The group spent the next few days discussing Alithea’s past, their own feelings, and the mysteries surrounding their powers. Aurelia couldn’t shake off the emotional turmoil caused by Lead’s confession. She felt torn between friendship and the possibility of something more.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the campus, Aurelia sat on the steps outside the library. She stared at the sky, lost in thought. The formula she had devised to calculate compatibility still haunted her. She wondered if there was a way to quantify matters of the heart.
Nickolas found her there, his footsteps quiet on the stone steps. He sat down beside her, his gaze following hers to the fading sunset. “Deep in thought?” he asked, nudging her gently.
“It’s nothing…” she replied, turning away.
“You sure? Because I know you well enough to know that it’s something.”
“Nothing worth your time. Anyway, what brings you to the library?” she asked, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of her forehead. “You usually never come here.”
“I’m here to borrow a book… like I do every Tuesday.” he said, an unamused expression on his face.
Nickolas’s eyes lingered on Aurelia, catching the last rays of sunlight. He knew her well—knew the intricate workings of her mind, the way she analyzed everything, even subjective matters. They had shared secrets, laughter, and late-night conversations. But lately, there was something different about her, a tension that hung in the air whenever they were together.
He leaned back against the cold stone steps, the book forgotten for a moment. “You’re avoiding the question,” he said softly. “What’s bothering you?”
Aurelia sighed, her gaze still fixed on the horizon. “It’s Lead,” she admitted. “His confession… I didn’t expect it. And now, I don’t know how to feel.”
Nickolas raised an eyebrow. “You mean you don’t know how to feel about him or about us?”
“Both,” she replied. “I’ve always valued our friendship, Nick. But Lead… he’s complicated. And I can’t ignore the chemistry we have.”
Nickolas chuckled. “Chemistry, huh? You’re talking to the guy who once accidentally turned his lab partner’s hair blue during a chemistry experiment in high school.”
Aurelia smiled, a genuine one this time. “That’s not the kind of chemistry I meant.”
He nudged her playfully. “So, what’s your algorithm say? Can it calculate feelings?”
She hesitated. “I don’t know yet… Alithea said it wouldn’t work, and I haven’t used it yet.”
“But you’re trying,” he said. “Why?”
“Because I need clarity,” she confessed. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. Not Lead, not you.”
Nickolas leaned closer. “And what about you? What do you want?”
She looked at him then, her eyes meeting his. “I want…” Her voice trailed off, lost in the sunset.
He reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. “You want what?”
“I want to understand,” she whispered, slowly letting go of his hand and folding hers together. “I want to know if it’s possible to have both friendship and something more.”
Nickolas studied her face, the way her lips trembled slightly. “Aurelia,” he said, “sometimes equations don’t have clear solutions. Just let it go. You’ll figure it out if it kills you, and nobody can stop you from doing so.”
“True…” she replied, shaking her head slightly. “Also, you were violating Article 11 for a second there.”
Nickolas stifled a laugh, pulling out his phone and showing her a photo of their contract. “No physical displays of affection?” Nickolas’ smile softened as he pocketed his phone. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to amend that article. Life’s too short for such restrictions, don’t you think?”
Aurelia’s gaze returned to the horizon, where the last of the day’s light was slipping away. “Maybe,” she shrugged, “but rules are there for a reason. They keep things… uncomplicated.”
He nodded, understanding her hesitation. “Complications can be scary, but they’re also what make life interesting. Without them, we’d never grow.”
She considered his words, the corners of her mouth curving into a thoughtful smile. “Growth is important, but so is knowing when to hold back.”
“True,” Nickolas agreed. “But sometimes, you have to take the risk. What’s life without a little adventure?”
Aurelia laughed, the sound mingling with the evening breeze. “An adventure with you? Of all the guys in our university? That sounds like a recipe for my sanity getting food poisoning.”
“Insanity can be fun,” he teased, offering her his hand again. “Shall we?”
“We shall not. Not now,” she replied, coldly yet jokingly. But little did he know, an idea was brewing in her mind and distractions were prohibited. “I have to head to my room now, and so do you. See you around,” she said, walking away from him.
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The days blurred into weeks, and Elemental University settled into a rhythm. Aurelia’s heart, however, remained in disarray. Lead’s confession had thrown her world into a tailspin, and Nickolas’s unwavering friendship and feelings only added to the complexity. She was torn between two paths, each leading to a different kind of story.
She found herself at the door to the iconic room 129, the room Gallus had trouble finding when he first moved in, the room Selena dragged her into to face her feelings, the room they signed the resolution in. And now, it was going to be the room where she was going to reveal her choice.
She took a deep breath as she stared at the dark oak wooden door, with the number 129 engraved onto a small golden oval. She clenched her fist slightly, and rolled up the sleeves of her lucky gray hoodie. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the door, fingers brushing against the cool wood. The knock was soft, almost apologetic, as if seeking permission to enter a world of uncertainty.
The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit space. Aurelia stepped across the threshold, her increased heartbeat echoing the rhythm of her footsteps. The room seemed to hold its breath, too, as if waiting for her to unravel its mysteries. She glanced back, catching a glimpse of Nickolas’ encouraging smile. His eyes sparkled with mischief, as he waited for her to speak.
Aurelia’s hesitance melted away, replaced by curiosity. She stepped deeper into the room, and the door closed behind her.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked, pleasantly surprised to see her make the first move. “Been a while, actually. Need anything?”
She nodded, her pulse quickening. “A conversation. I’ve come to a conclusion with the equation.”
Nickolas’ eyes widened, his curiosity piqued. “Oh, what is it?”
She reached into her pocket, her gaze shifting. As she felt inside, her fingers brushed against two sheets of paper. Aurelia hesitated, her fingers trembling. The two sheets of paper held the key to her heart’s conundrum. One was for him, and the other was not. She pulled out one of them at random, and unfolded it to read the contents for herself.
Nickolas leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “What’s on it? Can I see?”
Aurelia’s eyes widened as she realized that it was the wrong sheet of paper. “No, that’s my class notes. Here’s the one,” she replied, pulling out the other sheet and handing it to him, tucking her ‘class notes’ away safely.
“Congrats, Nicky!” she said, a huge smile forming on her face. “You win!”
Nickolas took the paper from her, his eyes scanning the numbers. “Win? What exactly am I winning?”
Aurelia’s smile widened. “The compatibility score! According to my equation, you and I have a higher compatibility rating than me and Lead.”
He chuckled. “And what’s the scale? Is there a ‘perfect match’ score?”
Aurelia leaned against the wall, her gaze thoughtful. “I wish it were that simple. But feelings don’t fit neatly into equations. Still, it’s interesting to see how our interactions align with the data.”
Nickolas studied her, his expression softening. “Aurelia, you know this isn’t how emotions work, right? You can’t quantify love or friendship.”
“I know,” she admitted. “But sometimes, I wish I could. It would make decisions easier. And… it has.”
He stepped closer, their shoulders almost touching. “Decisions about what? Also, what did Lead say?”
“About us,” she whispered. “About Lead. About everything. I’ll tell him later. I’m sure he’ll get over it. Numbers don’t lie, after all…”
Nickolas reached for her shoulder, his touch warm. “Aurelia, equations won’t tell you what your heart wants. Sometimes, you have to trust your instincts.”
She looked up at him, her eyes searching. “And what do your instincts say?”
He hesitated, then smiled. “My instincts say that life is messy, and equations can’t capture the magic of random moments. But if you want my honest answer…”
“Yes?”
“I want to be more than just a compatibility score,” he said. “I want to be the guy who makes you laugh, who stays up late talking about the universe, who holds your hand when you’re scared. I want to be the one who kisses you under the stars.”
Aurelia’s heart raced. “Nickolas…”
He leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. “Aurelia, forget the numbers. Forget the equations. Just tell me—what do you feel?”
“Like you’re violating Clause 11…” she replied with a smirk, her eyebrows raised.
Nickolas chuckled, his breath warm against her lips. “Clause 11 be damned,” he murmured, closing the remaining distance between them. His kiss was gentle yet filled with longing, as if he had been waiting for this moment for years.
Aurelia’s mind raced, the equations forgotten. She melted into the kiss, her heart pounding. The room seemed to become still, and everything else faded into the background.
When they finally pulled away, both slightly breathless, Nickolas rested his forehead against hers. “Aurelia,” he whispered, “I don’t care about compatibility scores or equations. I care about you.”
She smiled, her eyes shining, speechless. Her mission was accomplished.
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The next day, Aurelia found herself at the threshold of a room on the other side of the boys’ dorms. Her mind was a whirlwind of various thoughts and emotions running through her brain. She knocked on the door, muttering a set of phrases over and over. She had done it once before and that went on well.
The door was opened by a dark haired boy wearing a comfortable jacket over a lazy pairing of a gray graphic tee and shorts. His facial expressions mirrored his shock to see a girl at his doorstep. “Oh, hello. Who are you?” he asked.
“Aurelia. You’re Lead’s roommate, right? I need to talk to him.”
“I’ll go get him,” he said, stepping inside, then stepping into the attached bathroom, a bundle of clothes in his hands as he closed the door behind him. “Come inside. I’m going to go have a shower, so I’ll leave you two be.”
Aurelia smiled slightly, placing her hands in the pocket of her hoodie, feeling for the second sheet of paper as she walked inside. Lead was there, his back to her, lost in thought as he gazed out the window.
“Lead?” Aurelia’s voice was steady, belying the turmoil within.
He turned, his expression brightening at the sight of her. “Aurelia! What a surprise. What brings you here?”
She took a deep breath, the paper with the calculations clutched in her hand. “I’ve been thinking about us, about everything that’s happened.”
Lead’s eyes searched hers, a flicker of hope igniting inside. “And?”
Aurelia extended the paper towards him. “I did some calculations. I wanted to understand us better, to see if there’s a formula to what we are.”
Lead took the paper, his gaze quickly scanning the numbers. His brow furrowed in confusion. “This… this is a compatibility score?”
She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yes. And according to my equation, we have a higher compatibility rating than me and Nickolas.”
Lead’s eyes lifted to meet hers, a mixture of emotions swirling within them. “Is that so? And what does that mean for us?”
Aurelia leaned against the door frame, her heart skipping a beat. “It means that maybe there’s a chance for us. Maybe we’re more aligned than I originally thought.”
Lead stepped closer, the paper forgotten in his hand. “Aurelia, you know I’ve always cared for you. But are numbers enough to base our decisions on?”
She shook her head, her voice soft. “No, they’re not. But they’re a start. They show potential, possibilities.”
“And what did Nick say? There’s no way I can come between you two like this. You remember what happened when I called you Goldie a few months ago.” he said, hesitating a bit.
Aurelia shook her head. “I talked it over with him. He was all right with it. Besides, numbers don’t lie, do they?”
He reached out, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “That’s good. Then I’m sure he won’t mind if I did this… will he, Goldie?” he said, cupping her cheek.
Aurelia’s breath caught in her throat as Lead leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a kiss. When they finally parted, there was a moment of silence, a breath suspended in time. Aurelia’s heart was pounding, her mind racing with the implications of what had just happened.
Lead’s voice broke the stillness. “Aurelia, this… us… it’s not just about the numbers, is it?”
She looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the complexity of her feelings. “No, it’s not. I don’t know what it’s about, but I want us to find out together.”
He nodded, his gaze intense. “And I’d love that too. A lot.”
Aurelia smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through her as she realized that her work there was done. “Well then, let’s do it.”
【
Movie quote: "Can I be the first to say... eww?" -despicable me 2, i think
teacher quote:
POV: math teacher enters, and some of those psychotic boys whom every class has decide to go to the front to salute her
"Geez, I'm not Hitler or something for you to salute me like that. Go back to your places."
Another thing, high school uses that damn Pythagoras theorem too much.
BC² = AB² + AC²
I don't like it.
】
ns 15.158.61.8da2
