Hearts Across Halls

Chapter 35

The past few days had felt like a whirlwind for Elara. She'd expected her encounter with Liam to be a one-time thing, some spark that would quickly fizzle once the night was over. But instead, it only seemed to grow stronger. Every morning since, she'd woken up to a good-morning message from him—small, thoughtful texts that made her smile before she even rolled out of bed. They had exchanged dozens of texts over the last few days, often dipping into long, late-night conversations that left her feeling light and giddy as she drifted off to sleep. With each message, each call, Liam was proving himself to be as kind and caring as he was handsome.

One afternoon, as Elara headed out of her lecture hall, glancing down at her phone to check the time, she spotted Liam leaning against a nearby wall, looking effortlessly put-together. He wore a warm, easy smile, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. Her heart skipped a beat, the sight of him almost surreal.

"You're here?" she asked, her voice tinged with both excitement and disbelief.

He chuckled, pushing off from the wall. "I had a bit of free time, and I thought I'd surprise you."

They walked side by side across campus, chatting about her morning classes and his recent work projects. Liam listened intently, asking questions, genuinely interested in everything she had to say. She marvelled at how natural it felt to be with him, like they'd known each other for longer than a week.

When they reached a small café nearby, Liam pulled open the door and held it with a little flourish, flashing her a grin. Elara laughed, stepping inside and catching a waft of fresh coffee and pastries. The place was cozy, warm lighting casting a soft glow over small tables and a collection of comfortable mismatched chairs. Liam spotted an empty table near the window and led her over, slipping off his coat and hanging it neatly over the back of his chair.

"So," he said, leaning in as they sat down. "What's the verdict on your lecture? Are you one of the lucky ones with a professor who actually cares, or...?"

Elara chuckled. "Or one of the poor souls who somehow spends an hour and a half every week wondering why they're even there? Yeah, I've had my share of those, but today was actually alright. The prof's got this dry humour thing going on, and, I don't know, it makes the class feel like less of a lecture and more of... a performance, I guess?"

Liam grinned, nodding as he looked at her with genuine interest. "That's something, at least. I had a professor once who'd crack these god-awful puns every ten minutes. It was... painful. But by the end of the term, we kind of missed them. I guess he grew on us."

She laughed, imagining Liam's plight and picturing him trying not to wince at bad jokes, sitting through the class in polite, long-suffering silence. "I bet you were the good student in the front row, though," she teased. "The type who'd pretend to enjoy it just to make him feel appreciated."

"Oh, don't think so highly of me!" He shook his head, eyes twinkling. "I was in the back, probably praying for the hour to pass faster. But I did learn a thing or two. Bad jokes and all."

Elara watched him, surprised by the easy way he shared small bits of himself. It made her want to keep talking, to stretch out each second of this conversation. Their server approached, and they quickly placed orders for coffee and sandwiches.

As they waited, Liam turned to her with a curious smile. "Alright, your turn. If you could take any class, any subject at all, what would it be?"

She thought for a moment, toying with her napkin. "Hmm... Probably something creative but still rooted in science. Maybe something like science filmmaking or documentary storytelling about physics. I've always loved the idea of making complex ideas feel approachable—showing the beauty in how things work, like space or particle physics, in a way that's as emotional as it is factual."