In the janitor’s closet

Alex strode through the sunlit corridor of Starhaven Academy, his red eyes scanning the bustling hall, the chemistry class with Ariel still lingering in his mind.

Her shy blush and flustered reactions had sparked a quiet confidence in him, a warmth that carried him through the crowd.

Students swirled around, their tunics flashing under the crystal panels' prismatic light, their voices a lively hum, the air warm with the scent of parchment and faint, floral elixirs.

His thoughts drifted to Ariel's soft smile, but a radiant beam snapped him out of it, pulling his focus across the corridor.

Velenda stood there, her raven-black hair shimmering like polished obsidian, waving enthusiastically, her emerald eyes sparkling with a magnetic energy that turned heads.

Her turquoise tunic hugged her curves, her supermodel beauty a beacon, her dazzling smile drawing him in like a moth to a flame.