shadows of perfection

ੈ✩‧₊˚ 3

The next day arrived relentlessly, bringing with it the unyielding routine of college life.
Every time I thought about my encounter with Alex in the library, my face grew hot.

He had been too close, too intense, and his question—"Why do you care so much?"—still echoed in my mind.

What was I holding on to, and, more importantly... for whom? But I forced those thoughts aside, focusing on keeping things exactly as my parents expected.

It wasn't easy, though, with Alex around.

Later that morning, I was in my literature class, one of my favorites.
Dimmed curtains softened the sunlight, giving the room an intimate, calm atmosphere.

I sat next to Emma, who was absorbed in her phone, probably discussing some new project for the student council. Suddenly, the door opened, and instinctively, I looked up.

Alex walked in, his gaze sweeping the room with that unbothered confidence, as if he owned every space he entered.

"Perfect timing, as usual," Emma murmured with a half-smile, noticing my reaction. "He always seems to have a reason to wander by."

I did my best to ignore her, looking down at my notes. But Alex settled a few rows behind me, close enough that I felt every one of his movements, each glance in my direction.

It was as if he knew precisely how to make himself noticed.
The professor Amora started the lecture, but I found it hard to concentrate.

Words slipped by, replaced by a burning awareness of his gaze shifting toward me from time to time.

Then, a folded note slid onto my desk.
I glanced at Emma, but she gave an innocent shrug. Opening it, I read the words scrawled in hurried handwriting: Am I bothering you, princess?

I turned around, catching Alex's eyes on me, his half-smile daring me to react.
I swallowed, feigning indifference as I returned his gaze with quiet defiance.

"Don't think you can break my focus," I murmured, mostly to myself, but my voice shook slightly.

When class ended, I left feeling both exhilarated and unsettled.
Emma noticed my tension but said nothing, merely glancing at me with a raised eyebrow.

She was used to my silences and hesitations, but she sensed something different.
One look in her eyes told me she wouldn't let me escape easily this time.

"Are you sure it's wise to keep playing this game?" she asked, a light but loaded smile on her face. "He doesn't strike me as the type to let things go."

I tried to sound calm, keeping my usual mask intact. "There's nothing to continue, Emma. He's just... just another student." But the warmth in my cheeks betrayed me.

Emma's smile softened, almost understanding. "You know, Leila, I'm here for you. Always. No need to hide."

I tried to shake off the vulnerability her words stirred in me and changed the subject, talking about our plans for next month's charity project.

Yet, I couldn't shake the growing unease, a sense of something brewing within me.
Alex Carter felt like a thread that, if pulled, could unravel everything I had built.

That evening, I finally found a moment of peace and decided to walk through the campus gardens, where the noise of other students faded to a distant hum. The cool air helped clear my mind.

I was beginning to relax when I heard footsteps behind me.

Turning, I found Alex, like an intruder in my place of calm.
He stopped a few steps away, hands in his pockets, a smirk that made my pulse race.

"Running from something... or someone?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Ever heard of discretion?" I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, though my heart pounded. "This is my space, Alex. I come here to be alone."

"You didn't seem so alone today in class," he said, his tone light but with a spark in his eye.
I felt trapped, as if he had uncovered something hidden, like he saw the part of me I kept carefully concealed.

Somehow, he could make me feel seen and vulnerable at once.
"I don't know what you want from me, but... whatever it is, I won't give you the satisfaction," I said, hoping my voice sounded stronger than I felt.

He took a step closer, so close it made my breath hitch. "Who says I want something from you, princess?" he murmured, his voice low and almost hypnotic. "Maybe I just want to see how long you can pretend."

My cheeks flushed as his presence made me want to both retreat and stay.
The tension between us crackled, an invisible fire that seemed to grow.

Neither of us spoke, but each second felt thick with unspoken words, veiled promises, hidden threats.

I felt that if I let my guard down for even a moment, he would sweep into my life like a storm, destroying everything.

"I'm not the one pretending," I replied, surprising myself with my firmness. "You're the one with the mask, Alex. Everyone thinks they know you, but no one really does."

The words seemed to catch him off guard.
For a second, his eyes darkened, but then he smirked, though a bit less assured. "Maybe none of us really know who we are, Leila. Not even ourselves." His answer left me speechless.

Alex wasn't just the rebellious, stone-hearted image he projected. There was something deeper, something I couldn't ignore no matter how I tried.

I sighed, my defenses dropping just for a moment. And he noticed, leaning in closer until I couldn't avoid his gaze. "Maybe we should stop hiding, then," he whispered, the words piercing me like a blade.

Instinctively, I stepped back, forcing myself to stay composed.
I didn't want to give in, didn't want to let him into my life, though a part of me wanted it more than anything. But I knew it would be my biggest mistake.

"Goodnight, Alex," I said finally, turning and walking away quickly, before he could see just how shaken I was.
As I left, though, I felt his gaze on me, like an invisible fire that refused to go out.