Chapter 4 Lines crossed

Rain pattered softly against the tall arched windows of the lecture hall. Aria sat stiffly near the middle, eyes fixed on the board but mind drifting. The lecture on criminal psychology should've held her full attention-after all, she was one of the top students in her year. But today, she couldn't focus. Kael Romanov had somehow become a fixture in her thoughts, like an itch she couldn't scratch. Every time she closed her eyes, that smug grin and intense gaze haunted her. It was frustrating. Dangerous. Infuriating. She shook her head as the door creaked open. Heads turned. Of course.

There he was-Kael, unapologetically late, striding in with confidence that bordered on arrogance. He wore a leather jacket over a fitted black shirt, his dark hair slightly tousled as if he'd just rolled out of bed and still managed to look effortless. The professor paused mid-sentence, unimpressed. Kael merely nodded as if the attention was expected. The only empty seat was next to Aria. Just her luck. Without asking, he slid into the chair beside her. She stiffened. "You again?" she muttered under her breath. "I'm starting to think you're following me," he replied with a smirk. She didn't respond, refusing to give him the satisfaction. But from the corner of her eye, she could see that smirk growing wider. The lecture dragged on. Kael leaned closer occasionally, making snide comments, clearly amused by her cold silence. But then, as if karma had decided to mock her, the professor stopped at the front and cleared his throat. "For the semester project, I'll be assigning partners. You'll be required to conduct a psychological profile based on criminal behavior. Let's see..." Aria perked up. She hoped for someone serious, focused. "Aria Mensah... and... Kael Romanov." It felt like the air was sucked out of the room. She blinked slowly. "Excuse me?" Kael chuckled under his breath. "Fate. Again." "Surely there's a mistake-" she started, but the professor cut her off. "No mistakes. I expect well-researched, thought-provoking work from both of you." As they filed out of the hall after class, Aria walked quickly, hoping to escape him. But Kael caught up easily. "You don't look thrilled," he said. "That's because I'm not." "Why? Scared I'll outshine you?" She stopped, turning to face him. "You're a distraction. A reckless, arrogant, unwanted distraction." "And yet," he stepped a little closer, "here we are." She stepped back, annoyed by her own heartbeat quickening. "This is strictly academic," she said firmly. Kael raised a brow. "Of course. We'll keep it professional. Unless... you change your mind." She rolled her eyes and walked off, not trusting herself to say more. Kael stood there, watching her go, a thoughtful look on his face. There was something about Aria-something sharp and bright and utterly different from the world he came from. And despite her resistance, Kael Romanov had never been one to back down from a challenge.