Unspoken Words

Elara sat at her desk, her fingers idly tapping against the surface as she stared at her phone. The words on the screen stared back at her.

Mira: [Nathan said he's going to ask you out soon. Are you ready?]

Ready? Elara scoffed at the thought. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready. A few days ago, the idea of dating hadn't even crossed her mind. And now, suddenly, Nathan—someone she barely spoke to—was interested in her. Should she feel flattered? Nervous? Excited?

She wasn't sure.

A knock on her dorm door startled her out of her thoughts. "It's open," she called.

Mira entered, flopping onto Elara's bed dramatically. "You're stressing about it, aren't you?"

Elara sighed. "I don't know what to do."

Mira propped herself up on her elbows. "Why are you overthinking it? He's a great guy."

"I know," Elara admitted. "But… I don't know if I like him like that."

Mira groaned, grabbing a pillow and dramatically tossing it at Elara. "You're impossible."

Elara caught the pillow and hugged it to her chest. "I just don't want to go out with someone just because they like me."

Mira sat up, her expression more serious. "Okay, fair. But let me ask you something—do you want to stay single forever?"

Elara hesitated. "No, but—"

"No buts!" Mira cut in. "Just give it a shot. A date isn't a marriage proposal."

Elara sighed, knowing Mira wouldn't let it go. "I'll think about it."

Mira grinned. "That's all I ask."

Later that night, Elara found herself wandering the campus library, looking for a distraction. The quiet atmosphere usually calmed her, but today, her thoughts were too loud.

As she turned the corner of a bookshelf, she nearly crashed into someone.

"Oh, sorry—"

"Elara."

She looked up, surprised to see Damien standing there, holding a book in one hand. His dark eyes studied her curiously.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping back to create some space between them.

"Studying. What else?" he said with a smirk. "What about you?"

"Trying to clear my head."

Damien tilted his head. "Something on your mind?"

Elara hesitated. Should she tell him? No—talking to Damien about Nathan felt… weird. Instead, she shook her head. "Just overthinking things."

He gave her a knowing look. "You do that a lot."

She huffed. "I do not."

"You definitely do."

Elara rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. Damien had a way of making her feel at ease, even when her mind was a mess.

"So," he continued, leaning against the bookshelf. "Are you going to tell me what's really bothering you?"

She hesitated. "It's nothing important."

"If it's making you overthink, then it is."

Elara sighed. "It's just… relationships. I guess."

Damien's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. "Relationships?"

She nodded. "Mira thinks I should give dating a chance, but I don't know."

He was silent for a moment before he spoke. "And do you want to?"

Elara bit her lip. "I don't know."

Damien exhaled, his gaze steady. "You don't have to force yourself into anything, Elara. If you're not sure, don't do it."

Her heart fluttered at his words. Why did he always know exactly what to say?

She smiled. "Thanks, Damien."

He smirked. "Anytime."

For a moment, they just stood there, the quiet library surrounding them. And for the first time that day, Elara felt a little more at peace.

The next day, Elara sat in the campus café, stirring her tea absentmindedly. She hadn't replied to Nathan yet, and she was starting to feel guilty about it.

"Hey, stranger."

She looked up to see Alec sliding into the seat across from her. "You look deep in thought."

Elara sighed. "That's becoming a theme lately."

Alec chuckled. "What's got you so lost in your head this time?"

She hesitated. "Nathan."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I didn't know you two were a thing."

"We're not," she quickly corrected. "But he's interested in me, and I don't know what to do."

Alec leaned back in his chair. "Well, do you want to go out with him?"

"That's the thing—I don't know."

Alec tapped a finger against the table. "Do you like him?"

Elara opened her mouth, then closed it. "…I don't think so."

"Then there's your answer."

She frowned. "But Mira thinks I should at least give it a chance."

Alec sighed. "Elara, dating someone just because people say you should is a terrible idea."

She groaned. "I know that. I just… I don't want to regret not trying."

Alec studied her for a moment before he spoke. "Look, I'll be honest. If you liked Nathan, even a little, you wouldn't be this conflicted. You'd want to say yes."

Elara blinked. "…You're probably right."

"I usually am," he said smugly.

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thanks, Alec."

He gave her a lazy grin. "Anytime, sweetheart."

That night, Elara sat on her bed, staring at her phone. After a long moment, she finally typed out a message.

Elara: [Hey, Nathan. I really appreciate your interest, but I don't think I'm ready to start anything right now. I hope we can still be friends.]

She hit send before she could second-guess herself.

A few minutes later, Nathan replied.

Nathan: [No worries, Elara. Thanks for being honest. We're good.]

Elara exhaled in relief. Maybe she didn't have all the answers, but at least she was staying true to herself.

And somehow, that felt like a step in the right direction.