Kris finished reading, the words a potent, unexpected brew settling in his mind. His jaw, usually clenched with boredom or annoyance, had subtly slackened as he absorbed the raw, unfiltered praise. He reread the lines about his eyes speaking a million stories, the spark from an "unread story of you," and the idea that he wasn't just playing Lysander, but was him. No one had ever observed him with such intensity, such surprising accuracy.
He flipped the letter over, examining the plain white envelope again. His thumb, almost subconsciously, brushed against the bottom right corner. He paused. There, faint against the white paper, was a minuscule, elegant swirl of fine, almost abstract lines. A signature. Not written in ink, but etched with the unconscious pressure of a pen, a distinctive flourish he'd seen countless times in her sketchbooks, scrawled in the margins of her notes when she was deep in thought. he had not expected this an least of all Mia. She saw him not just as "Kris Windsor, the rich brat," but as something more, something... complex.
Mia Brown.
A slow, knowing smile stretched across his face, far from his usual arrogant smirk. This was better. So much better. She was furious, frustrated, and undeniably impressed. The envy, so clearly stated in the last line, was almost palpable.
The fact that she had chosen anonymity, despite her clear observations, only made the victory, and the revelation, sweeter. His initial satisfaction with winning the bet was now compounded by this profound, unsettling understanding of just how deeply he had affected her.
He folded the letter carefully, smoothing out the faint lines, and slipped it into his pocket, the paper a warm, subtle weight against his thigh. He pushed his locker shut with a soft clang, his mind still on the unsigned confession. The noise of the university's main common area suddenly registered – a growing hum, a crowd gathering around the drama club's notice board.
The cast list. He had almost forgotten. But now, armed with this secret knowledge, the reveal of who got what role, and the outcome of their audacious bet, felt even more charged. He walked towards the bustling common area, a subtle, confident swagger in his step, ready for the next act.