CHAPTER SIX
Something Shifts
The sharp beep of Adera's alarm felt like a personal attack. She groaned and slapped at her phone until it stopped, dragging herself up with the grace of a disoriented sloth. Her desk lamp was still on from the night before, casting a warm glow over the crumpled notes and half-highlighted textbooks she'd abandoned around midnight.
She had a surprise quiz in literature today—thanks to Chloe's late-night panic text—and not enough caffeine in the universe to make her feel ready.
Kiara poked her head in, eyebrows raised. "Still alive?"
"Barely," Adera mumbled, brushing her tangled hair out of her eyes.
Kiara stepped in holding a mug. "Brought you green tea. You're welcome."
Adera took it gratefully. "You're my favorite sister."
"I'm your only sister," Kiara said with a wink. "Now come on, I'll quiz you while you brush your teeth."
Somehow, by the time Adera stumbled downstairs, she was dressed, marginally presentable, and no longer on the verge of panic. Josh was already at the dining table, munching cereal from the box while scrolling through his phone.
"Did you know whales sleep with half their brain awake?" he said without looking up.
Adera blinked. "What does that have to do with my literature quiz?"
"Nothing. I just thought it was cool."
Karen leaned into the doorway, coffee in hand. "We should all sleep like whales—especially you, Ade. You've been burning the candle at both ends."
"This semester is almost coming to an end...which means exams and all " she said with a dramatic sigh. "Sleep is a myth."
"Just try not to sleep in class again," Kiara added, sliding onto a chair with a toast in hand. "You're no good to anyone unconscious."
Josh nodded. "Unless you develop the power to learn through osmosis. Then you'd be a legend."
---
Campus was buzzing when she arrived. A dozen booths had popped up overnight in the main courtyard, colorful signs and balloons marking the occasion: Club Showcase Day. Chloe found her at the gate, holding two smoothies and grinning like someone who'd already discovered a secret.
"Guess who finally talked to me?"
Adera took the mango-strawberry blend and raised a brow. "Nathan?"
Chloe beamed. "He said my hoodie was cool. That counts, right?"
"Totally counts. That's basically a proposal."
They made their way through the crowd. The literature club, debate team, theater crew, and a booth selling 'homemade study kits' were all positioned around the fountain. Tanya waved them down.
"Adera! Chloe! Sign up! Even if you never show up again, we get bonus snacks if we reach thirty names."
Adera laughed. "That's an honest sales pitch."
Liam arrived, holding a pamphlet from the film analysis booth. "You two thinking of joining?"
"Maybe," Adera said. "If Chloe doesn't pull me into the smoothie fan club."
"You say that like it's not a real club," Chloe muttered.
A moment later, Chloe elbowed Adera. "Ten o'clock. Basketball court. Broody prince spotted."
Adera turned.
Jace. Hair slightly damp from the breeze, sleeves pushed up, tossing a basketball lazily between his hands. Daniel stood beside him, sipping a sports drink, watching as Jace crouched down to tie a little boy's loose shoelace.
Adera blinked. "Wait—who's that kid?"
"No idea. But he helped him fix the net earlier. Didn't even brag. Just did it."
"He's probably trying to win the mysterious-good-guy award."
"And somehow, it's working."
---
Literature class was quieter than usual. Adera tried to focus, but her mind kept flickering between the quiz, Liam sitting beside her, and Jace's laugh echoing from the court.
Liam leaned closer, voice low. "You okay? You've barely doodled. That's not like you."
Adera gave a weak smile. "Just tired."
"I was thinking… maybe this weekend, you and I could go check out that new coffee spot near Smoothie Wave? I heard they have caramel apple pie."
"Sounds nice," she said, unsure.
Liam paused. "You don't have to say yes just to be polite."
"No—I mean—let me check my schedule."
He gave a small nod, but the weight behind his smile made her chest feel tight.
---
After class, Liam walked beside her through the nearly empty halls. The showcase booths were now half-packed, with only a few students lingering.
"I like talking to you," he said suddenly. "Even when it's awkward or quiet. I feel like we get each other."
"We do," Adera said.
They stopped near the gate. He hesitated before asking, "Would it be weird if I said I liked you a little more than just a partner-in-homework kind of way?"
She took a breath. "Liam, I thought we were friends... You and Tanya... I didn't think there was anything more."
His gaze dropped to his shoes, then lifted back up. "Thanks for being honest. I still hope we can hang out. No pressure."
Not gonna lie this came as a surprise to her.... she had only seen Liam and Tanya as friends and nothing more.
"Does Liam not know I like Jace... Hmm.. I don't show it so maybe it isn't obvious"She thought to herself .
a great topic to discuss with Chloe.
---
In the evening, Adera curled up on the couch with Kiara, both of them buried under a throw blanket. Josh was upstairs yelling at his video game while their parents watched a cooking show in the kitchen.
Her phone buzzed.
Jace: "You looked serious today. Everything okay?"*
She stared at it.
Kiara noticed. "He texted again?"
"Yeah."
"Are you going to answer?"
Adera shrugged. "I don't know."
She didn't want to reply…not now. She didn't want to come off as " eager"
Eager to reply to a boy's text ..to Jace.
"This semester is ending faster than I expected," Adera muttered.
Kiara nodded. "It really is. You've done well, though. You've made friends, found your rhythm, survived drama—academic and otherwise."
"Still feels like I'm playing catch up."
"Welcome to college. That feeling never goes away."
Adera chuckled softly. "I think I miss when life was simpler. When crushes didn't come with side quests."
Kiara snorted. "Even at fourteen, you were dramatic."
"At least now I have better eyeliner."
Kiara smiled. "And a story to tell. Maybe not the whole story yet. But a good beginning."
---
Later that night, Adera opened *The Emperor's Proposal* on her phone. The newest chapter had dropped. She devoured it in minutes.
Near the end, the heroine looked at the prince and whispered, *"The heart always recognizes what the mind tries to forget."*
Adera closed the app slowly.
Then she opened her chat with Chloe. She wanted to tell her about Liam's sudden confession to her. Turns out Chloe already texted her.
Chloe: " I think I'm in trouble "