Chapter 10 Seraphina is enjoying attentions

A few days later.

As Seraphina gracefully glided through the crowded corridors of Boston University, she seemed to cast a spell over all who beheld her. Boys' hearts fluttered at the sight of her ethereal beauty, their minds ablaze with questions about her mysterious origins.

Marco's brow furrowed in confusion as he watched Seraphina pass by, his gaze locked on her like a moth drawn to a flame. "Where is she from?" he mused aloud, his voice tinged with wonder. "I've never seen anyone so beautiful in my life."

Beside him, Rocco nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving Seraphina's retreating figure. "She's like a vision from another world," he murmured, his voice filled with awe. "I've never seen anyone quite like her."

Marco's determination hardened as he watched Seraphina disappear around a corner, his mind already racing with plans to make her his own. "I don't care who she is," he declared, his voice firm with conviction. "I want her, and I'll do whatever it takes to make her mine."

But Rocco, ever the realist, couldn't help but notice the subtle defiance in Seraphina's demeanor as she walked, her head held high and her expression unreadable. "Have you seen the way she carries herself?" he remarked, his tone thoughtful. "She's not like other girls. She's... different."

Marco nodded in agreement, scratching his head in frustration as he tried to decipher the enigma that was Seraphina Holland. "Yeah, and what's with those clothes and that bag she always carries?" he muttered, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I may not know much about fashion, but even I can tell that she's something special."

As they continued to watch Seraphina's retreating form, surrounded by a cloud of mystery and intrigue, one thing became abundantly clear: Seraphina Holland was a force to be reckoned with, and she would leave no heart untouched in her wake.

Meanwhile.

As Armin played football with his team, the intensity of the game mirrored his own focused demeanor. That focus shattered the moment he saw Seraphina, her presence drawing the eyes of every man around. His frustration boiling over, Armin handed off the football to a teammate with more force than necessary, his jaw clenched tight enough to crack a walnut.

With a frustrated growl, Armin handed off the football to a teammate and stormed towards Seraphina, his steps purposeful and determined. Seraphina, lost in her own thoughts, froze in place as she saw him approach, her heart pounding in her chest.

Armin, marching towards Seraphina, each step was heavy with purpose.

But Seraphina, lost in a daydream, was jolted back to reality as she nearly collided with Armin, standing rigid before her like an accusatory statue. The shock of his sudden appearance sent a shiver through her, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

"Seraphina!" Armin's voice was a growl, his words laced with a barely contained fury. "I know about your CIA father on his mission, and your big, careless twin brother lost in his own world."

Seraphina's voice trembled like a leaf in a storm. "Yes, Armin, you're right. Dad is in Europe, and Maximilian is drowning in Mechanical Engineering," she managed, her words a whisper against the tide of his anger.

Armin's sneer was almost a physical force, his disdain palpable. "Don't you dare think you're alone in Boston and can do whatever you want," he hissed, leaning in so close she could feel the heat of his breath.

"What do you mean, Armin?" Seraphina's voice barely rose above a whisper, her body language screaming unease as she took a tentative step back.

"I have my eyes on you 24/7. I don't want any boys around you. You came here to study, so focus only on that," Armin dictated, his gaze piercing through her as if trying to imprint his words directly onto her soul.

Seraphina's nod was automatic, a reflex born of the overwhelming desire to end this confrontation. As Armin turned on his heel and strode away, leaving a wake of tension and unanswered questions, Seraphina exhaled a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"Seraphina," Armin spat, his voice dripping with barely contained rage as he loomed over her. "I know all about your family and their... activities."

Seraphina's breath caught in her throat as she met Armin's steely gaze, her body trembling with fear at the dangerous edge in his tone.

"Yes, Armin, you're right," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "My father is on a mission, and my brother... he's just lost in his own world."

Armin's sneer deepened at her admission, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and possessiveness.

"Don't you dare think you're alone in this city," he growled, his words like ice against her skin. "I have my eyes on you 24/7. And I won't tolerate any... distractions."

Seraphina nodded meekly, her eyes downcast as she absorbed the weight of Armin's warning. With a final, chilling glare, Armin turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Seraphina trembling in his wake.

As the echoes of their tense encounter faded into the background, the air seemed to crackle with tension, leaving Seraphina to wonder what other dangers lurked beneath the surface of Armin Rodríguez's piercing gaze.

Watching the retreating figure of Armin, Seraphina couldn't help but think, "Well, there goes my plan of joining the co-ed study group. Guess it's solo library sessions from now on."

Her attempt at humor was a feeble shield against the unsettling encounter. Shaking her head in disbelief, Seraphina whispered to herself, "And I thought calculus was going to be my biggest problem this semester."

As she resumed her walk, Seraphina's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, but a determined spark ignited within her. "Focus on studies, huh? I'll show him just how focused I can be," she mused, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

As Megan, Rena, and Clara witnessed Armin's unexpected departure from the football field to approach Seraphina, their reactions were a mixture of astonishment, jealousy, and strategic plotting.

Megan, barely able to contain her fury, gritted her teeth so hard it was a miracle they didn't crack. "Armin Rodríguez never even spared a glance at any woman since he arrived at this university," she seethed, her eyes narrowing to slits as she watched the scene unfold. "And now, look! He's actually talking to the first woman who's barely been here a month!"

Rena, equally shocked but slightly more composed, could only shake her head in disbelief. "This woman, with her beauty, made Armin Rodríguez talk to her. Can you believe it?" she echoed, her voice tinged with incredulity as she observed Seraphina's retreating figure.

Clara, frowning deeply, added, "It's like she's cast some sort of spell on him with her looks alone."

Fuelled by a potent mix of jealousy and determination, Megan clenched her fists so tight her knuckles turned white. "No way will I let this witch cast her beauty spell on Armin's heart. I will marry Armin Rodríguez. Only I can be his girlfriend," she declared, her resolve as firm as the concrete under their feet.

Rena, unable to resist poking a hole in Megan's ambitious plan, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have enough courage to go and tell Armin Rodríguez these things? Because let's be real, he's not going to come towards you by himself. Ever."

Megan's eyes blazed with fury as she watched Armin's interaction with Seraphina, her jealousy simmering beneath the surface like a pot about to boil over.

"Can you believe this?" she seethed, her voice dripping with venom. "Armin Rodríguez never even looked at any woman since he came to this university. And now he's talking to her? That... witch!"

Rena's jaw dropped in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief at the scene unfolding before them. "I can't believe it," she murmured, her voice tinged with awe. "She's actually got him talking to her. That's... impressive."

Clara, ever the voice of reason, frowned in concern as she watched Megan's mounting anger. "Listen, Megan, I know you want Armin for yourself," she began, her tone cautious. "But going after Seraphina like this... it's not going to end well."

Megan's fists clenched at her sides, her teeth gritted in frustration. "No way," she declared, her voice steely with determination. "I refuse to let some random beauty cast a spell on Armin's heart. He's mine, and I won't let anyone else have him."

Rena raised an eyebrow skeptically, her gaze flicking between Megan and Armin's retreating figure. "Do you really think you can just waltz up to Armin Rodríguez and tell him all this?" she asked, her tone incredulous. "He's not exactly the approachable type, you know."

Megan's resolve wavered for a moment, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. But then, with a defiant toss of her hair, she squared her shoulders and met Rena's gaze with a fiery determination.

"I'll find a way," she declared, her voice ringing with determination. "And when I do, Armin Rodríguez will finally see that I'm the one he's been waiting for all along."

Megan paused, her brain working overtime as she considered Rena's challenge. A moment later, her face lit up with a defiant smirk. "Well, if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain," she quipped, her confidence unshaken. "It's time for Operation Make Armin Notice Me to commence."

Clara, trying not to laugh at the dramatics of it all, couldn't help but chime in, "Operation Make Armin Notice Me? What are we, in a teenage spy movie? What's your plan? Going to parachute into his next football game?"

The trio burst into laughter, the tension momentarily broken by the absurdity of the image. Megan, always quick to recover, shot back with a playful glare, "Laugh all you want, but when I'm Mrs. Rodríguez, you'll be wishing you had parachuted in with me."

Meanwhile, Monika is looking for her best friend, Seraphina. She knew if Seraphina has encountered Armin once again, she will run to the washroom. So Monika went to the washroom. And as expected, she saw Seraphina. Seraphina splashing water on her face.

Monika, leaning casually against the cool tile wall with her arms crossed, watched as Seraphina tried to cool off her flushed cheeks with water. Her tease was laced with humor and a hint of curiosity. "You're looking so hot today, darling Seraphina," she remarked, a playful glint in her eye.

Seraphina, catching Monika's reflection in the mirror, couldn't help but let a smirk dance across her lips. "This? This is what I always wear. What's wrong with the dress?" she retorted, her tone a mix of defensiveness and amusement.

Monika's response was quick, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "You're wearing a short skirt and jacket today, my dear friend. You look damn attractive. Did Armin notice you?" she probed, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

Seraphina, turning to face her friend fully, frowned slightly, a touch of pride in her voice. "This is Chanel, okay? You know how much I like French designer outfits. And yes, Armin saw me today," she admitted, her frown melting into a mixture of annoyance and intrigue at the memory of their encounter.

Monika chuckled, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes as she leaned closer to Seraphina, her curiosity piqued by the mention of Armin.

"Ooh la la, Chanel, huh?" she teased, her lips quirking into a playful smile. "No wonder Armin couldn't take his eyes off you. You're like a walking fashion runway, Seraphina."

Seraphina couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend's antics, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite herself.

Monika's eyes lit up with excitement at the hint of a story. "Oh, do tell! Did Prince Charming speak or did he just grace you with his brooding presence?" she quipped, pushing off the wall to come closer, her interest piqued.

"Come on, Monika," she protested, her voice laced with amusement. "It's just a skirt and jacket. And besides, I don't dress to impress anyone, especially not Armin."

But as she caught sight of Monika's eager expression, Seraphina couldn't help but relent, knowing that her friend lived for the drama and excitement of their tangled love lives.

"Okay, fine," she relented, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice. "Yes, Armin noticed me today. And let's just say, things got... interesting."

Monika's eyes widened in anticipation, her grin widening into a full-blown smile as she leaned in closer, eager to hear every juicy detail of Seraphina's latest encounter with the enigmatic Armin Rodríguez.

"Well, spill the tea, darling," she urged, her voice practically trembling with excitement. "I want to hear every juicy detail. Did he say anything? Did he look angry? Come on, give me all the deets!"

Seraphina sighed, a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite the tension still lingering in her shoulders. "He spoke, alright. More like he issued decrees. Apparently, I'm under surveillance 24/7 now, and he's decided no boys are allowed near me. As if he has any say in the matter," she recounted, her voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of rebellion.

Monika couldn't suppress a laugh, her amusement clear. "Wow, sounds like someone's taken their knight-in-shining-armor role way too seriously. What are you going to do? Stage a coup d'état?" she joked, nudging Seraphina playfully.

Seraphina, shaking her head, allowed a genuine smile to break through. "More like a rebellion. It's high time Armin Rodríguez learned I'm not a damsel in distress. But first, I need to survive this day without any more drama," she declared, her determination clear.