Chapter IV

Lily's heart skipped a beat as Alexander approached her, his confident stride matching the spark in his eyes. Her anxiety intensified, causing her palms to sweat and her mind to race with self-doubt. Could someone like him truly be interested in someone like her?

Alexander flashed a warm smile, breaking through Lily's inner turmoil. "Hey, I couldn't help but notice you in class," he said, his voice filled with genuine curiosity. "You did great on the assignmen earlier. I can't wait to deep dive into the project. It gives me the opportunity to get know other students."

Lily's breath caught in her throat, surprised by the invitation. Her mind raced through a mix of excitement and fear of being exposed. She had always been the quiet observer, content to blend into the background and let others take the spotlight. But now she had caught Alexander's attention and stepping into the light felt both exhilarating and terrifying.

Hesitant yet drawn to his magnetic presence, Lily gathered her courage and looked up at him with genuine appreciation in her eyes. "I... I would love to be your partner," she finally managed to say, her voice carrying a mixture of excitement and vulnerability.

Lily and Alexander strolled down the bustling city streets, their steps in sync as they made their way towards the grand library that stood majestically at the heart of the town. The air was filled with anticipation as they engaged in small talk, their genuine curiosity sparking a delightful energy between them.

Lily, with her wild curls and contagious laughter, had a knack for finding beauty in the mundane. She animatedly shared stories of the vibrant street art that adorned the buildings they passed, her eyes sparkling with passion as she described each stroke of paint that seemed to come alive before their very eyes.

Alexander, with his calm demeanor and piercing intellect, listened intently to Lily's tales. He had a way of peering into her words and extracting deeper meaning, making her stories even more captivating. As they walked side by side, he effortlessly intertwined his thoughts with hers, adding layers of insight to their conversation.

Their chat meandered from art to literature, philosophy to science. Every topic became an invitation for them to explore new ideas and challenge each other's perspectives. Lily spoke passionately about the power of storytelling while Alexander delved into the intricate workings of quantum physics.

Lily and Alexander sat across from each other at the library table, their textbooks and notes sprawled out between them. They had been assigned a group project together and were attempting to divide the workload.

"I think we should split the research equally," Lily suggested, tapping her pen on her notebook.

Alexander nodded agreeably, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He couldn't help but steal glances at Lily as she spoke, admiring the way her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders. He had always found her attractive, but lately, his feelings had been growing stronger.

As they continued to discuss the project, Alexander found himself getting lost in his fantasies. He imagined what it would be like to kiss Lily, to run his fingers through her hair, to feel her body against his.

Lost in thought, Alexander didn't realize that Lily had finished speaking until she spoke up again. "So, what do you think?"

Alexander blinked, returning to reality. "Oh, sorry, what was that?" he asked, feeling a flush rise to his cheeks.

Lily gave him a quizzical look. "I said, do you think we should meet up tomorrow to start working on our individual research?"

"Right, right," Alexander said, mentally scolding himself for being so distracted. "Yeah, that sounds good to me."

Lily packed up her things and stood up from the table. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow then."

As she walked away, Alexander couldn't help but watch her, feeling a pang of longing in his chest. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way about his project partner, but he couldn't help it.

He wanted Lily more than anything.

He made a decision then and there. He was going to tell her how he felt, no matter the consequences.

He had to know if she felt the same way.

Taking a deep breath, Alexander packed up his things and headed out of the library, steeling himself for what was to come.

The next day, Alexander arrived at the cafe where he and Lily had agreed to meet. He was more nervous than he had ever been in his life, his heart pounding in his chest as he scanned the room for her.

When he finally spotted her, sitting at a table in the corner with a stack of books next to her, his nerves only intensified.

He made his way over to her, taking a deep breath before he spoke. "Lily," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I need to tell you something."

Lily looked up from her book, her eyes meeting Alexander's. "What is it?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

Alexander took a deep breath, his heart racing. "I know this might sound crazy, but..." His tongue felt thick and uncooperative in his mouth.

He stopped himself and decided against telling her who he was. It didn't matter that he knew this girl, something was connecting them, a sense of familiarity.

Words failed him.

An image of her face clouded his thoughts, but he didn't know why. He looked at her again.

It was definitely her smell; it was so familiar.

Perhaps she smelled like someone he knew? But how would that make sense? Are you losing your mind? She's a human. There is no way they could know about our world.

She couldn't help but wonder what he was going to say. She had noticed how nervous he had been and it made her curious.

But then, out of nowhere, a tall guy with piercing blue eyes appeared at her table. "Excuse me, miss. May I sit down?" he asked in a deep, smooth voice.

Lily felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach, but something about him made her say yes. As he sat down, she couldn't help but take in his striking features. He had sharp cheekbones, a chiseled jaw, and his blonde hair was styled to perfection.

"I saw you looking after that boy who just left," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Lily shook her head, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. "No, he's just a project partner."

The guy nodded, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "Well then, would you mind if I asked you out on a date?"

Lily's heart skipped a beat; she had never been asked out in such an overt fashion.

But the man before her caused her to hesitate on making a decision.

Just as she was about to respond, her phone began ringing. Knox was calling in. With a quick press of her finger, Lily ended the call and looked up at the stranger with her answer on the tip of her tongue.

Then Knox called again.