Tangled Hearts

The lecture hall was buzzing with the usual chatter, the kind that always filled the space before class officially began. Students shuffled in, finding their seats with their laptops, notebooks, and the occasional cup of coffee in hand. It was a Tuesday morning, and I was already over it. Another day of pretending to care about theories I'd already mastered, another day of mindlessly scribbling down notes I'd never look at again.

I scanned the room, barely registering the faces around me. It was the same group of people, the same droning professor, the same routine. My eyes swept over a few familiar faces, but one person caught my attention.

Her.

Aurora Everett.

She wasn't hard to spot. She never was. Her golden brown hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and those eyes-those violet-grey eyes-flashed with a kind of intelligence that made it impossible to look away. She was talking to a few friends, her laughter ringing out like music. She was one of those people who made everything seem effortless-beautiful, smart, funny.

I had seen her before, of course. It was hard not to notice a girl like her. She was the kind of girl every guy wanted to date and every girl wanted to be. She had this aura about her, this magnetic energy that drew people in. But today, for some reason, I was really paying attention.

And it pissed me off.

I didn't need distractions. Not now, not ever. I had a reputation to uphold, and getting involved with someone like Aurora Everett wasn't part of the plan.

She caught my gaze, just for a second, but that was enough. A playful smile tugged at the corner of her lips. It was like she knew exactly what I was thinking.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. The last thing I needed was to let some girl get under my skin.

But there was something about her that made it hard to look away. Something about the way she carried herself-confident, carefree, like she had the world figured out. I hated to admit it, but there was a part of me that was intrigued.

And that part of me? It was dangerous.

The professor entered, pulling me out of my thoughts. As he began his lecture, I tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting back to her. Aurora Everett. She was sitting just a few rows in front of me, her attention completely absorbed in the notes in front of her. I couldn't help but notice the way the sunlight hit her hair, making it look like it was glowing.

I hated it. I hated how easily she was making me forget why I didn't do this-why I didn't do feelings, why I didn't do attachment.

But damn it, the chemistry between us was undeniable. And no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I knew it was only a matter of time before things got... complicated.

The professor's voice faded into the background as I tried to focus on the slides, but my eyes kept drifting back to her. Aurora sat there, tapping her pen against her notebook in a rhythm that seemed to echo in my brain. I couldn't help it-my attention was glued to her. Everything about her was captivating, from the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to the way she looked up at the professor with a knowing glint in her eyes.

It was too much. I was getting caught up in it, and I didn't like it. I needed to shut it down before it got out of hand. I was the guy who didn't get attached. I didn't need anyone to complicate my life. And yet, every time Aurora so much as glanced in my direction, I felt like I was losing the grip I usually had on things.

The bell rang to signal the end of class, and students began to gather their things. I stood up, stretched, and made my way to the exit, already plotting my next move for the day. But then I heard her voice-soft, almost teasing.

"Aiden."

I froze.

I turned slowly, and there she was. Standing in the aisle, one eyebrow raised as she looked at me with that same, knowing smile. There was no mistaking it-she was messing with me.

"Got a second?" she asked, the words casual, but the way she said it... it was like she already knew the answer.

I swallowed a sharp laugh. Was she serious? The audacity. This wasn't some random girl who wanted to have a polite conversation. This was Aurora freaking Everett, and she was pulling me into her orbit without even trying.

"Sure," I said, my voice coming out colder than I intended. "What's up?"

She didn't seem fazed by my tone. In fact, her smile only grew, as if she found the whole situation amusing. She stepped closer, so we were standing just a few inches apart. My eyes couldn't help but flicker to her lips before I forced myself to look up.

"I need help with something," she said, her voice lighter now. "I heard you're the guy to talk to when it comes to... well, everything."

I raised an eyebrow. "Flattery, huh? Is that your game?"

She shrugged, unfazed. "Maybe. But I'm serious. I could use some advice on a project. You're pretty smart, right?"

Smart. Yeah, that was one way to put it. I didn't usually do favors for anyone, especially not girls who looked like they had their life together. But there was something about the way she spoke-so sure of herself, but with an edge of vulnerability hidden beneath it-that made me want to say yes.

Instead, I let out a chuckle. "I don't give out free advice. What's in it for me?"

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "What's in it for you? A conversation with someone who might actually challenge you, for once."

That struck a chord. I wasn't used to people challenging me-at least, not in any meaningful way. Most people just fawned over me, trying to impress me. But Aurora? She was different. I could see it in her eyes. She didn't care about impressing me. She was more interested in seeing if I could keep up.

And that, more than anything, had me hooked.

"Alright," I said, taking a step closer to her, lowering my voice just enough that only she could hear. "I'll help you. But next time, don't expect me to make it easy."

She smirked, the challenge in her gaze unmistakable. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

And just like that, she was gone-disappearing into the sea of students, leaving me standing there with the feeling that something had shifted. Something I wasn't quite prepared for.

But I wasn't about to admit that to myself. Not yet.

Aurora Everett had walked into my life, and now, I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to be able to walk away.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized one thing: Aurora wasn't just any girl. She was someone who could turn my whole world upside down if I let her. And I hated how much I wanted to find out just how far that could go.

Either way, one thing was certain.

I was in trouble.