rewrite The Stars (On-going)

Chapter 4: Conflicting Emotions

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Tuesday nights had become the highlight of my week, but tonight was different. As I made my way to Arianne's office, a flicker of something new-something unsettling-had started to rise in me. Each week, these study sessions had been a place of growth and comfort, yet recently, I'd found myself lingering a little longer than necessary, wanting to stay just a bit more after each session.

Arianne was already at her desk when I walked in, scrolling through notes. She glanced up and flashed a welcoming smile. "Liana, good timing. Just reviewing the case we're discussing tonight-think you're up for a challenge?"

I set my books down and gave a half-smile. "Only if you're up for my endless questions."

She laughed. "I think that's a given by now." She gestured to the seat next to her, and we launched into our routine, picking apart legal precedents, bouncing ideas off each other. It was how it had always been, but tonight, something in the room felt charged in a way I couldn't quite name.

"So, hypothetically," she began, pausing as if she were crafting a scenario on the spot, "if you were defending a client in a high-profile case, and public opinion was massively against them, what approach would you take?"

My mind scrambled for an answer, but my heart was elsewhere. Sitting across from her, I was caught between the admiration I had for her mind and the confusion swirling inside me.

"Well," I started slowly, fighting the blush creeping up my face, "I'd focus on the facts and try to separate emotions from evidence. Kind of like what you did in that Anderson case, right?"

Her eyebrows lifted. "You've been paying attention to my cases?"

I bit my lip, feeling my face warm. "Well, yeah. I just thought it was... inspiring, the way you handled it. You didn't back down."

She smiled, and I thought I saw a flicker of surprise. "Thank you, Liana. But, remember, law isn't about standing firm all the time. Sometimes, it's about knowing when to adapt."

Her eyes held mine a moment too long, and I quickly looked away, my stomach twisting with the realization that I was feeling more than just admiration for her. The thought scared me-this was Arianne, my professor, my mentor, someone I looked up to. And yet, here I was, my feelings betraying every boundary I had set.

"So, in your experience," I said, trying to steer us back to the case, "how do you separate those emotions? When the stakes are high?"

She leaned back, thinking for a moment. "It's never easy," she admitted. "There are moments when it feels impossible to disconnect from the emotional weight, especially when a case hits close to home."

"Do you ever regret it? Choosing this path?" I found myself asking, genuinely curious.

Arianne shook her head. "Not for a moment. The challenges, the late nights, the endless cases-it's all worth it." Her gaze softened. "Sometimes, though, I do wonder if I'm missing something by dedicating so much time to this field."

My heart tightened, and I found myself wanting to ask more, but the words were caught in my throat. Did she mean... someone? Family? A partner? The question lingered on my tongue, but I couldn't bring myself to ask it.

Instead, I cleared my throat, nodding to her notes. "So, back to the case-"

"Right," she said, shifting back into focus, though her expression was thoughtful, like she was still half-immersed in our conversation. "Alright, let's dig in."

We spent the next hour going through different arguments, and I couldn't help but feel a strange pang whenever our hands hovered near each other over the notes. There was no touch, no accidental brush, but the proximity alone was enough to set my heart racing. I was drawn to the way she explained each point, her voice steady and clear, her confidence unmatched. But the admiration I felt for her mind was rapidly becoming muddled with emotions that I had no name for-and that terrified me.