Uncharted Territory

The following days blurred by for Emily, each one feeling both too long and too short at the same time. Her routine hadn't changed, but her thoughts had. Riley's smile, the way her voice seemed to pull something from deep within Emily—something she didn't understand—lingered in the corners of her mind.

It was impossible to focus in class.

Dylan noticed, of course. He always did.

"Hey, you're spacing out again," he said one afternoon as they sat side-by-side in a marketing lecture. "What's going on with you?"

Emily blinked, quickly straightening up in her chair. "Nothing," she muttered, glancing down at her notes. "Just tired."

"Right." Dylan didn't believe her. "So tired you're daydreaming about… what? A trip to Paris? A boyfriend? Or maybe you're finally deciding you're going to write your great American novel."

Emily shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. Dylan's easy charm had a way of disarming her. He always tried to be funny, even if it was just to fill the space between them.

She didn't know how to explain that it wasn't about any of those things. It wasn't a boyfriend, a trip, or a novel. It was something she didn't have words for.

Riley's face flashed in her mind.

"I'm fine," Emily said quickly, trying to push the thought away. "Just… figuring some stuff out."

"Uh-huh," Dylan said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, whatever it is, don't let it mess up your 'chill vibe,' okay? You've been a little... off."

Emily bit her lip, looking at the page in front of her. She wanted to tell him—wanted to scream it all out loud. How could she be honest with him? With anyone? She wasn't even honest with herself.

When class ended, Dylan stood up and stretched, tossing his notebook into his bag. "You coming to lunch?"

Emily hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute."

Dylan waved her off, disappearing into the crowd of students heading toward the cafeteria. Emily remained seated, staring blankly at the door through which he'd just left. It was as though the energy of the room had shifted once again.

Riley had texted her earlier that morning, asking if Emily wanted to join her at the café on campus. But Emily had said no, the same way she had last time. She couldn't explain it, not even to herself. Every time Riley's name appeared on her phone, her pulse quickened, but then a sense of dread followed. The dread of something unspoken. The dread of something changing.

But something in her was drawn to Riley in a way she couldn't control. And that scared her more than anything.

When Emily entered the cafeteria, her eyes automatically searched for Dylan. He was sitting at their usual spot near the window, surrounded by a few of his friends. They waved her over as she made her way to the table.

But before she could sit, she saw her—Riley, at the counter, laughing with the barista. Riley's laugh was a sharp, unfiltered sound, one that didn't care about the people around her. She was… free. So free, Emily thought, it almost hurt to watch.

Dylan noticed where Emily was looking and smirked. "There she is. The mysterious new girl. You gonna go talk to her?"

Emily stiffened, her throat tight. "No," she said quickly, glancing back at Dylan. "I don't… I don't think so."

Dylan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. I mean, you don't have to, but I thought you were—" He cut off when he saw Emily's tense expression. "Hey, if you ever need me to step in and play 'cool guy,' just let me know. I can handle myself."

Emily chuckled weakly, but she couldn't focus on his joke. Her mind kept wandering back to Riley. She watched as Riley took her coffee and walked to the far side of the cafeteria, sitting alone at a corner table, eyes flicking over her sketchpad.

Dylan nudged her. "You sure you don't want to go say hi? I'm just saying, she looks like someone you could really get along with. Not every day someone like that shows up."

Emily's throat tightened again, but this time, it wasn't the fear of rejection that held her back. It was the feeling of something—something that hadn't yet fully formed, something that scared her so deeply she couldn't face it yet.

She shook her head. "I'm fine," she murmured, sitting down at the table.

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