A Late-Night Realization

The campus was quieter at night. Most students had already retreated to their dorms, leaving only a few groups lingering around the courtyard. The sky stretched wide above Elara as she walked back from the café, her thoughts a tangled mess.

Damien's words lingered in her mind. Then don't let anyone pull you. Just walk.

Why did that resonate with her so much? Maybe because she had spent her whole life being cautious—too cautious. Always waiting, always hesitating. Never really choosing.

She sighed, adjusting the strap of her bag as she turned down the path leading to her dormitory. She had almost reached the entrance when she heard hurried footsteps behind her.

"Elara!"

She turned just in time to see Theo jogging up to her. He looked slightly out of breath, his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"You were in a hurry to leave earlier," he said, a teasing edge to his voice, but there was something else there too. A weight beneath his usual humor.

"I had somewhere to be," she replied, tilting her head. "Why? Did you need something?"

Theo hesitated, shifting on his feet. "No, I just… felt like we didn't really finish our conversation."

Elara raised an eyebrow. "You mean when you were accusing me of being distracted?"

Theo smirked. "I wasn't accusing you. I was observing."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Well, what did you want to say?"

He was quiet for a moment, his gaze flickering past her before landing back on her face. "You've been different lately."

Elara blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know… like, you're thinking about something big. And you're not telling me what it is."

She swallowed. Theo had always been perceptive, but this was a little too close for comfort. She couldn't tell him about the system. She wouldn't.

"I just have a lot on my mind," she said vaguely. "University, life… you know how it is."

Theo studied her, his brown eyes searching hers. For a second, it looked like he wanted to say something, but then he shook his head and smiled. "Yeah, I get it."

Elara exhaled, relieved. "Thanks for checking in, though. I appreciate it."

"Of course," he said lightly, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—something unreadable. Then, he ruffled her hair. "Go get some sleep, genius. You look exhausted."

She swatted his hand away, laughing. "I am exhausted, actually."

He grinned. "Then sleep before your brain explodes from overthinking."

Elara rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she walked into her dormitory.

Later that night, she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the soft glow of her bedside lamp casting shadows across the room.

She had never thought much about love before. Sure, she had harbored quiet crushes, but she had never done anything about them. It was easier to stay in the background, to keep her feelings locked away.

But now… now things were changing.

Her phone buzzed beside her, and she picked it up. A notification from the system flashed across the screen.

New Task Unlocked: Recognize Your True Feelings.

Elara's heart skipped a beat. What did that even mean?

She stared at the message for a long moment before shutting off her phone and rolling onto her side.

She wasn't ready for this. Not yet.

But something told her she wouldn't be able to avoid it for much longer.