The café was packed, voices overlapping in a steady hum—students talking, laughing, living. But in the far corner, three people sat in a bubble of quiet that didn't quite fit the energy around them.
Suzie looked like she'd been chewing on something bitter for hours. Arms crossed, lips pressed tight, eyes locked on the cold coffee in front of her. Next to her, her boyfriend stirred his drink like it owed him answers, barely glancing up from his phone. And across from them, Arlo leaned back in his seat, spinning a spoon in his cup like the world was moving in slow motion.
Then she spoke, barely above a whisper. "I think Lyra's avoiding us."
Walter turned to her, brows raised. "What? Where'd that come from?"
"She hasn't come to lunch in, what, a week? Maybe more?" Suzie's voice sharpened a little. "Every time we ask, it's always 'I'm busy' or 'I've got something to do.' But she never actually says what."
Walter thought about it. She had a point. Lyra had been spending most of her time at the student council office lately.
"She's just busy," he said. "She's in Student Council now. Comes with the territory."
Suzie wasn't buying it. "That never stopped her before. No matter how slammed she was, she always found time for us. Even if it was just coffee. Now? It's like... we don't exist."
Arlo let out a quiet laugh, finally looking up. "Wow. You guys really don't get it, huh?"
Suzie's eyes narrowed. "Get what?"
He smirked, still way too calm for how tense things suddenly felt. "She's moving on. Growing up. Realizing she doesn't need to orbit around you two all the time."
Walter blinked. "Wait—what are you saying? That she's ditching us on purpose?"
Arlo shrugged, twirling his spoon like he was bored. "Maybe. Or maybe someone finally told her to stop playing the sidekick in her own life story."
Suzie sat up straighter, her jaw tightening. "Who told her that?"
He just smiled and leaned back, like the question wasn't worth answering. "Just a guess."
Walter exhaled, long and slow. "Look, if she needs space, let her have it. Doesn't mean we have to turn it into some conspiracy."
But Suzie couldn't shake it. That weird, twisty feeling in her gut hadn't gone away. It had been there for days—whispering that something was off.
"Yeah… maybe you're right," she said softly, but even she didn't believe her own words.
Her eyes dropped back to her cup. Cold coffee. Untouched. It just sat there—like a reminder of how things used to feel easy.
Arlo raised his glass with that same lazy grin. Like none of this really mattered.
But Suzie knew better.Something had shifted. Whether it was real or just in her head didn't change the fact that Lyra wasn't the same.And that scared her more than she wanted to admit.
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The days started blurring together for Lyra. Life hadn't been that hectic—her work with student council wasn't nearly as intense as the festival committee—but it still took up time. Add in the growing pile of assignments, and she found herself juggling more than she used to.
But weirdly… she felt lighter. Brighter, even.Especially when she was around him.
They saw each other a lot in the council office—sometimes for quick work chats, sometimes just to quietly finish tasks in the same room. No big moments, nothing dramatic. Just these small, steady routines that started to form between them.Before either of them realized, they were kind of... a thing. Not officially. But something was there.
One afternoon, they were holed up in the council room, working on an event report. Lyra typed away, focused. Robin, sitting beside her, shifted in his seat, clearly restless.
"I'm starving. Let's eat," he said, breaking her concentration.
She glanced at him, hesitant. "You go ahead. I wanna finish this first."
He raised an eyebrow. "Wait, so you've already eaten?"
"Not yet, but—"
"Then no excuse. Let's go." He was already packing up his laptop, standing like it wasn't up for debate.
Lyra sighed, her stomach grumbling in agreement. "Okay, okay. Fine," she muttered, standing to follow him.
It became a thing. Grabbing food after meetings. Hanging out at the café near campus before heading home.At first, it just felt like coincidence—they just happened to be in the same place at the same time. But as it kept happening, Lyra started to notice the way he always waited for her. The way she looked for him.
One evening at their usual café, Robin was absentmindedly chewing on a spoonful of ice cream while Lyra flipped through notes beside her laptop. She paused, suddenly remembering something.
"That communication assignment? The one due next week?" She looked up at him. "Did you finish it?"
Robin blinked, clearly lost in thought. "What assignment?"
Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me you forgot."
He gave a sheepish smile. "Oh—that. I didn't forget. I just… forgot to turn it in."
Lyra groaned, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Seriously? If I don't remind you, you'll flunk out."
Robin laughed, putting his spoon down. "Well, good thing I've got you. Who else is gonna keep me on track?"
She rolled her eyes, half annoyed, half amused. "Yeah, well, I've got my own classes to deal with. I can't babysit you forever."
"Exactly why I like having you around," he said, his voice light but his eyes—watching her closely. "You always know when I need help."
She froze for a second, unsure if he was just teasing… or if there was something real under the joke.But instead of overthinking it, she looked back down at her laptop.
Then something shifted.
It wasn't just the usual banter. Somewhere between the reports, the coffee runs, and the half-finished assignments… something changed.
Robin wasn't just the guy who made her laugh or gave random advice.He was starting to see her—really see her—and quietly show up in ways that didn't need words.
He looked at her then, smiling softer this time. "Thanks," he said, low and sincere.
And in that moment, Lyra felt it too—that quiet warmth she hadn't wanted to name.Something was different between them now.
Maybe it had been for a while.
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December hit like a cold slap to the face—and finals weren't helping. Campus felt like it was sinking under a fog of stress. The library was packed, everyone was either cramming, crying, or pretending to study while scrolling through their phones.
Robin was at a crowded campus café, sitting across from Nelson. Books were open, highlighters were everywhere, but Robin looked like his brain had clocked out twenty minutes ago.
Nelson finally set his pen down, leaned back, and gave Robin a long, pointed look."So… when are you gonna tell her?"
Robin blinked. "Tell who what?"
Nelson raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Lyra. Don't act like you've been that subtle, dude. You've basically got 'I like you' written on your forehead."
Robin scoffed. "That's not—okay, no. It's not like that."
"Oh, come on," Nelson groaned. "You walk her home after every meeting, you always sit next to her at Student Council, and don't think I haven't noticed the way you light up when she laughs."
Robin stared at his coffee like it might bail him out of this conversation. "It's just... complicated."
Nelson leaned in. "Because of her, right? Your ex?"
Robin glanced up, surprised. "You remember that?"
Nelson rolled his eyes. "Dude. We've been friends since high school. I've seen you at your worst—sulking after that whole trainwreck. You think I'd forget?"
Robin gave him a flat look. "Wow. Thanks for the reminder."
"Don't dodge the point," Nelson shot back. "Lyra isn't like your ex. She's not manipulative. She's not playing games. She actually gives a crap about you."
Robin exhaled, jaw clenched. "Yeah, but… what if she knew what I was like back then? The stuff I said, the way I acted—"
"Geez! that's old news," Nelson cut in. "She likes who you are now. And honestly? You're not giving her enough credit. She'd understand."
Robin leaned back, arms crossed. "You sound really sure."
Nelson smirked. "I am sure. You just don't wanna admit you're scared."
Robin didn't say anything. He looked out the window, watching cars pass by like he wished he could switch places with them.
"…I still run into my ex sometimes," he muttered. "That's what messes me up. Like, I hate her—but seeing her still pisses me off."
"Ugh. Don't tell me she's slithering around campus too."
"Yup. Saw her twice this month."
Nelson made a face. "Gross. Still acting like she's the victim?"
Robin let out a bitter laugh. "You know it. And no, I don't miss her. I just—if I could launch her into space, I would."
Nelson grinned. "There he is. That's the energy. Now take that same fire and tell Lyra how you feel."
Robin groaned. "You make it sound so easy."
"It is easy," Nelson said, dead serious now. "Unless you want some other guy swooping in while you're busy overthinking everything. You know how many people have a thing for Lyra?"
Robin rubbed his face. "God. Don't say that."
"Then do something about it!" Nelson leaned forward again. "She's into you, man. Anyone with eyes can see that. Don't string her along just because you're scared."
Robin stayed quiet. His stomach was in knots, and his head was spinning. But even through the noise, Nelson's words stuck.
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The Student Council room was unusually quiet that afternoon. Most of the members had already gone home, leaving just a few students scattered around, still buried in their own tasks. The overhead lights cast a warm glow, mixing with the soft clatter of keyboards and the occasional rustle of turning pages.
Tucked away in one corner, Lyra sat behind a large table, surrounded by books and messy notes that had been pored over for hours. Her tired eyes were fixed on her laptop screen, trying to make sense of a chapter that somehow got more confusing the longer she stared at it.
She let out a long sigh and reached for her hot chocolate. One sip—and she grimaced. Cold. Bitter.
Across from her, Robin leaned back in his chair, one hand propping up his head while he spun a pen between his fingers. A first-year communications student, he didn't seem to be having any more luck with his own study material. But from the corner of his eye, he kept glancing at Lyra, clearly aware of how long she'd been locked into work mode.
He finally broke the silence. "How far in are you?"
"Almost done, but this part on business strategy analysis?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "The deeper I go, the messier it gets."
Robin shifted his chair closer. "Lemme see. Maybe I can help."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're a comms major. What would you know about this?"
He laughed, leaning over to peek at her notes. "Hey, I'm good with words. Maybe if I explain it in my own way, it'll make more sense."
Lyra gave a small laugh. "Alright, go ahead. Impress me."
They started talking through the material, Robin throwing in his usual offbeat metaphors and half-confident theories. Lyra corrected him a few times, but instead of getting frustrated, the back-and-forth made them both loosen up a bit. The stress faded, replaced by quiet laughter and shared glances.
Time passed without them noticing. Lyra yawned into her sleeve. Robin eventually dropped his head onto the desk.
"We need a break," he mumbled. "How long have we been at this?"
Lyra checked her watch, surprised. "Almost three hours."
"Yikes." He sat up, pulling a few coins from his pocket and holding them up. "Alright. I say we bribe our brains with sugar."
She hesitated. "I still have a few chapters left."
Robin squinted at her. "If we keep this up, our brains are gonna melt. Five minutes, tops. Come on."
And just like that, she gave in. They stepped outside into the cool evening air. The campus was still lively—students drifting out of the library, others lounging around cafés with takeout cups and tired eyes.
Robin stopped at a vending machine, fed in the coins, and pressed a couple of buttons. Two chocolate bars dropped with a clunk. He handed one to Lyra.
"For your survival," he said.
She looked at the chocolate, then at him, a soft smile pulling at her lips. "Thanks."
They stood there in comfortable silence, the sky already dark above them, city lights flickering in the distance. Robin leaned back against the wall, biting into his chocolate, while Lyra took a sip of her lukewarm drink.
"You think you're ready for the exams?" he asked out of nowhere.
She took a moment to answer. "I think I'll be fine. I've studied enough. I just… need to get it over with."
Robin nodded, then smiled at the ground. "Good. 'Cause once this is over, we're celebrating."
Lyra squinted at him. "Celebrate how?"
He shrugged. "I dunno. We'll figure it out. I just don't wanna go from finals straight into another pile of deadlines."
She laughed softly. Yeah, she could definitely relate. And somewhere in her mind, the idea of sharing that celebration—with him—sounded kind of perfect.
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After a quick break, Lyra and Robin headed back toward the student council room. But just as they passed the little garden near the main hall, a voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Wow. Look who finally shows up. You've been impossible to reach lately."
Lyra turned. Suzie was sitting on a bench with her arms crossed, clearly unimpressed. Walter was next to her, lounging like he had nowhere better to be, watching them with mild interest.
Robin, who'd been joking moments ago, went quiet. He slid his hands into his jacket pockets and stood a little closer to Lyra.
Walter smirked. "Kinda different from how things used to be, huh?"
Lyra gave a small, polite smile. "Sorry, I've just been busy. Student council stuff, finals... it's been a lot."
Suzie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, we're all busy. Still managed to see each other—until you vanished. Or maybe it's just easier to make time when he's around."
She tilted her head toward Robin.
Robin didn't say a word, but the flash in his eyes said enough.
Lyra frowned. "What does that have to do with Robin?"
Walter chimed in, casual as ever. "C'mon, Lyra. It's not like we haven't noticed. You're always with him lately."
Lyra let out a quiet sigh. She'd known this was coming eventually. "It's not like I'm avoiding you guys."
Suzie scoffed. "Could've fooled me."
"I mean it," Lyra said, trying to keep her voice even. "There's just been a lot going on, that's all."
Suzie didn't answer right away. Her eyes flicked to Robin, then back to Lyra. Whatever she was holding back, it didn't look pleasant.
Robin caught the look. His jaw clenched slightly, but he stayed quiet, like he was one second away from saying something sharp.
Walter gave a half-shrug. "Whatever. Just... hit us up sometime. It's been a while."
Lyra nodded. "Yeah. I will."
Robin finally spoke, dry and flat. "We good? Let's go."
Suzie shot him a look—sharp, unreadable—but said nothing. She glanced away like she was over it.
Lyra felt the tension like static in the air. She didn't want to stick around and make it worse.
"Alright... see you guys later," she said softly, then followed Robin as they walked away.
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*** TO BE CONTINUE ***