Carrying Aria's transfer document, Orion exited the administrative block. The exchange had disrupted his schedule and delayed his friends' admissions, but his expression remained calm. Instead of wasting more time, he pulled out his phone, found Aria's number in her file, and dialed.
"Hello?" a girl's voice answered.
"Hello, this is Orion. We met earlier in the lounge. You were sitting beside me."
A brief pause. Then, cautiously: "Hmm… how may I help you?"
"Our documents were exchanged," Orion said in his usual measured tone.
Silence stretched for a moment before Aria hurriedly asked, "Where are you?"
"In front of the basketball court."
"I'll be there in two minutes."
"Good."
He ended the call and walked across the campus lawn toward the outdoor court. It was a busy spot even in the late afternoon , students lingered at the bleachers, some watching a half-hearted practice game, others chatting in small groups. The sound of bouncing basketballs echoed against the concrete, sneakers squeaking as players moved across the court. A hot breeze carried the faint scent of fried food from the cafeteria nearby.
Orion chose a bench under the shade of a tree and rested the folder on his lap. His tall frame blended into the background, but his stillness set him apart from the restless students around him.
A few minutes later, a girl in a black hoodie appeared, running fast across the walkway. Her movements cut through the scene like a blade, sharp and out of place. Even behind her mask, her urgency was obvious.
As she reached him, Orion's sharp gaze immediately caught what she lacked: there was no folder in her hands.
He tightened his grip on her file, holding it back. "Where is my document?"
"Give me my document back," Aria demanded, her tone sharper than her breathless state allowed.
Orion's mouth curved faintly, not quite a smile. "Do not make me ask again, Miss Quinn. Where is my document?"
Her pulse hammered. Ethan had torn Orion's file apart and tossed it away. She couldn't say that, couldn't risk revealing more than she already had. Her fists clenched as she whispered, "I'll get it for you tomorrow. Can I have mine back now?"
"No," Orion said flatly. "If this is important to you, then mine is equally important to me. First, bring me my file." He turned slightly, as if to leave.
"Wait! There's a problem with your document," Aria blurted, desperation cracking her voice.
Orion paused, head turning a fraction. "What is it?"
"I don't have it right now."
"That much is clear."
"I mean… I can't retrieve it tomorrow either."
His tone sharpened. "Miss Quinn, I don't have time for games."
Aria's stomach twisted. Around them, life on campus carried on , laughter from a group of freshmen, the pounding of a basketball slamming into the backboard, the whistle of a referee signaling the end of practice. Yet none of it reached her. She felt only the walls of her own life closing in , the Quinn name, a gilded cage of power and blood. Her father's enemies would seize any weakness to strike. If this stranger walked away with her identity in his hands, she might never breathe freedom again.
Finally, she forced the words out. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize those documents were important. I… I threw them away."
Orion's voice was clipped, unyielding. "Then you should have kept them safe until the owner came. Not discarded them the moment you decided they were useless."
Aria bit her lip hard, tasting iron. I was wrong. But what else could I do?
"It doesn't matter now," Orion said curtly. "I'm keeping your papers. Forget about them."
"You can't do that!" Aria snapped, her voice breaking. Panic colored her tone, sharper than before.
Her fists trembled. No. I can't let him keep it. Not him. Not anyone.
Orion tilted his head, his eyes cool and unreadable. "You seem very protective of these papers, Miss Quinn." His tone was calm, but there was a weight in it , a judgment she couldn't decipher.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Listen, girl, the world doesn't revolve around you. So you better,"
Before he could finish, Aria moved.
Her hand shot out with startling precision, snatching the folder from his grip. With a sharp pivot, she darted away, her movements quick and fluid , practiced, almost unnatural for someone her age.
The sound of her footsteps disappeared into the noise of bouncing balls and shouts from the court. Students barely noticed her as she vanished into the crowd.
Orion blinked once, caught off guard by her speed. His expression remained composed, but for the first time towards a girl, his lips curved ever so slightly.
An amused look flickered in his eyes as he leaned back on the bench, watching the space where she'd disappeared.