Unwritten Codes l

The midday sun stretched lazily across the university campus, pale and insubstantial, as if the sky couldn't quite commit to either brilliance or gloom. It gilded the sharp edges of the buildings and pooled across the manicured walkways, a thin membrane that seemed to separate the world of possibility—the one the brochures promised—from the world of what actually happened. Here, in this strange liminal glow, ambition was met with anxiety, and dreams collided with deadlines.

I walked slowly, my bag a reassuring weight against my hip, its strap biting into my shoulder. The slight ache was grounding, a tether in a place where my mind often wandered too far ahead of my feet. Beside me,Valli talked with the kind of effortless charm that made her the person everyone knew without quite knowing.

Her appearance was as vivid as her personality, a tumble of wild auburn curls that refused any attempt at taming, sharp green eyes that caught details others missed, and the kind of freckled skin that seemed perpetually kissed by sunlight. Today, she wore her usual mix of chaotic elegance—an oversized leather jacket slung over a dress printed with constellations, paired with scuffed boots that looked like they'd seen a lifetime of adventure.

"You're not even listening, are you?" Valli's voice broke through my haze, light and teasing.

I glanced over, offering a faint smirk. "What gave it away? The nodding or the complete lack of response?"

She rolled her eyes, but the grin tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. "I was saying—" and here her voice turned mockingly dramatic, "—that Professor Reinalda is clearly part cyborg. No human can process that many research papers in a week and still look that polished. It's not natural."

I snorted softly. "If she's a cyborg, it's a low-tier model. I've seen coffee machines with better emotional range."

Valli laughed, a bright, unrestrained sound that drew a few glances from passing students. "Fair point. But you have to admit, she has that unnerving ability to know exactly when you're zoning out in class."

I shrugged. "Maybe she's just well-practiced at recognizing guilt. Not that I'd know anything about that."

"Mm-hmm," Valli said, arching an eyebrow as if she didn't entirely believe me. "Speaking of guilt, you never explained why you ducked out of the gala early last week. You missed Ludovic Di Cortesi giving his infamous 'my family's wealth is completely legitimate, I swear' smile to half the faculty."

I stiffened, the name hitting like an unexpected gust of wind. Valli, observant as always, caught the shift and tilted her head curiously.

"Didn't take you for someone who'd be rattled by a Di Cortesi," she said, her tone carefully light. "Unless…" Her eyes widened, the grin spreading across her face like wildfire. "Don't tell me you've met him? Oh, this is too good—what happened? Did he proposition you with a shady internship? Or—"

"Valli," I interrupted, deadpan. "Do you ever get tired of running commentary on the human experience?"

"Never," she said, unrepentant. "But nice deflection. Care to actually answer my question?"

I hesitated, pulling the strap of my bag more securely across my shoulder as we passed a small fountain surrounded by students chatting in loose clusters. How could I explain the encounter without unraveling a thread I'd spent years meticulously weaving?

"It wasn't a big deal," I said finally, though the words felt brittle in my mouth. "Just…a misunderstanding."

Valli narrowed her eyes, skeptical but mercifully choosing not to push. Instead, she switched gears with her usual agility. "Well, if you're not going to spill about your run-in with mafia royalty, at least tell me you're coming to the debate tonight. The criminology club's hosting, and I know you'd love to silently judge the arguments while pretending you're not completely annihilating them in your head."

I smirked. "You make it sound like I enjoy being contrary."

"Because you do," she shot back without missing a beat. "It's part of your charm. That, and your whole 'enigmatic brooding intellectual' vibe. Very mysterious. Very marketable."

I shook my head, but a small laugh escaped despite myself. "Fine. I'll go, but only if you promise to stop selling my personality like it's a brand."

She squinted her eyes ,smoothed back her hair and gave an exaggerated pout."My name is Davina Astralys. Twenty-one years old, criminology student, professional disappointment to a syndicate of criminals who'd prefer I was anything other than quietly rebellious. " She bit back her lip and twisted her face into a dramatically sad expression. "My amber eyes? Inherited. My capacity for self-destruction? —She sighed morosely—Thoroughly my own".I slapped her shoulder she threw me a smug look and erupted in laughter ,not the least bit apologetic.

The conversation flowed on, effortless and familiar, but my thoughts kept circling back to the name she'd mentioned. Ludovic Di Cortesi. His presence was like a faint ripple across a surface,concentric,playing on subtlety only to leave you reeling for days after. I rubbed the silver,my mother's locket that I'd only taken to spite my family ,to solidify my departure. Valli was wearing her emerald bracelet, I'd worn similar ones at the gala ,moving from server to server,piling on the dainty pastries—

'Miss Astralys, you look ravishing'.I paused at the words like I'd just been electrocuted. His voice was a deep timbre that settled in my stomach like warm treacle and made my ears ring a little.But was also infuriatingly, unbearably, smug and was unfortunately one I knew all too well.

" Why thank you,Ludovic.'Hours' upon 'hours" of preparation,and I still found myself unsure"I quipped drolly.

'Well,would you look at that,it seems like I've spared you a very pointless headache'.

"I'll have to take your word for it".

'Oh I figure you're adept at taking much more than that '. I turned my eyes almost bulging out…was he—He smiled .'And with a far more pleasing mannerism'.

This ass-hole.

I let my wolf crawl to the surface and bared my teeth" Bite me". You would think he'd be taken aback by such an aggressive display but that wouldn't be Ludovic. His thumb brushed a stray smudge of pastry cream from the corners of my lips instead.

'One more plea from you and I just might'.He said.