I dragged myself back to the apartment, feeling drained. A messy mix of irritation and confusion swirled inside me.

Tyler, with his cold attitude, really messed with my emotions. On one hand, he always acted like I didn’t exist, like I was invisible. But on the other hand, I couldn’t deny the fact that he had saved me tonight.

Before I could think too much about it, my phone suddenly rang. Dave’s name flashed on the screen, and I could instantly feel Isolde’s energy shift.

“Don’t pick it up!” she growled sharply. “He’s only gonna make things worse.”

I froze, staring at the screen lighting up over and over. But the call didn’t stop. When I ignored it, another one came in, this time followed by a text.

[Selena, I’m so sorry about earlier.]

[Are you okay? I’m really worried.]

[Please pick up. I just want to make sure you’re safe.]

I sighed, unable to ignore the messages.

“He just wants to apologize, Isolde. I can’t blow him off completely.”

“Maybe he was behind that whole mess!” Isolde snapped, furious. “His buddies tried to do something awful to you, Selena. No way he didn’t know. Don’t give him the chance to mess with you.”

I thought about her words, but I couldn’t keep dodging him forever. Reluctantly, I finally answered the call.

“Hey, Dave,” I said quietly.

“Selena!” His voice was full of relief. “I… I’m really sorry. I had no idea they’d pull something like that. I feel so guilty.”

I let out a breath, trying to ease the tension.

“It’s not your fault, Dave. That was your friends, not you. You don’t need to beat yourself up over it.”

“But still, I feel responsible,” he said, regret heavy in his tone. “I’ll deal with them. I promise they’ll never try something like that again.”

There was something in his voice that made me believe he meant it.

“Thanks, Dave,” I finally replied, softer this time. “But I’m fine now. I just want to forget it ever happened.”

He went quiet for a moment before answering. “If you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay?”

“Okay,” I said shortly, then hung up.

The second the call ended, Isolde came at me with complaints.

“Why did you have to talk to him? He’s bad news, Selena, trust me!”

“I can’t just ignore him, Ice,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “He just wanted to make sure I was okay. That’s not exactly a crime, is it?”

“But he’s already starting to get to you. You need to be careful.”

I knew she was only worried, but I couldn’t just cut Dave off. He’d been a good friend, and even if Isolde didn’t like it, I felt like he was being genuine.

I let out a long breath, staring at the ceiling. “How did he even know I was there?” I murmured without realizing.

Isolde immediately perked up, her voice full of excitement. “Because he’s our mate, Selena. I can feel it. It’s only a matter of time before he realizes it too.”

I sighed again. “If he’s really our mate, then why is he so damn hard to figure out?” I muttered.

Isolde huffed, sounding like a friend fed up with my cluelessness.

“You know humans. They’re slow on the uptake. You can’t expect him to just know because of a few signs. But I’m sure he feels something. You saw it, didn’t you? He didn’t let anything happen to you.”

I thought about what she said. Maybe she had a point. Tyler had shown up right on time that night, like he knew I needed him. Even though his attitude afterward made me want to punch him, I couldn’t deny he’d been there for me.

“So what do I do, Isolde?” I finally asked, surrendering to the confusion clouding my head.

“Take it slow,” she said eagerly. “Don’t push it. Be his friend first. He needs to actually know you, the real you. That’s the best place to start.”

A small smile tugged at my lips, a spark of hope flickering through the chaos. “So you think I should try to get closer to him?”

“Yes! And I promise I’ll hold back so I won’t make things harder for you. I know I’ve messed things up before. I’m sorry, Selena.”

I smiled, staring at the ceiling before finally closing my eyes.

---

That day, the photography club room was buzzing more than usual. Everyone was gathered to discuss an upcoming event, while I sat in the back row, trying to stay focused on taking notes. But my attention slipped the moment Tyler walked in, wearing a black jacket and casual jeans.

“Hey, Tyler!” Rianna, one of the club members, waved excitedly. “You joining us today?”

Tyler chuckled. “Nah, just waiting for Eve. She said the meeting won’t take too long.”

Eve, sitting in the front, glanced back with an easy smile. “You can wait outside if you’re bored, Tyler.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just hang here. The place is kinda cozy,” he said, walking in and taking a seat near her.

The room instantly grew louder. A few members started teasing them, like always.

“Eve, you’re so lucky to have Tyler always waiting on you,” Rianna teased.

“Yeah, you two should be voted ‘cutest couple’ on campus,” another joked.

I tried hard not to look their way, even though the words echoed in my ears.

In my head, Isolde was already restless.

“Him again! Why does everyone keep calling them a couple? This is driving me nuts!”

“Just ignore it,” I whispered back. But honestly, I felt the same irritation.

Then Tyler chuckled and shook his head.

“Me and Eve? No way,” he said, his voice casual but firm enough to silence the room. “Eve’s my best friend. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and our families are close. That’s all it is.”

The room went quiet for a beat before soft murmurs filled the air.

“Seriously?” Rianna asked skeptically. “But you guys look so good together.”

Eve just shrugged, smiling. “Yeah, Tyler and I are close, but like he said, we’re just friends.”

Something inside me lifted, like a heavy weight was finally gone. His simple explanation made me feel… lighter.

“You hear that, Selena?” Isolde’s voice rang in my head, calmer this time. “He said they’re just friends. Maybe he’s not who we thought he was.”

I didn’t reply. I just ducked my head, pretending to be busy with my notes. From that moment, though, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.

Tyler stayed until the meeting ended, casually chatting with a few club members while Eve packed up her stuff. Even though his presence still threw my mind into chaos, I tried not to let it show.

That day, I learned to hold back. Because even if Isolde was calmer now, I knew my heart was still fragile—and letting these feelings grow without control would be dangerous.