When I Didn't Mean To

Elara Monroe is a quiet storm-simple in manner, complex in thought. As a student majoring in Human Nature Philosophy, she's learned to read between the lines of people's smiles, to trace the unspoken intentions behind every word. It's a gift... and a curse. Because when you study the intricacies of human behaviour, it's hard to remain untouched. Calm isn't something you find in her world- it's something she pretends to wear.

Her college life is neatly structured: academic responsibilities, club debates, and her one true constant-her best friend, Lara Sterling. She never needed more. Not until Zane Lancaster disrupted the rhythm of her silence. The dark, enigmatic senior who is majoring in Cybersecurity, caught her eye from afar, the one she quietly crushed on for months. The one everyone knew was dating the campus darling, cheerleader Ariana Cross.

Elara buried the feelings like she did all her distractions- deep and silent. After all, they only crossed paths in the debate club, and even there, she kept her distance masked as indifference. But everything changes the night Zane shows up at her doorstep, soaked in rain and secrets, with no explanation and a look that makes her theories on human nature feel suddenly inadequate.

How long can she guard a secret that's now standing inches from her, staring back like it always knew?