One Year Later
"You know, you could have joined me in Berkeley," Rose said, half-pleading, half-pouting, as she leaned against the doorframe.
Ruby zipped up her final bag, not even glancing up. "I need to break free from the whole twin thing," she replied, her tone teasing but laced with something heavier underneath.
Rose rolled her eyes. "That's harsh."
"I'm kidding." Ruby turned, stepping closer and grabbing both her sister's hands. "You know I love you. We'll FaceTime every day."
Rose tried to blink away the sudden sting in her eyes. "I love you too," she said quietly, then pulled her twin into a tight hug, burying her face in her shoulder.
"Alright, girls! Come down!" their dad, Robert Stuart, called from downstairs. His voice was booming, too cheerful to be normal. The man had been on edge all week—hosting relatives, fixing the garden, even polishing the car twice.
"He's gone insane," Rose whispered. "I swear he's been crying every night since you got that acceptance letter. Even Mom says so."
"Take care of him, okay?" Ruby said, her voice soft now. She gave Rose's hands a final squeeze.
Downstairs, Sophie Stuart, their mother, was fluttering from room to room, double-checking everything. Nick, their younger brother, was lugging suitcases under her sharp-eyed supervision, sweat glistening on his forehead.
"Glad only one of you is leaving," he muttered to Rose as he passed, panting. "Thanks for staying and sparing me the chaos."
"Don't say that. That's rude," Fred, their cousin, chimed in.
"Rude? Come on!" Nick shot back.
"Tch." Fred rolled his eyes and kept walking.
"When are you heading to Princeton?" Nick asked.
"In a week. Come visit before I go."
"To carry your luggage? Yeah, no thanks."
"Boys, enough!" Sophie barked. "Get those last two boxes into the car—now!"
"Yes, yes, Aunt Sophie," Fred muttered under his breath as they scrambled.
***
The day Ruby left felt like a storm. Rose's departure, by contrast, was a whisper.
She stood in front of her mirror the next morning, adjusting the blue puff-sleeved dress she had picked out the night before. The color made her eyes pop, the fabric floating around her like soft smoke. A light blue scarf was tied at her waist—an odd touch, but she liked it. It was her mother's.
Downstairs, the house was almost too quiet.
"You look like you're heading to prom," Nick said as soon as she stepped down, eyeing her outfit with exaggerated disbelief.
"You can just admit I look good," Rose replied, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she passed him.
"Whatever. Want me to come with you?"
"Thanks for pretending to be protective, little brother, but I've got this."
"Mom! Dad! We're gonna be late!"
***
They made it just in time.
Berkeley's campus sprawled out in front of them like a painting—stone buildings kissed by the morning sun, trees swaying gently in the wind. Even though Rose had seen it before, today it looked different. Brighter. Full of promise.
"Global Management Program, this way please," a senior called out, holding up a sign.
"There, Rose," Robert pointed.
"You guys want to come in? I think guardians are allowed," Rose offered.
"Of course, honey," her mom said with a soft smile.
Inside, it was buzzing—groups of students gathered around displays, presentations, and mini-workshops. The energy was electric.
"They look cool. Check that one out," Nick said, nodding toward a research group.
"Your dad and I will wander around a bit. We've seen all this before," Sophie said. "You two go ahead."
"Come on, Nick," Rose said.
"You go alone. I will check something else out," Nick said, before running to the other corner.
"As you wish," Rose muttered under her breath.
The research group had already begun their presentation. Two boys, three girls—each of them looked like they belonged on a magazine cover and an honor roll at the same time. The way they spoke about business strategy, case studies, market simulations—it was fast, smart, sharp.
Rose's eyes flicked to their nameplates:
Alicia Hard – Sophomore
Benjamin Mickelson – Senior
Clia Rivera – Sophomore
Samantha Beton – Junior
Silas Lee – Sophomore
They wrapped up in just under ten minutes. The audience began to disperse, murmurs of impressed conversation trailing behind.
"Well done, everyone," Benjamin said, flashing a charismatic grin.
Must be the leader, Rose thought.
Gathering a breath, she stepped forward. "Excuse me? Sorry to interrupt. I know you're on break, but I might not be able to come back later. Could I ask a few questions?"
Benjamin turned, already scanning the group. "Sure—Silas can help. I've got another session. You're good, right?"
But Silas wasn't listening. He was staring at Rose, still as stone, as if something about her had caught him mid-thought.
"Silas?" Clia snapped her fingers in front of his face.
He blinked. "Oh. Sorry—what's up?"
"This girl has questions. You're up."
"Yeah—of course. Ask away."
Alicia stepped in. "It's pretty noisy in here. Since it's break time, maybe you guys can chat outside?"
This boy was strangely captivating. He had that quiet, brooding charm—handsome and cool, but with an air of mystery. His sharp jawline and cold, intense gaze made an impression. Tall and broad-shouldered, he had a sculpted look—sharp nose, high cheekbones, monolid eyes that made him appear focused and studious. As he removed the toothed headband from his hair, soft, silky bangs fell across his forehead and eyes. He had to be at least 6'4", easily towering over Rose's petite frame. He wore an oversized T-shirt with the GMP logo on it.
Silas led her outside, and they found seats near an ice cream truck.
"Excuse me—before answering your questions, my throat is burning, I need ice cream. They are giving away for free. You want one too?" he asked.
Rose laughed—surprised by how disarming that was. "Sure."
"Flavour?" Silas asked.
"Chocolate will do," Rose replied.
They ate in silence for a couple of minutes, then Silas turned slightly toward her. "So. What do you want to know? Research?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah. I'm really interested, but it also seems kind of... intense. Isn't it too early for a first-year to dive into research?"
"Why do you think that?"
"I don't know," she admitted, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I just feel like I don't know anything yet. But... I still want to try."
Silas looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Makes sense. I get that. But don't worry—I started in my first year too. I've published three papers so far. Got to work with some of the best professors. I take it one project at a time. Honestly, it's fun."
Rose smiled, a little in awe. "You must be great at balancing. I'm not sure I could do both."
"Maybe. I've maintained a 4.0 so far, but yeah—it's hard. Some people drop out when it gets too much. But that doesn't mean you will. Everyone moves at their own pace."
She paused. "Can I start right away? As soon as classes begin?"
"You can," he said. "But I'd suggest waiting a few weeks since you are confused, get a feel for things. Also… London's waiting."
"Right," Rose nodded.
"When you're ready, you'll find the right people. That's the real trick to involve in research. You can have my contact info if you want."
"That would be great," she said, rising to her feet.
He reached into his folder and handed her a slip of paper. "This has my number, socials, and a few other helpful contacts. You'll be fine."
"Thanks," she said. "Well... I guess that's it then. See you around?"
"Yeah," Silas replied, watching her turn and vanish into the crowd.
He stared at the empty spot she had just left behind. Something light blue caught his eye.
Her scarf.
He picked it up and called after her, "Rose! You left your scarf!"
But she didn't hear him.
He moved quickly through the crowd, searching for her—but she was already gone.
***
"So… how was your day? Meet any princes on campus?" Ruby's playful voice danced through the speaker, her wink practically visible through the screen.
Rose smirked and curled deeper into her blanket. Their nightly FaceTime calls had become more than a ritual—like a shared diary only twins could write in.
"Not even a frog in sight," she replied, a soft chuckle escaping. "Your fairytale dreams for me will have to wait."
"Ugh. You've been single your whole life, Rose," Ruby groaned dramatically, flopping backward on her bed. "This is college! You need to meet someone. It's in the brochure."
Rose arched an eyebrow. "Oh? So, if your twin gets into a relationship, the universe mandates the other must, too? That the twin law now?"
Both girls burst into laughter.
"Ryan's already gone," Ruby sighed, suddenly pouting. "MIT is stealing him from me. Ugh, long-distance is cruel."
"He's a good guy, Ruby."
"He is," she agreed, then paused. Her voice dropped an octave, more curious now. "Hey… did you ever try to find that guy from the vacation? The one you met when you ran off?"
"No… not really," she murmured. "I didn't catch his name. And I can't even picture his face properly anymore. How could I look for someone like that?"
Ruby sighed with mock disappointment. "I swear I thought you had a thing for that mysterious masked guy. You know… fate, chance, missed connection—classic romance trope?"
Rose laughed, but it lacked warmth. "A crush? Please. Lol, no."
"Hmm." Ruby leaned closer to her screen, eyes squinting. "That 'lol' was suspicious."
Before Rose could defend herself, Ruby's phone buzzed. "Ah—Jane's calling. Gotta run! Talk tomorrow! Have the best day at campus, okay? Love you!"
Without waiting for a goodbye, the screen went black.