Chapter 9: IX

Chapter 9: Unspoken Connections

The following Wednesday afternoon, Riley walked into the small study room in the library where she and Elena had agreed to meet. She was slightly early, which, if she were honest with herself, was an attempt to calm her nerves. Since their last meeting at the café, Riley had been replaying Elena’s accidental confession over and over in her mind. Elena had noticed her. She hadn’t just been some quiet background character to Elena after all.

But now, sitting in the quiet study room, with her hands anxiously tapping against the edge of the table, Riley found herself unsure of what to expect. Would the shift between them be noticeable? Would Elena treat her differently now that Riley knew she had been on Elena’s radar all this time?

Riley set her things down, pulling out her laptop and opening it to the shared document they’d been working on. She quickly glanced at the clock on the wall. Ten minutes until their scheduled meeting time.

A soft knock at the door caught her attention, and she looked up to see Elena standing there, looking as effortlessly radiant as ever. She wore a loose sweater with rolled sleeves, paired with faded jeans and sneakers—casual, but still, everything about her seemed to radiate warmth and confidence.

“Hey,” Elena greeted, a smile playing on her lips as she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Riley immediately felt her heart skip a beat. She stood up, trying to hide her unease. “Hey,” she replied, forcing herself to sound casual.

Elena walked over to the table and set her bag down beside Riley’s. “I didn’t realize how much I missed this place,” Elena said, looking around the study room. “It’s so quiet. I don’t think I’ve been to the library since I got here.”

Riley chuckled lightly. “I like it here. It’s the one place on campus I can actually focus.” She sat back down, gesturing for Elena to take the seat next to her.

Elena did so, settling into the chair with a sigh. “Good call. I’ve been trying to stay on top of things, but it’s been harder than I expected.”

Riley nodded sympathetically. “Yeah, college life’s a lot to juggle. But I’m sure we’ll manage. You seem to have it all together.”

Elena glanced at her, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Thanks. I try.” She hesitated, then met Riley’s gaze. “So, where were we with the project? Did you get a chance to look over the draft I sent you?”

Riley quickly shifted gears, diving into the work at hand. “Yeah, I looked it over. I think we’re doing great so far. We can start refining some of the ideas in the next section, especially with the character analysis. We need to go a bit deeper with Cassie’s arc.”

As they continued discussing their project, Riley couldn’t help but notice how natural their conversation felt. There was an easy flow between them, and the tension she’d felt earlier seemed to dissipate with each passing moment. Elena’s presence was calming, and as much as Riley was still adjusting to the unexpected revelation about their past, she couldn’t deny the attraction she felt.

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After an hour of focused work, they took a short break. Elena stretched her arms above her head, her eyes closing briefly as she leaned back in her chair.

“So,” Elena said, breaking the comfortable silence. “How are you liking college so far?”

Riley leaned back as well, folding her arms across her chest. “It’s definitely different. High school was easier, in a way. But I’m enjoying it. It’s challenging, but I’m getting the hang of it.”

Elena smiled. “I know what you mean. I thought I had everything figured out when I got here, but then I realized how much more there is to learn, not just in class, but about myself too.”

Riley’s curiosity piqued. “What do you mean?”

Elena glanced at her for a moment, and then, with a shrug, replied, “I guess I’m just realizing how much I took for granted back home. There’s this pressure to always be the best version of myself, and sometimes, I wonder if I’m living up to it.”

Riley’s brow furrowed slightly. “You always seem so put together, though. Like, you’ve always had everything under control.”

Elena chuckled softly. “That’s what I let people see. But there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes. Sometimes I feel like I’m juggling too many things at once, and I’m not sure I’m handling it as well as I should.”

Riley nodded, understanding all too well the feeling of constantly trying to live up to expectations. “I get that. I’ve had my fair share of juggling, too. Trying to figure out who I want to be, what I want to do…” She trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper as she glanced away, unsure if she should continue.

Elena noticed the shift in her tone. “Hey,” she said softly, reaching across the table to touch Riley’s hand lightly. “You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. You’re doing great. And whatever you decide to do, I’m sure you’ll find your way.”

Riley’s heart fluttered at the gesture, the warmth of Elena’s touch sending a shiver through her. She looked up, meeting Elena’s gaze, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. It was a quiet, unspoken understanding that passed between them—a shared recognition of the weight of expectations and the desire to break free from them.

Before either of them could say anything else, the door to the study room opened, and a group of students walked in. The moment was interrupted, and Riley quickly pulled her hand back, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.

Elena, too, seemed to shift, her smile faltering just slightly as she cleared her throat. “We should probably get back to work.”

“Yeah,” Riley agreed, trying to regain her composure. “Let’s do that.”

The remainder of the session passed without any more personal moments, though both Riley and Elena seemed more aware of the space between them. Every glance, every word felt charged with an unspoken connection that neither of them fully understood yet.

As they wrapped up their work, Elena glanced at the clock. “I should probably get going. I’ve got a study session with a friend later, but I’ll send you the next section of the project tonight.”

“Sounds good,” Riley replied, standing up and packing away her things.

Elena lingered by the door for a moment, her eyes lingering on Riley. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow?”

“Yeah, of course,” Riley said, smiling softly. “See you then.”

As Elena left the study room, Riley couldn’t help but replay the moment when Elena had touched her hand. The warmth of the gesture lingered, leaving Riley both exhilarated and confused. What did it mean? Was it just a friendly gesture, or had there been something more to it?

One thing was certain—things between her and Elena were shifting, and no matter how much she tried to control it, she couldn’t deny the pull between them.

And for the first time in a long time, Riley felt like she was ready to face whatever came next.